Zachary Clay
{{short description|Canadian artistic gymnast}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2020}}
{{Infobox gymnast
| name = Zachary Clay
| image =
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| full_name = Zachary Clay
| altname =
| nickname =
| country = {{GYM National Team|CAN|MAG}}
| formercountry =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1995|7|5}}
| birth_place = Langley, British Columbia, Canada
| spouse =
| training =
| height =
| discipline = MAG
| level =
| natlteam = 2011–2025
| club = Twisters Gymnastics Club
| gym =
| collegeteam =
| headcoach = Richard Ikeda
| assistcoach =
| formercoach =
| choreographer =
| music =
| eponymousskills =
| retired = July 4, 2025{{cite instagram|postid=DLtB6FThSas|date=July 4, 2025|user=z_clay|title=Since I'm now retired, I feel like it's appropriate to show the skill I invented back in 2017}}
| worldranking =
| show-medals = yes
| medaltemplates =
{{MedalCountry| {{CAN}} }}
{{MedalCompetition|Commonwealth Games}}
{{MedalSilver|2018 Gold Coast|Team}}
{{MedalBronze|2014 Glasgow|Team}}
{{MedalBronze|2018 Gold Coast|Pommel horse}}
{{MedalCompetition| Pan American Games }}
{{MedalGold|2023 Santiago|Pommel horse}}
{{MedalSilver|2023 Santiago|Team }}
{{MedalBronze| 2019 Lima | Team }}
{{MedalCompetition|Pan American Championships}}
{{MedalGold|2017 Lima|Pommel horse}}
{{MedalSilver|2023 Medellín|Team}}
{{MedalCompetition|Pacific Rim Championships}}
{{MedalSilver|2024 Cali|Team}}
{{MedalSilver|2024 Cali|Pommel horse}}
}}
Zachary Clay (born July 5, 1995) is a Canadian former artistic gymnast. He is the 2017 Pan American and 2023 Pan American Games champion on pommel horse. He represented Canada at the 2024 Olympic Games.
Gymnastics career
= 2014–15 =
Clay helped Canada win the bronze medal in the team final at the 2014 Commonwealth Games held in Glasgow, Scotland.{{Cite web|title=Gymnastics Results Book|url=http://www.glasgow2014.com/sites/default/files/documents/GYMNASTICS%20ARTISTIC%20CG2014%20Official%20Results%20Book.pdf|url-status=usurped|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181208112954/http://www.glasgow2014.com/sites/default/files/documents/GYMNASTICS%20ARTISTIC%20CG2014%20Official%20Results%20Book.pdf|archive-date=December 8, 2018|access-date=November 7, 2020|website=2014 Commonwealth Games}}
In 2015 Clay tore his ACL and fractured his tibia during a competition.{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/zachary-clay-gymnastics-1.6984740|title=8 years ago, an injury almost ended Zachary Clay's gymnastics career. Now he's helped Canada make the Olympics|date=October 2, 2023|work=CBC News}}
= 2017–19 =
Clay competed at the 2017 Pan American Championships. He won gold on pommel horse, earning his first major international title.{{cite web|url=https://www.surreynowleader.com/sports/fraser-valleys-zachary-clay-becomes-first-canadian-to-win-pan-am-gold-in-pommel-horse-6526673|title=Fraser Valley's Zachary Clay becomes first Canadian to win Pan Am gold in pommel horse|work=Surrey Now-Leader|date=October 25, 2023}} He later competed at the World Championships where he placed 21st in the all-around.
At the 2018 Commonwealth Games Clay helped Canada finish second as a team. Individually he won the bronze medal on pommel horse behind Rhys McClenaghan and Max Whitlock.{{Cite web|title=Artistic Gymnastics Results Book|url=https://gc2018.thecgf.com/sites/default/files/2018-04/Gold%20Coast%202018%20Artistic%20Gymnastics%20Results%20Book.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180524222739/https://gc2018.thecgf.com/sites/default/files/2018-04/Gold%20Coast%202018%20Artistic%20Gymnastics%20Results%20Book.pdf|archive-date=May 24, 2018|access-date=November 7, 2020|website=2018 Commonwealth Games}} In September Clay competed at the 2018 Pan American Championships where he helped Canada finish fifth as a team. The following month he competed at the World Championships where he helped Canada finish 18th during qualifications.
