Sydney Turner (gymnast)

Turner was born on August 17, 2005, in New Westminster, British Columbia, to parents Kerrie and Scott Turner. Her aunt is a 1991 Pan American Games silver medalist in swimming. She started artistic gymnastics at 15 months old and began competing at 6 years old. She also trained in trampoline gymnastics and competed at the national level in tumbling.^[2][3]

Turner missed five months of training in 2017 due to spondylolisthesis and spondylosis.^[2] She won a silver medal in the novice division at the 2018 Elite Canada.^[4] She made her international debut at the 2019 International Gymnix and finished 36th.^[5] Then at the 2019 Canadian Championships, she finished sixth in the junior all-around.^[6] She won a bronze medal on the balance beam at the 2019 Tournoi International.^[7]

Turner joined the junior Canadian national team in 2020.^[1] She finished fifth in the junior all-around at the 2020 Elite Cananda.^[8] She also finished fifth at the 2020 International Gymnix,^[9] and she won a bronze medal with the Canadian team.^[10]

Turner became age-eligible for senior competitions in 2021. She finished ninth in the all-around at her first senior-level Canadian Championships.^[11] Then at the Hungarian Grand Prix, she won a gold medal on the balance beam and bronze medals on the vault and floor exercise.^[12] She also won the balance beam gold medal at the Gymnova Cup, where she also won the all-around silver medal behind Tisha Volleman.^[13]

Turner won the all-around bronze medal at the 2022 Elite Canada.^[14] She then competed in the DTB Pokal Stuttgart Team Challenge and helped Canada finish fourth.^[15] At the Canadian Championships, she finished fifth in the all-around and won a silver medal on the uneven bars behind Rose-Kaying Woo.^[16] She competed at the Pan American Championships in Rio de Janeiro, winning team bronze and another bronze on the uneven bars.^[17][18]

Turner won three medals at the Szombathely World Challenge Cup– silver on uneven bars and balance beam and bronze on floor exercise.^[19] At the 2022 World Championships in Liverpool, she won team bronze - Canada's first ever World team medal - alongside teammates Ellie Black, Denelle Pedrick, Laurie Denommée, Emma Spence and Shallon Olsen. This result also secured Canada a full team berth for the 2024 Summer Olympics.^[20][21]

Turner only competed on the balance beam at the 2023 Elite Canada and won the bronze medal.^[22] She then competed at the DTB Pokal Team Challenge with the Canadian team that finished sixth.^[23] Then at the City of Jesolo Trophy, she won a bronze medal on the floor exercise.^[24] She finished fifth in the all-around at the Canadian Championships and won the floor exercise silver medal.^[25] She competed at the Pan American Championships in Medellín, winning team bronze alongside Jenna Lalonde, Cassie Lee, Aurélie Tran and Evandra Zlobec.^[26] Then at the Pan American Games, she won another team bronze with teammates Lee, Tran, Frederique Sgarbossa, and Ava Stewart.^[27]

Turner won a silver medal on the balance beam at the International Gymnix.^[28] She then competed at the 2024 Pan American Championships and won a silver medal with the Canadian team. Individually, she won a silver medal on the uneven bars and a bronze medal on the balance beam.^[29] At the Canadian Championships, she finished fifth in the all-around.^[30] She was named Canada's second alternate for the 2024 Summer Olympics.^[31]

Turner committed to the Iowa Hawkeyes for collegiate gymnastics.^[21] She helped Iowa finish fifth at the 2025 Big Ten Championships.^[32] During her freshman season, she set career-highs of 9.900 on vault and 9.925 on uneven bars.^[3]