Gael Mackie gained the sixth and final spot on the women's gymnastics team but that shouldn't deter from the fact she is one of the top young talents in Canada. Mackie has battled injuries this season and needed a special session a week after the trials to show she was fully healthy to compete at the Olympics to confirm her spot. That makes the 15-year-old the youngest athlete on the entire Canadian Olympic team.
Mackie also carries a family tradition in the sport. Her father Bill Mackie competed for Canada in gymnastics at the 1972 Olympics. Her mother Susan competed as a junior at nationals. Her older brother Owen competed twice at the national championships and her younger sister Charlotte is also showing early signs of talent.
Last year, Mackie won the national all around title becoming the first Canadian in nearly 20 years to win the junior and senior all around titles in consecutive years. At the Pan Am Games, the entire Canadian women's team was struck by illness and Mackie got the worst of it. She was forced to withdraw from the competition. Then injury prevented her from competing at the world championships a few weeks later.
