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Grant Golding

Grant at the 2001 World Championships photo courtesy Don Johnson

Name: Grant Golding
Date of Birth: March 30, 1981
Coaches: Tony Smith, Guenadi Gribanov
Club: University of Calgary

Grant Golding is a national team veteran has been competing internationally for 10 years. Highlights of his junior international career include a second place all-around at the 1996 Vienna Cup, 25th all-around at the prestigious Japan Junior International in 1997, and ninth all-around at the 1998 World Youth Games in Moscow, Russia. Domestically Golding won two national all-around titles during this period, including the novice title in 1996 and a junior title in 1998. In 1998 he also made his senior international debut, competing at the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lampur, Malaysia, and winning a bronze medal in the team competition.

In 1999, following a third place senior debut at 1998 Elite Canada, Golding proved that he would continue to be a valuable senior team member. After finishing sixth all-around at the Canadian Championships he made two major international teams, helping the Canadian men take bronze at the Pan American Games in Winnipeg and competing with the team who finished 18th at the world championships in Tiajnin.

The Canadian men did not qualify a full team for the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, but Golding kept busy on the international scene, competing at the Pacific Alliance Championships in New Zealand and at home at the Gymnastic Challenge in Mississauga. He also finished third all-around at the Canadian Championships, continuing his rise in the national rankings.

2001 would prove to be a very important year for Canadian men’s gymnastics, with Golding being a major player. International successes included an 11th place team finish at the World University Games in Beijing, China (a mini world championships based on the caliber of the men’s field), and a 12th place finish at the World Championships in Ghent – the best finish for the Canadian men at worlds since an 11th place in 1985. Individually, Golding himself qualified for the individual all-around final, placing 22nd.

2002 would be another successful year for Golding. Competing at home in Vancouver at the Pacific Alliance Championships, Golding took an invidual gold medal in the floor exercise. He took part in his second Commonwealth Games, earning team silver in Manchester, and he also made four event finals at the Hungarian Invitational. Domestically he finished fourth and fifth all-around at Elite Canada and the Canadian Championships respectively.

2004 Olympics Courtesy of Grace Chiu

In 2003, Golding and his teammates earned their best ever team ranking at a World Championships, finishing ninth in Anaheim and qualifying a full team to the Olympic Games for the first time since 1988. Golding, who earlier in the year finished second all-around at the Canadian Championships – his best ranking ever – contributed five events to the team effort.

2003 World Championships Courtesy of Grace Chiu

Golding had a very successful 2004 season leading to the Athens Olympics. Internationally he won four gold medals at the Jurassic Classic dual meet against the USA – including a win in the all-around. He also finished fifth all-around at Pacific Alliance in Hawaii (with bronze medals on floor and rings). Domestically he finally broke through with an all-around win at the Canadian Championships in Mississauga. He contributed on all six events at the Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, where the Canadian men’s team finished 11th and individually, Golding ranked 31st in the all-around qualifications.

Golding continued to compete regularly on the international circuit in 2005, making event finals at two world cup events (the American Cup and the Siegfried Cup in Brazil), winning another four gold medals at the Jurassic Classic, taking bronze on parallel bars a the senior Pan American Championships in Brazil, and winning two golds (floor and rings) at the Cancun Invitational in Mexico.

Golding took part in two major international competitions – the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne and the Pacific Alliance Championships in Honolulu – with major success in both. In Melbourne he helped the Canadian men’s team secure team gold, and he had his say in the event finals, living up to his name with a first place finish on the parallel bars. He also took bronze on the pommel horse, traditionally one of his best events. In Honolulu, he helped Canada earn team silver and individually struck bronze on the pommel horse. The Hawaiian event seemed to mark the end for Golding, who, thereafter, began training for a career with Cirque du Soleil at their headquarters in Montreal. Then, approximately two months prior to the 2006 World Championships, Golding returned to training. In the end, he was named alternate for Canada's team to the 2006 World Championships.

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