Alabama Signee Leads Canadian National Championships
5/26/2005 12:00:00 AM | Gymnastics
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University of Alabama gymnastics signee Melanie Banville is in first place after day one of the Canadian National Championships being held in Vancouver on the University of British Columbia campus.
Banville, a native of Long Sault, Ontario, scored a 36.850 in the all-around to lead the competition. Her score included a 9.5 on both the uneven bars and floor exercise. She will compete in the all-around finals Wednesday night. The scores from the two days of competition are added together to determine the overall winner. Banville will also compete in individual event finals on Saturday.
A member of the 2004 Canadian Olympic team, Banville won the all-around at the Canadian Olympic trials last summer. She was a finalist at the Athens Olympics and took fifth in the all-around at the 2003 Pan-American Games.
The daughter of Christine and Gerry Banville, she is coached by Tobie Goreman and Lori Iurello at Ottawa Gymnastics Center. Banville is only the second international athlete to sign with Alabama, following All-American Natalie Barrington of Mississauga, Canada (1999-2002). A senior at Gloucester High School, Banville was a member of the Canadian 2003 World Championship team.
