Kyle Shewfelt

{{Infobox gymnast

| name = Kyle Shewfelt

| image = Kyle Shewfelt (1) (5239535148).jpg

| imagesize =

| caption = Shewfelt at Canada's Sports Hall of Fame Induction Dinner, November 10, 2010, Calgary, Alberta

| fullname = Kyle Keith Shewfelt

| altname =

| nickname =

| country = {{CAN}}

| formercountry =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1982|05|06}}

| birth_place = Calgary, Alberta, Canada

| death_date =

| death_place =

| height = 5 ft 5 in

| discipline = MAG

| natlteam =

| club = Altadore Gymnastics Club

| gym =

| collegeteam =

| headcoach =

| assistcoach =

| formercoach =

| choreographer =

| music =

| eponymousskills =

| retired = May 21, 2009

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry | {{flagicon|Canada}} Canada }}

}}

Kyle Keith Shewfelt (born May 6, 1982 in Calgary, Alberta) is a Canadian gymnast. His gold medal in the men's floor exercise competition at the 2004 Athens Olympics was the first-ever medal for a Canadian in an artistic gymnastics event and was the first Canadian gold of the 2004 Olympics. He also has a vault named after him.

Shewfelt was considered a medal threat in advance of the Athens games. In the end, Shewfelt finished first on floor and fourth on vault.

Gymnastics career

Born in Calgary, he first began practicing gymnastics in 1988 influenced by a neighbour. His father was also an athlete playing for the Brandon Wheat Kings hockey team. While Shewfelt was a skilled hockey player he turned to gymnastics at an early age. He attended Calgary's National Sport School in order to complete his high school education, while pursuing his Olympic plans with fellow athletes at the school {{cite web|url=http://schools.cbe.ab.ca/b830/ |title=National Sport School |access-date=14 February 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060211053041/http://schools.cbe.ab.ca/b830/ |archive-date=11 February 2006 }} Kyle trained at Altadore Gymnastic Club under coach Kelly Manjak, from age six up until the 2004 Olympics. Manjak married in 2004 and moved following the Olympics to Ontario. Shewfelt stayed in Calgary, training with coach Tony Smith at the University of Calgary.

In 2000 Kyle was unexpectedly, due to his young age, selected for the Sydney Olympics.{{Cite web|url=http://www.gymn.ca/athletes/men/shewfelt.shtml|title=Gymn.ca: Kyle Shewfelt|website=www.gymn.ca|access-date=2017-07-18}} He competed in the individual floor and vault event qualifications in ranks of 12 and 26, respectively, and did not qualify to the finals in either.

He caught the attention of judges performing a new vault, a Yurchenko with two and one half twists. The new move was ratified by the judges and subsequently named the Shewfelt vault.{{Cite encyclopedia|url=http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/in-conversation-with-kyle-shewfelt/|title=In Conversation with Kyle Shewfelt|last=Freeborn|first=Jeremy|encyclopedia=The Canadian Encyclopedia|access-date=2017-07-18|language=en}}

Shewfelt's long-held goal of Olympic gold was endangered when he severely bruised the talus bone in his ankle in March 2004, but he made a full recovery in time for Athens. Before the Olympics, Shewfelt speculated on moving to Cirque du Soleil after his athletic career is over.

At the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, there was some controversy when Shewfelt was marginally edged out by Marian Drăgulescu of Romania with an average combined score of 9.612 to the bronze medal in the individual vault final by 0.013 points despite Drăgulescu falling in his second vault and Shewfelt completing two comparatively well-executed vaults with an average combined score of 9.599.{{Cite news |date=2004-09-16 |title=Canada's Shewfelt appeals 4th-place finish in Athens |url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/canada-s-shewfelt-appeals-4th-place-finish-in-athens-1.511681 |access-date=2025-01-24 |work=CBC Sports}}

In 2005 Shewfelt played Kelly Manjak in the Hungarian made film White Palms.

