Zachary Clay
Zachary Clay is a Canadian former artistic gymnast. He is the 2017 [Pan American Individual Event Artistic Gymnastics Championships|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 2014 Commonwealth Games – Men's artistic team all-around|team final] at the 2014 Commonwealth Games held in Glasgow, Scotland.In 2015 Clay Anterior [cruciate ligament injury|tore his ACL] and fractured his tibia during a competition.
2017–19
Clay competed at the 2017 Pan American Championships. He won gold on pommel horse, earning his first major international title. 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 2018 Commonwealth Games – Men's pommel horse|pommel horse] behind Rhys McClenaghan and Max Whitlock. 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.
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.2023
Clay competed at the 2023 Pan American Championships where he helped Canada win the silver medal.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 Gymnastics at the [2024 Summer Olympics – Qualification|qualified Canada a team berth] to the 2024 Olympic Games, a feat last achieved by the Canadian men's gymnastics team in 2008 Summer Olympics|2008]. 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. 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. In doing so, Clay became the first Canadian to Pan American Games – Men's pommel horse|win gold on pommel horse at the Pan American Games].