Kyle Shewfelt is probably the best gymnast ever developed in Canada. Shewfelt became the first Canadian to win two medals at the same world championships when he placed third on floor and vault last year in Anaheim. In Athens he hopes to make history again by becoming Canada's first ever Olympic medallist in the sport.
Shewfelt suffered an ankle injury in March at a World Cup which kept him off the competitive mat until the Olympic trials in July. At the trials, he showed top form with several big performances particularly on his two best events, vault and floor.
"The ankle is still not 100 percent healed but I'm able to pretty much do everything," said Shewfelt, who won bronze on floor and vault at the Anaheim worlds last summer. "I have big goals for the Olympics and that's what keeping me going everyday. The injury isn't even on my mind right now."
Shewfelt began gymnastics in Calgary at the Altadore gymnastics club in 1988 when his mother enrolled him to channel his energies. His first international competition was in 1996 and in 2000 he finished 12th on floor at the Sydney Olympics.
