After earning the last spot in the eight-woman Olympic trampoline final, Canada’s Sophiane Methot bounced to a surprising bronze medal on Friday.
The Varennes, Que. athlete picked up Canada’s ninth medal in Paris (three gold, two silver, four bronze) in her Olympic debut.
Methot, who turns 26 on Saturday, scored 55.65 points.
Great Britain’s Bryony Page won gold with 56.48 points, giving her a medal of every colour at the Olympics. Viyaleta Bardzilouskaya of Belarus, competing as an independent athlete, won silver with 56.06 points.
“I think it’s the best (birthday) gift ever,” Methot told CBC Olympics. “Third on August 3, so that’s amazing.
Methot secured bronze when the final competitor, Hu Yicheng of China, bounced off the edge of the trampoline.
It is the sixth Olympic medal for Canada in women’s trampoline since the event debuted in 2000.
Methot finished fifth at the world championships last year. She won a bronze at worlds in 2017.
The Canadian entered the Olympics with momentum after taking bronze at a World Cup in Portugal last month.
Methot couldn’t make a run at an Olympic spot three years ago in Tokyo because of injuries.
“My main goal was to come into Paris qualification healthy, so that’s what I did,” she said. “Every year, I got better. I’m really proud of everything I’ve been through.”