Scott Morgan leads Canadian gymnastics team at Commonwealth Games

GLASGOW, Scotland -- Vancouver’s Scott Morgan led the Canadian men’s team to third place on the first day of the artistic gymnastics competition on Monday at the Commonwealth Games.

After three of six events, England holds a huge lead with a score of 133.806 points, followed by Scotland in second 127.240 and the Canadians in third at 125.380.

Teams competed in the floor exercise, rings and pommel horse with parallel bars, high bar and vault to come on Tuesday.

England’s powerful team boasts five members of its bronze medal winning squad from the 2013 London Olympics.

The rebuilding Canadian team consists of Morgan, Anderson Loran of Saskatoon, two-time Olympian Nathan Gafuik of Calgary, Kevin Lytwyn of Stoney Creek, Ont., and Zachary Clay of Chilliwack, B.C.

“We knew for sure the top three teams would be England, Scotland and ourselves and it was really cool to be in such an amazing venue with those two other teams in a crazy, loud, jam packed arena,” said Morgan.

“We didn’t have the greatest day one but we’re going into day two with our three stronger events and we feel confident we can make that ground up as long as we hit our routines.

Morgan placed first on rings and fourth in the floor exercise to also qualify for individual event finals in both events.

Other Canadians to qualify for an individual event finals were Lytwyn, who qualified second on rings and Loran who was sixth on pommel horse.

In the women’s team competition Canada sits in fourth spot with 79.732 points after the vault and uneven bars.

England holds a commanding lead with 85.390 points, followed by Australia with 83.882 and Wales with 81.398.

Leading the way for the Canadian team was Ellie Black of Halifax, who placed second on vault to earn a spot in the individual final and is also ranked fourth all around with the final two events, beam and floor, to come on Tuesday.

Maegan Chant of Waterdown, Ont., also qualified for an individual event final with a fifth-place finish on vault.

Other members of the Canadian team are Isabela Onyshko of Minnedosa, Man., Victoria-Kayen Woo of La Prairie, Que., and Stefanie Merkle of Petersburg, Ont.