Clay represented Canada at the 2019 Pan American Games held in Lima, Peru. He helped Canada win the bronze medal in the team final. Individually he placed sixth during the pommel horse final.{{Cite web|title=Artistic Gymnastics Results Book|url=https://www.panamsports.org/downloads/pdf/lima-2019/GA_Results_Book_1.0.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201012195634/https://www.panamsports.org/downloads/pdf/lima-2019/GA_Results_Book_1.0.pdf|archive-date=12 October 2020|access-date=7 November 2020|website=2019 Pan American Games}}
= 2022 =
Clay competed at the DTB Pokal Team Challenge and Mixed Cup in Stuttgart. During the team challenge he helped Canada finish fifth as a team. At the 2022 World Championships Clay helped the Canadian team finish tenth during qualifications. He did not qualify for any individual finals.{{cite web|url=https://thegymter.net/2022/11/09/2022-world-championships-mens-results/|title=2022 World Championships Men's Results|work=The Gymternet|date= November 9, 2022}}
= 2023 =
Clay competed at the 2023 Pan American Championships where he helped Canada win the silver medal.{{cite web|url=https://usagym.org/u-s-claims-mens-and-womens-team-titles-at-pan-american-championships/|title=U.S. claims men's and women's team titles at Pan American Championships|date=May 28, 2023|work=USA Gymnastics}}
In October Clay competed at the 2023 World Championships alongside René Cournoyer, Félix Dolci, William Emard, and Jayson Rampersad. During qualifications he helped Canada finish fourth, which qualified Canada a team berth to the 2024 Olympic Games, a feat last achieved by the Canadian men's gymnastics team in 2008.{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/summer/gymnastics/canada-men-olympic-berth-artistic-gymnastics-world-championships-1.6983953|title=Canada sending men's gymnastics team to Olympics for 1st time since 2008|date=October 1, 2023|work=CBC News}} During the team final Clay contributed a score on pommel horse towards Canada's seventh-place finish.
Clay next competed at the Pan American Games. On the first day of competition he helped the Canadian team win the silver medal behind the United States.{{cite web|url=https://olympics.com/en/news/santiago-2023-team-usa-claims-pan-am-games-men-artistic-gymnastics-team-gold-results|title=Santiago 2023 - Team USA claims Pan Am Games men's artistic gymnastics team gold - results|date=October 21, 2023|work=International Olympic Committee}} Individually he qualified to the pommel horse final. On the first day of event finals Clay won gold on pommel horse ahead of compatriot Rampersad.{{cite web|url=https://results-santiago2023.org/#/discipline/GAR/results/M.1APPH-------------.FNL-.000001--|title=Men's Pommel Horse FINAL|work=2023 Pan American Games|date=October 24, 2023}} In doing so, Clay became the first Canadian to win gold on pommel horse at the Pan American Games.
= 2024 =
In late June Clay was named to the team to represent Canada at the 2024 Summer Olympics alongside René Cournoyer, Félix Dolci, William Émard, and Samuel Zakutney.{{cite web|url=https://olympic.ca/2024/06/28/team-canada-gymnasts-setting-the-bar-high-for-paris-2024/|title=Team Canada gymnasts setting the bar high for Paris 2024|date=June 28, 2024|work=Canadian Olympic Committee}} While there he helped Canada finish eighth as a team.{{cite web|url=https://thegymter.net/2024/08/05/2024-olympic-games-mens-results/|title=2024 Olympic Games Men's Results|work=The Gymternet|date=August 5, 2024}}
Competitive history
| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center; font-size:95%;" | |||||||||
| width=7% class=unsortable| Year
! width=37% class=unsortable| Event ! width=7% class=unsortable| Team ! width=7% class=unsortable| AA ! width=7% class=unsortable|FX ! width=7% class=unsortable|PH ! width=7% class=unsortable|SR ! width=7% class=unsortable|VT ! width=7% class=unsortable|PB ! width=7% class=unsortable|HB | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| colspan="10" | Junior | |||||||||
| rowspan="1" | 2011 | align=left | Commonwealth Youth Games | {{silver2}} | 7 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 6 | ||