In 2006 Shewfelt made a comeback to the international scene, leading the Canadian team to a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in Australia, collecting bronze on Floor and gold on Vault for himself.

That same year, Shewfelt helped his team to a second-place finish at the Pacific Alliance competition. In the individual events, Shewfelt placed first on vault and floor.

Next was the world championships in Denmark where Shewfelt led his team to a best ever team ranking (6th) and where he collected another world championship medal (bronze on floor exercise).

In August 2007, Kyle fractured both of his tibias in a fluke landing training for floor exercise just prior to the world championships in Germany. Withdrawing from the event, Kyle hoped to heal and get back into training in sufficient time to make a bid for the 2008 Summer Olympic team.[http://www.canada.com/topics/sports/story.html?id=1372bd5e-8ed3-41ec-bdbb-e96130c43e84&k=2189 Shewfelt will have long road back from broken knees]

After 11 months of intense rehab and recovery, Kyle was named to his third Canadian Olympic team. He was selected to represent Canada in Beijing after proving that he was in top form at a test competition capping a week-long training camp in Calgary.{{cite news |url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/2.720/shewfelt-tops-canadian-gymnastics-selections-1.696412 |title=Shewfelt tops Canadian gymnastics selections |website=CBC Sports |date = 7 July 2008 }}

At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Kyle competed in the preliminary artistic gymnastics round. Shewfelt was unable to reach the top eight in either of his specialties (the cut-off for admission to the Olympic finals), finishing ninth in vault and 11th in floor.{{cite web| url = http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/story.html?id=5b2bd975-42b3-4222-bb04-97f0dabe2cf7| title = Canada.Com {{!}} Homepage {{!}} Canada.Com}} Shewfelt received the highest execution score (B score) for the two vaults he performed (9.75). After his exit from the Olympics, Kyle became a guest commentator on artistic gymnastics for CBC Television's Olympic coverage.CBC Television, Olympic Prime, 15 Aug 2008

On May 21, 2009, Shewfelt announced on his blog that he was retiring from competition.

"After much thought and consideration, I have come to the decision that it's time to hang up the grips, put away the stinky gym shoes, remove the singlet, take my hands out of the chalk bucket and start embarking on new journeys," Shewfelt wrote. He would take on an ambassador role with Gymnastics Canada to promote this sport.{{Cite news |date=2009-05-21 |title=Kyle Shewfelt retires from gymnastics |url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/kyle-shewfelt-retires-from-gymnastics-1.793212 |access-date=2025-01-24 |work=CBC Sports}}

Later life

During the 2012 London Olympics, he served as a gymnastics analyst for the CTV Television Network-led Canadian Olympic Broadcast Media Consortium.{{cite web|title=CTV announces first names of London 2012 broadcast team|url=http://www.canadiansportcentre.com/news/newsletter-archives/47-july-26-2011/364-ctv-announces-first-names-of-london-2012-broadcast-team|publisher=Canadian Sport Centre Calgary|access-date=11 August 2012|date=26 July 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130119113921/http://www.canadiansportcentre.com/news/newsletter-archives/47-july-26-2011/364-ctv-announces-first-names-of-london-2012-broadcast-team|archive-date=19 January 2013}}

In 2018, he was working as a gymnastics coach.{{cite news |first=Devin |last=Heroux |title= Coach's sex-assault trial shows Canadian gymnastics culture needs to change, says Kyle Shewfelt |date=25 October 2018 |website= CBC Sports |url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/summer/gymnastics/kyle-shewfelt-gymnastics-abuse-1.4876814 |access-date=31 January 2023}}

In 2021, he published an autobiography, Make it Happen.{{cite news |title=Shewfelt Shares Soul In New Autobiography, 'Make It Happen' |url=https://www.intlgymnast.com/interviews/shewfelt-shares-soul-in-new-autobiography-make-it-happen/ |access-date=31 January 2023 |work=International Gymnast Magazine Online |date=12 June 2021}}

