Sophiane M̩thot earns Olympic trampoline bronze for Canada on eve of 26th birthday РMASHAHER

Canadian gymnast Sophiane Méthot will be starting her 26th birthday celebration a little early in Paris while sporting an Olympic bronze medal around her neck.

Confidence gained from a bronze performance last month at a World Cup in Portugal propelled Méthot to the podium at Bercy Arena on Friday after she scored 55.650 points in the final of her Olympic debut. 

It represents Canada’s eighth all-time trampoline medal at the Summer Games.

Méthot, who hails from Varennes, Que., was in bronze position before the final gymnast in the eight-woman final, Yicheng Hu of China, who went on to fall and that meant her routine was terminated.

Bryony Page of Great Britain won gold (56.480) and Viyaleta Bardzilouskaya of Belarus captured silver (56.060).

Earlier Friday, Méthot earned the last spot for the final with a best score of 54.640 from her floor exercise.

WATCH | Methot collects Canada’s 8th all-time Olympic trampoline medal:

Canada’s Sophiane Méthot soars to an Olympic trampoline bronze medal

Sophiane Méthot of Varennes, Que., scored 55.650 points to claim a bronze medal in women’s trampoline at Paris 2024.

Méthot struggled with an injury during the qualification process for the 2021 Tokyo Olympics but returned to competition late in 2021.

Last year, she placed fifth in the women’s individual event at the world trampoline championships to give Canada one Olympic quota spot.

Méthot is a two-time Pan American champion who won individual bronze in her 2017 debut at worlds in Sofia, Bulgaria, the same year Methot won synchronized bronze at a World Cup in Minsk, Belarus.