| colspan="10" | Senior | |||||||||
| rowspan="4" | 2014 | align=left | Elite Canada | {{gold1}} | |||||||
| align=left | Canadian Championships | {{gold1}} | {{silver2}} | |||||||
| bgcolor="#afeeee"
| align=left | Commonwealth Games | {{bronze3}} | 8 | |||||||
| bgcolor=#CCCCFF
| align=left | World Championships | 14 | ||||||||
| rowspan="2" | 2015 | align=left | Elite Canada | {{gold1}} | 4 | ||||||
| bgcolor=#CCCCFF
| align=left | World Championships | 15 | ||||||||
| rowspan="3" | 2017 | align=left | Canadian Championships | {{gold1}} | {{silver2}} | {{silver2}} | {{gold1}} | 4 | {{bronze3}} | ||
| bgcolor=#F5F6CE
| align=left | Pan American Championships | {{gold1}} | 6 | 6 | ||||||
| bgcolor=#CCCCFF
| align=left | World Championships | 21 | ||||||||
| rowspan="8" | 2018 | align=left | Elite Canada | 5 | 8 | ||||||
| align=left | UCIC Calgary | {{bronze3}} | {{gold1}} | {{bronze3}} | ||||||
| bgcolor="#afeeee"
| align=left | Commonwealth Games | {{silver2}} | {{bronze3}} | |||||||
| align=left | Canadian Championships | 5 | {{silver2}} | 8 | 8 | |||||
| align=left | Guimarães Challenge Cup | 5 | ||||||||
| bgcolor=#F5F6CE
| align=left | Pan American Championships | 5 | 7 | |||||||
| bgcolor=#CCCCFF
| align=left | World Championships | 18 | ||||||||
| align=left | Toyota International | 4 | 6 | |||||||
| rowspan="4" | 2019 | align=left | Elite Canada | {{bronze3}} | 7 | {{silver2}} | 6 | 5 | |||
| align=left | UCIC Calgary | 7 | 4 | 4 | 5 | |||||
| align=left | Canadian Championships | 4 | {{gold1}} | 6 | {{bronze3}} | |||||
| bgcolor=#f0fccf
| align=left | Pan American Games | {{bronze3}} | 6 | |||||||
| rowspan="2" | 2021 | align=left | Koper Challenge Cup | 4 | |||||||
| bgcolor=#CCCCFF
| align=left | World Championships | 19 | 44 | |||||||
| rowspan="4" | 2022 | align=left | DTB Pokal Team Challenge | 5 | 6 | ||||||
| align=left | DTB Pokal Mixed Cup | 4 | ||||||||
| align=left | Paris Challenge Cup | 4 | ||||||||
| bgcolor=#CCCCFF
| align=left | World Championships | 10 | ||||||||
| rowspan="5" | 2023 | align=left | Elite Canada | {{silver2}} | |||||||
| bgcolor=#F5F6CE
| align=left | Pan American Championships | {{silver2}} | ||||||||
| align=left | RomGym Trophy | {{silver2}} | {{silver2}} | |||||||
| bgcolor=#CCCCFF
| align=left | World Championships | 7 | ||||||||
| bgcolor=#f0fccf
| align=left | Pan American Games | {{silver2}} | {{gold1}} | 5 | ||||||
| rowspan="6" | 2024 | align=left | Elite Canada | 5 | 6 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 7 | {{silver2}} | |
| align=left | DTB Pokal Team Challenge | 11 | ||||||||
| align=left | Pacific Rim Championships | {{silver2}} | {{silver2}} | |||||||
| align=left | Canadian Championships | 7 | 11 | {{silver2}} | 7 | 14 | 7 | |||
| align=left | RomGym Trophy | 4 | ||||||||
| bgcolor=98FB98
| align=left | Olympic Games | 8 |
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{sports links}}
{{Gymnastics at the Pan American Games – Men's pommel horse}}
{{NavigationPanAmChampionsMAGPH}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Clay, Zachary}}
Category:Place of birth missing (living people)
Category:Canadian male artistic gymnasts
Category:Gymnasts at the 2014 Commonwealth Games
Category:Gymnasts at the 2018 Commonwealth Games
Category:Commonwealth Games silver medallists for Canada
Category:Commonwealth Games bronze medallists for Canada
Category:Gymnasts at the 2019 Pan American Games
Category:Medalists at the 2019 Pan American Games
Category:Pan American Games silver medalists in gymnastics
Category:Pan American Games bronze medalists in gymnastics
Category:Pan American Games bronze medalists for Canada
Category:21st-century Canadian sportsmen
Category:Medallists at the 2014 Commonwealth Games
Category:Medallists at the 2018 Commonwealth Games
Category:Gymnasts at the 2023 Pan American Games
Category:Pan American Games silver medalists for Canada
Category:Medalists at the 2023 Pan American Games
Category:Olympic gymnasts for Canada
Category:Gymnasts at the 2024 Summer Olympics
Category:Commonwealth Games silver medallists in gymnastics