Routine skills

Vault: 2½-Twisting Yurchenko (The Shewfelt); Double-Twisting Tsukahara
Floor: (2004) 1½ Whip, Full Twist, Rudi; 2½ Twist, Front Layout, 1¾ Front; Full Twisting Back handspring; Layout Arabian with Full Twist; Double Twisting Double Back (2008) Arabian Double Piked Front; 1½ Twist to a Full Twist, Front Layout with 1¾ Front Dive; 2½ Twist to a 1.5 Twist, Layout Arabian with Full Twist, Double Twisting Double Back
Horizontal Bar: Deff, Tkatchev, piked stalder, Full pirouette, Double Twisting Double Layout

Competitive history

=2000 season=

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
Year ! Competition ! Location ! Event ! Final-Rank ! Final-Score ! Qualifying Rank ! Qualifying Score
rowspan="2" \| 2000 \| rowspan="5" \| 2000 Summer Olympics \| rowspan="5" \| Sydney \|Floor Exercise \|DNQ \|N/A \|12 \|9.575
Vault \|DNQ \|N/A \|26 \|9.575

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

Year

! Competition

! Location

! Event

! Final-Rank

! Final-Score

! Qualifying Rank

! Qualifying Score

rowspan="2" | 2000

| rowspan="5" | 2000 Summer Olympics

| rowspan="5" | Sydney

|Floor Exercise

|DNQ

|N/A

|12

|9.575

Vault

|DNQ

|N/A

|26

|9.575

=2004 season=

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
Year ! Competition ! Location ! Event ! Final-Rank ! Final-Score ! Qualifying Rank ! Qualifying Score
rowspan="9" \| 2004 \| rowspan="5" \| 2004 Summer Olympics \| rowspan="5" \| Athens \|Team \|DNQ \|N/A \|11 \|221.905
Floor Exercise \|bgcolor="gold" \| 1 \|9.787 \|3 \|9.737
Still Rings \|DNQ \|N/A \|76 \|8.112
Vault \|4 \|9.599 \|5 \|9.687
Horizontal Bar \|DNQ \|N/A \|57 \|9.212
rowspan="4" \| Olympic Trials \| rowspan="4" \| Calgary \|Floor Exercise \|bgcolor="silver" \| 2 \|9.600 \|2 \|9.500
Pommel Horse \|8 \|7.800 \|7 \|8.450
Vault \|bgcolor="gold" \| 1 \|9.700 \|1 \|9.800
Horizontal Bar \|bgcolor="silver" \| 2 \|9.200 \|2 \|9.500

