厂耻谤谤别测鈥檚 is having a golden time in Australia.

The Fraser Heights resident is a multiple medal-winner in gymnastics at the , in Queensland.

Olsen, 17, won gold Friday (April 6) as a member of Team Canada in the women鈥檚 artistic gymnastics team final.

It was Canada鈥檚 first women鈥檚 team gymnastics gold at the Games since 1990.

鈥� MORE: Canadian women win team gymnastics gold at Commonwealth Games, from April 6.

Over the weekend, Olsen won gold in vault, and then bronze in the women鈥檚 floor competition.

Olsen said the Commonwealth Games have been the pinnacle of her gymnastics career, to date.

鈥淚 think so,鈥� she said, when asked by the Now-Leader, 鈥渂ecause the team competition was really amazing, and then the vault final just the other day was also fantastic, just really had me on the edge of my seat, waiting and watching the other girls compete. And then today, floor, was just the cherry on top, and I can鈥檛 be any prouder for my teammates and representing Canada.鈥�

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On Sunday, the Now-Leader sent Olsen some questions via email, through media representative Julie Forget.

Asked what the experience has been like in Australia as a member of team Canada, Olsen replied: 鈥淎s a team, we鈥檙e extremely supportive of each other, just really there for each other, and if we make a mistake, we鈥檙e all there for each other, for support.鈥�

The Vancouver-born Olsen, who trains at in Coquitlam, counts vault and floor as her favourite events.

She said consistency and 鈥渁 lot of repetition in the gym鈥� is how she has managed to excel in gymnastics.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not just the ability to do gymnastics,鈥� she added, 鈥渋t鈥檚 a lot of the mental game too, so if you feel like you鈥檙e not ready to do it physically, then you have to prepare mentally in your head too, so that鈥檚 really important for me.鈥�

Olsen started in gymnastics at age three.

鈥淏y that age, (she) was the fastest bike rider in the family and needed the right environment to channel her energy,鈥� according to .

Her parents are Tony Olsen and Jayne Chow-Olsen, and 鈥淪hally鈥� has an older brother named Chas.

At age 16, Olsen was the youngest Canadian Olympian at the 2016 Summer Games in Rio. In 2017, she won two silver medals 鈥� in floor and vault events 鈥� at the first-ever World Cup in Sofia, Bulgaria, and also won gold in vault at the 2017 Jesolo Cup.

Today, she鈥檚 a Grade 12 student at Centennial Secondary in Coquitlam. Upon graduation from high school, she plans to attend the University of Alabama.

At Omega, Olsen is coached by Vladimir Lashin and Svetlana Lashina.

Gym owner Kat Lashina said Olsen has trained at the facility for more than a decade.

鈥淪he鈥檚 been a top, high-level athlete for a long time,鈥� Kat said. 鈥淪he鈥檚 very dedicated, very hard working, and on the other side she鈥檚 very friendly. We鈥檙e very proud of her here.鈥�

tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com
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