Rosie MacLennan wins gold in women's trampoline

By Pete Evans, CBC Sports

Canada's Rosie MacLennandid it again,winningher second consecutive Olympic gold medal in women's trampoline Friday in Rio.

• WATCH: Rosie's MacLennan'sgolden Rio routine
• SCHEDULE & RESULTS: Trampoline at Rio 2016

MacLennan'strampolinevictory four years ago in London gaveCanada its only gold at those Games.

The King City, Ont., nativewas Canada's flag-bearer at last week'sopening ceremony in Rio, and her gold is the second by a Canadian at these Olympics. Swimmer Penny Oleksiak won Canada's first gold on Thursday night.

MacLennan's56.545 score bested all others among the eight competitors who made the final after two rounds of qualifiers.

Britain'sBryonyPage, who was the second athlete to compete in the final,was the leader for much of the roundwith a score of56.040. MacLennan, who went thirdlast, bumped Page into the silver-medal spot.

China's Li Dan followedMacLennan'sroutine with a score of 55.885, which earned her thebronze medal.

"Ihad a bit of a shaky preliminary roundso Icame into the final ... tryingto stay high," she told CBC after her performance.

"When Iwas done Ilooked over at [my coach] he had a smile on his face and that's the first indication that I did all right."

Not bad for someone who nearly had her Rio plan derailed after a pair of head injuries last year.

MacLennan battled headaches, vision issues and occasionally mixed up her words. She took some time off and was eventually cleared to return, but her confidence needed to be restored.

"In some ways it was really tough," MacLennan said. "But it was also a reminder of how much I really did love the sport. Because if I didn't, I would have given up."

MacLennanis the first repeat Olympic champion in the sport, which has been an Olympic event since the Sydney Games in 2000.

Canada has now earned a medal in the event at every Olympic Games where it has been held, with Karen Cockburnwinning a bronze in 2000 and then two silvers in 2004 and then 2008 before Rosie MacLennanwon back to back in 2012 and 2016.

"I knew I was giving everything I had to give myself the best chance," MacLennansaid. "I hoped I was capable of it. I just really wanted to keep pushing and to keep working."

With files from The Canadian Press