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

Year

! Competition

! Location

! Event

! Final-Rank

! Final-Score

! Qualifying Rank

! Qualifying Score

rowspan="9" | 2004

| rowspan="5" | 2004 Summer Olympics

| rowspan="5" | Athens

|Team

|DNQ

|N/A

|11

|221.905

Floor Exercise

|bgcolor="gold" | 1

|9.787

|9.737

Still Rings

|DNQ

|N/A

|76

|8.112

Vault

|9.599

|9.687

Horizontal Bar

|DNQ

|N/A

|57

|9.212

rowspan="4" | Olympic Trials

| rowspan="4" | Calgary

|Floor Exercise

|bgcolor="silver" | 2

|9.600

|9.500

Pommel Horse

|7.800

|8.450

Vault

|bgcolor="gold" | 1

|9.700

|9.800

Horizontal Bar

|bgcolor="silver" | 2

|9.200

|9.500

=2006 season=

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
Year ! Competition ! Location ! Event ! Final-Rank ! Final-Score ! Qualifying Rank ! Qualifying Score
rowspan="13" \| 2006 \| rowspan="5" \| World Championships \| rowspan="5" \| Aarhus \|Team \|6 \|270.350 \|5 \|361.975
Floor Exercise \|bgcolor=cc9966 \| 3 \|15.700 \| \|15.475
Still Rings \|DNQ \|N/A \| \|13.950
Vault \|DNQ \|N/A \| \|15.750
Horizontal Bar \|DNQ \|N/A \| \|14.800
rowspan="4" \| Pacific Alliance Championships \| rowspan="4" \| Honolulu \|Team \|bgcolor="silver" \| 2 \|268.600 \| \|
Floor Exercise \|bgcolor="gold" \| 1 \|15.600 \| \|
Vault \|bgcolor="gold" \| 1 \|16.375 \| \|
Horizontal Bar \|5 \|15.050 \| \|
rowspan="4" \| Commonwealth Games \| rowspan="4" \| Melbourne \|Team \|bgcolor="gold" \| 1 \|269.750 \|1 \|269.750
Floor Exercise \|bgcolor="cc9966" \| 3 \|14.700 \|1 \|15.500
Vault \|bgcolor="gold" \| 1 \|16.337 \|1 \|16.600
Horizontal Bar \|7 \|14.525 \|2 \|14.700

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

Year

! Competition

! Location

! Event

! Final-Rank

! Final-Score

! Qualifying Rank

! Qualifying Score

rowspan="13" | 2006

| rowspan="5" | World Championships

| rowspan="5" | Aarhus

|Team

|270.350

|361.975

Floor Exercise

|bgcolor=cc9966 | 3

|15.700

|15.475

Still Rings

|DNQ

|N/A

|13.950

Vault

|DNQ

|N/A

|15.750

Horizontal Bar

|DNQ

|N/A

|14.800

rowspan="4" | Pacific Alliance Championships

| rowspan="4" | Honolulu

|Team

|bgcolor="silver" | 2

|268.600

Floor Exercise

|bgcolor="gold" | 1

|15.600

Vault

|bgcolor="gold" | 1

|16.375

Horizontal Bar

|15.050

rowspan="4" | Commonwealth Games

| rowspan="4" | Melbourne

|Team

|bgcolor="gold" | 1

|269.750

Floor Exercise

|bgcolor="cc9966" | 3

|14.700

|15.500

Vault

|bgcolor="gold" | 1

|16.337

|16.600

Horizontal Bar

|14.525

|14.700

=2008 season=

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
Year ! Competition ! Location ! Event ! Final-Rank ! Final-Score ! Qualifying Rank ! Qualifying Score
rowspan="13" \| 2008 \| rowspan="5" \| 2008 Summer Olympics \| rowspan="5" \| Beijing \|Team \|DNQ \|N/A \|9 \|358.975
Floor Exercise \|DNQ \|N/A \|11 \|15.525
Still Rings \|DNQ \|N/A \|62 \|13.925
Vault \|DNQ \|N/A \|9 \|16.350
Horizontal Bar \|DNQ \|N/A \|52 \|14.250
rowspan="4" \| Olympic Trials #3/4 \| rowspan="4" \| Calgary \|Floor Exercise \|bgcolor="gold" \| 1 \|15.500 \|2 \|15.600
Still Rings \|5 \|13.900 \|6 \|13.700
Vault \|bgcolor="gold" \| 1 \|16.400 \|1 \|16.300
Horizontal Bar \|4 \|15.400 \|3 \|14.600
rowspan="4" \| Olympic Trials #1/2 \| rowspan="4" \| Edmonton \|Floor Exercise \|bgcolor="silver" \| 2 \|15.600 \|2 \|15.500
Still Rings \|6 \|13.900 \|6 \|13.700
Vault \|bgcolor="gold" \| 1 \|16.400 \|1 \|16.500
Horizontal Bar \|bgcolor="silver" \| 2 \|14.700 \|3 \|14.600

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

Year

! Competition

! Location

! Event

! Final-Rank

! Final-Score

! Qualifying Rank

! Qualifying Score

rowspan="13" | 2008

| rowspan="5" | 2008 Summer Olympics

| rowspan="5" | Beijing