Welcome to the Lower Gym stop of the Black History Here & Now Virtual Tour, where we will learn about Black Canadians in gymnastics.
Gymnasts all over Canada have trained in spaces like this one, but many Black Canadian gymnasts remain unknown.
Even with the wealth of information at our fingertips, it remains challenging to find information about the Black Canadian gymnasts that have blazed a trail in the sport. A Google search for the terms “African Canadian gymnastics” or “first Black Canadian gymnast at Olympics” returns results for Ellie Black, a White female gymnast.
Additionally, Gymnastics Canada, the national governing body for the sport of gymnastics in Canada, has no Black faces in coaching history on the national team.
Despite the lack of recognition, Black Canadians have not only continued to participate and excel in the sport; they’re creating spaces to support and encourage future Black gymnasts.
Read more about some of the notable Black gymnasts in Canadian history below.
Athlete Spotlight
Brittnee Habbib
Brittnee Habbib was a member of the Canadian National Gymnastics Team for five years starting in 2002, and the only Black athlete on the team. In 2004, when she was a senior at the National level, top 10 athletes were allowed to try out for the Olympics. That year, she tied for 10 and was denied her place to try out for the Olympics.
“Gymnastics gave me a lesson in injustice from a very young age because I was always treated differently being a young Black girl … it showed me that despite my best efforts, the rules were always going to be a bit different for me,” Habbib said in an interview in 2021.
Habbib attended college at the University of Nebraska. During her time as a student-athlete, she earned an All-American Honor and was the 2010 NCAA Regional Uneven Bars Champion.
"Gymnastics gave me a lesson in injustice from a very young age because I was always treated differently being a young Black girl … it showed me that despite my best efforts, the rules were always going to be a bit different for me."
— Britnee Habbib
Despite the barriers she faced in the sport, Habbib worked as a provincial and national level coach for seven years. In 2015, she started a gymnastics and dance program called Girl Power’d that aims to build self-esteem and self-love in young girls who identify as Black. The program takes in over 100 participants per year.
Read more about Brittnee Habbib and Girl Power’d
Listen to an interview with Brittnee Habbib on the ‘I Wish I Didn’t Quit podcast’
STELLA UMEH
Stella Umeh made her debut in the 1990 Commonwealth Games, replacing an injured teammate. She competed internationally for the next four years, winning 3 gold and 2 silver medals during that period at the Commonwealth Games, and representing Canada at the 1992 Summer Olympics.
In a 2016 interview, Umeh said about her time as a gymnast that “…in Canada, I was like the black sheep. I was not touted as a favourable Canadian gymnast by Canadian standards by any mean.”
Umeh attended UCLA and competed at the college level until 1998, winning three golds, three silvers and one bronze at the NCAA Championships. After her professional gymnastics career, she performed in the Cirque du Soleil show, Mystère. Today, Umeh is a busy writer, yoga instructor, activist, and mother.
"in Canada, I was like the black sheep. I was not touted as a favourable Canadian gymnast by Canadian standards by any means."
— Stella UMEH
Curtis Hibbert
Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Curtis Hibbert immigrated to Canada with his family in 1970 and started gymnastics training at age seven (Wikipedia). He was the first Black male Canadian gymnast who came to national attention in 1983 with appearances in the Canadian Nationals, Canada Winter Games, and Pan Am Games.
In 1987, Hibbert won silver medal in high bar at the World Championships, which took him to the 1988 Seoul Olympics representing Canada. There he made the finals in three events and finished 22nd in the all-around competition.
Hibbert was the star performer of Canada's Commonwealth Games team in 1990, winning seven medals: five gold, one silver and one bronze. He is the most successful gymnast in history in a single Commonwealth Games.
Hibbert retired from competitive gymnastics in 1993 and had a successful career as a stuntman for 20 years before becoming a police officer for the City of Toronto.
Learn more about Curtis Hibbert
Sources
ByBlacks.com: "Girl Power'd" Creates Unstoppable Black Girls With African Dance And Gymnastics
International Gymnastics Camp: Brittnee Habbib Confirmed for Week 5 at IGC
Lindsay Stakes: Curtis Hibbert - Canada’s Most Successful Artistic Gymnast
Be sure to explore the other stops on the Black History Here & Now virtual tour to delve further into the experiences of Black Canadians in sport and physical activity.
