Oakville gymnast earns second Pan Am silver after Canada goes 1-2 in pommel horse

On Saturday the Canadian men’s gymnastics team captured a silver medal at the Pan Am Games in Santiago, Chile in the team event, a performance helped considerably by the day’s high score in the pommel horse event.

Three days later Oakville’s Jay Rampersad and Chilliwack, BC.’s Zachary Clay put those pommel horse skills to even better use, with Clay and Ramparsad going one-two in the individual event.

Clay, despite giving up a few points for degree of difficulty to Rampersad, took home the gold with a near-perfect performance – Canada’s first ever gold medal in the discipline and Canada’s 20th at these games – while Rampersad earned his second silver medal of the week.

It was the first time any Canadian had medaled in pommel horse since 1995.

Rampersad, who earned bronze in the event at last year’s Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England, told reporters if he was going to be beat by anyone, he was happy it was to his teammate.

“I am unbelievably happy. There’s no one ese I’d rather be second to.”

Nelson Guilbe Morales of Puerto Rico earned the bronze.

Canada is second in the medal standings with 58, including 20 gold. The U.S. is first with 51 gold medals and 109 medals overall.

Zach Clay of Chilliwack, B.C. and Jay Rampersad of Oakville went 1-2 in the pommel horse final at the Pan Am Games in Chile Tuesday