Nathan Gafuik (born June 12, 1985) is a Canadian gymnast, who has competed at two Summer Olympics (

2008 File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...

and

2012 File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gat ...

) and has won medals at Commonwealth level.

Early life

He took up gymnastics at the age of four and has achieved gymnastic success despite a diagnosis of

Addison's disease Addison's disease, also known as primary adrenal insufficiency, is a rare long-term endocrine disorder characterized by inadequate production of the steroid hormones cortisol and aldosterone by the two outer layers of the cells of the adrena ...

at the age of 15. He won the Canadian junior all-round title at the 2003 Canadian National Championships, leading him to be named as Canada's alternate at the

2004 Olympic Games The 2004 Summer Olympics ( el, Θερινοί Ολυμπιακοί Αγώνες 2004, ), officially the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad ( el, Αγώνες της 28ης Ολυμπιάδας, ) and also known as Athens 2004 ( el, Αθήνα 2004), ...

, although he was unused.

Gymnastics career

Early gymnastics career

At the

2006 Commonwealth Games The 2006 Commonwealth Games, officially the XVIII Commonwealth Games and commonly known as Melbourne 2006 (Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm 2006'' or ''Naarm 2006''), was an international multi-sport event for members of the Commonwealth held ...

in Melbourne, he won three medals, a gold and two silvers. The gold came in the men's team event, with the silvers coming in the men's all-round and the men's vault. That year he was also part of the Canadian men's team that came 6th at the World Gymnastics Championship in Aarhus, the best result ever for a Canadian team. He won senior Canadian national titles in the vault (2005, 2006 and 2008), the parallel bars (2006) and the floor (2008). In 2007, he underwent wrist surgery in spring 2007, the time off contributing to his fifth place in the men's all-round in the Canadian Championships before the 2008 Olympics.

2008 Summer Olympics

The youngest member of the Canadian men's gymnastics team, Gafuik competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics, finishing in 17th place in the men's all-round, the second best performance ever by a Canadian gymnast. He then won the 2010 Canadian Championships. In 2011, while studying at

Athabasca University Athabasca University (AU) is a Canadian public research university that primarily operates through online distance education. Founded in 1970, it is one of four comprehensive academic and research universities in Alberta, and was the first ...

, he won a medal at the Universidae, bronze in the men's all-round. It was the first medal Canada won at that championships.

2012 Summer Olympics

Canada's only male gymnast to qualify for the 2012 Summer Olympics, Gafuik's preparation for the Games was hampered by a thumb injury, severe enough to require surgery. He did not compete in all of the events, sitting out the other apparatus qualifiers to concentrate on the high bar, his favoured event. Unfortunately, his score of 13.866, due to a fall from the bar, was not enough to qualify him for the final.

2014 Commonwealth Games

He was part of the Canadian team that took bronze in the men's team event at the

2014 Commonwealth Games The 2014 Commonwealth Games ( gd, Geamannan a' Cho-fhlaitheis 2014), officially known as the XX Commonwealth Games and commonly known as Glasgow 2014, ( sco, Glesca 2014 or Glesga 2014; gd, Glaschu 2014), was an international multi-sport ev ...

, along with Zachary Clay, Anderson Loran, Kevin Lytwyn and Scott Morgan.

References

External links

Team Canada Biography
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gafuik, Nathan Gymnasts at the 2012 Summer Olympics Gymnasts at the 2008 Summer Olympics Olympic gymnasts of Canada 1985 births Sportspeople from Calgary Living people Commonwealth Games gold medallists for Canada Commonwealth Games silver medallists for Canada Commonwealth Games bronze medallists for Canada Gymnasts at the 2006 Commonwealth Games Gymnasts at the 2014 Commonwealth Games Canadian male artistic gymnasts Commonwealth Games medallists in gymnastics Universiade medalists in gymnastics Universiade silver medalists for Canada Universiade bronze medalists for Canada Medalists at the 2011 Summer Universiade 20th-century Canadian people 21st-century Canadian people