Denis Vachon

Born in Azilda, Denis launched his gymnastics career on the men’s artistic side with Lisa Kivinen of the Sudbury Laurels and Jack Miller. Denis won a provincial medal on the men’s vault but eventually dropped the pommels, rings and parallel bars to compete in tumbling and double mini-trampoline. He would go on to win seven world medals and 11 Canadian titles. Transitioning into life as a retired athlete in 1998, he began coaching and joined Burlington BG’s Gymnastics Club. A certified Level 4 Women’s Artistic Gymnastics (WAG) coach, Denis was named to the staff at the Tokyo Olympics (held in 2021). He was the deputy manager, artistic gymnastics and trampoline, with the Paris 2024 Olympic Organizing Committee. He is current the national team advisor with Gymnastics Canada for WAG and double mini-trampoline and tumbling. He is the executive director at Burlington Trampoline & Tumbling.

Notable Highlights:

• Held the double-mini trampoline world record for total difficulty and hightest total score (2005).
• Retired in 2013, then made a comback in 2015. He led Canada to a team silver at the world championships.
• Served as the person coach of Brooklyn Moors, Canada’s top gymnast at the Tokyo Olympics, and of Emma Spence, a reserve team member.
• Coach Emma Spence to a Youth Olympic Games Bronze Medal, the first-ever by a Gymnastics Canada athlete.
• Named 2018 Youth Olympic Games Coach.
• Coached over 20 national team members.

Denis performed with the Cirque du Soleil in the Opening Ceremonies of the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto. He was the Partnership Manager at You Can Play Project (in support of the LGBTQ+ community). He recently became engaged.