Rosie MacLennan, Canadian Olympic Gymnast, Lifting Us Higher And Higher

The desire to fly higher and higher, love higher and higher and set goals higher and higher has been a burning desire in women and men throughout time.

It inspired the lyrics to a timeless and pulsating song sung magically by singers Jackie Wilson and Rita Coolidge.

Here it goes:

Your love is liftin’ me higher
Than I’ve ever been lifted before
So keep it up, quench my desire
And I’ll be at your side forevermore

A super high flying dare devil who captivated our attention year after year was Evel Knievel.

Every time we thought he couldn’t possibly make another mind blowing spectacular stunt, he proved us all wrong.

Robert Craig “Evel” Knievel, October 17, 1938 – November 30, 2007, was an American stunt performer and painter. Over the course of his career, he attempted more than 75 ramp-to-ramp motorcycle jumps; in 1974, he failed an attempted canyon jump across Snake River Canyon in the Skycycle X-2, a steam-powered rocket. Knievel was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1999.

He so deserved it.

Thankfully we have a dare devil of another kind who continues to excite audiences as she flies higher and higher on the trampoline and her name is Rosie MacLennan.

Time for a meet and greet.

Rosannagh “Rosie” MacLennan (born August 28, 1988) is a Canadian trampoline gymnast.

At olympic.ca they share, “Rosie MacLennan made history at Rio 2016 when she became the first trampolinist to ever win back-to-back Olympic gold medals.

She also became the first Canadian athlete to successfully defend an Olympic title at the summer Games and the first Canadian woman to win two gold medals in an individual event at the summer Games.

Four years earlier, MacLennan had won Canada’s only gold medal at London 2012 where she performed the most difficult routine of the competition to earn a career-high score of 57.305 for Canada’s first-ever Olympic trampoline gold medal. She had first gained multi-sport experience at the 2007 Pan Am Games where she won silver before stepping up to win gold at Guadalajara 2011.

She successfully defended that gold medal at home at Toronto 2015, sharing the podium with teammate Karen Cockburn, after coming back from a concussion.

MacLennan made her world championship debut in 2005 and won her first medal, a bronze, in 2007. She added another bronze in 2010 before winning silver in 2011. After her first Olympic triumph, MacLennan maintained her top international ranking, winning her first world title in 2013. She added another silver in 2014.”

Wow. Both high flying and impressive.

Rosie was Canada’s flagbearer in the opening ceremony of the 2016 Summer Olympics.

She successfully defended her Olympic title on August 12, 2016. She is the first Canadian to do so in an individual sport at the Summer Olympics and the first trampolinist, male or female, to successfully defend their Olympic title.

She has a beautiful family too.

“Surround yourself with only people who are going to lift you higher.”… Oprah Winfrey

She is happy to share some stories at rosiemaclennan.ca. “As the youngest of four, Rosannagh (Rosie) MacLennan often tagged along to her older siblings’ trampoline lessons. When she was 7, Rosie could no longer just watch from the sidelines and she finally got her turn on the trampolines at Airborne Trampoline Club. When her brothers’ feet started hitting the roof, all four kids switched to Skyriders Trampoline Place where Rosie continues to train.

At age 11, Rosie began competing internationally and was the Canadian National Women’s Champion in 2005, 2009 and 2011.”

Her hometown is King City which is an unincorporated Canadian community in King, Ontario located north of Toronto.

She has an even larger family rich with the history of her proud name. At clanmaclennan-worldwide.com they educate, “It is with pleasure that I welcome you to the web site of the Clan MacLennan. This site incorporates the various Clan MacLennan Associations located in Australia, Canada, Scotland and the United States of America and acts as a focal point for MacLennans throughout the world.

Throughout the past couple of hundred years, many of our ancestors emigrated from the Scottish Highlands to seek refuge in foreign lands. Some chose to leave, some were forced. Few would ever return to Scotland. The result is a considerable volume of “Overseas Highlanders” located throughout the world, most notably in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States of America. We are a large family and it is our aim to re-unite this family.”

If you would like to see some of Rosie’s high flying action, while it lasts, please enjoy her video.

**fciwomenswrestling.com article, olympic.ca-team canada photo credit**

http://www.nbcolympics.com/video/canadas-rosie-maclennan-wins-second-trampoline-olympic-gold

Rosie is a recent graduate of the University of Toronto with a bachelor’s degree in Physical Education and Health.

Its time to go back to school.

“Aim higher. Stay focused.”…Brandon Adams

The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on the grounds that surround Queen’s Park.

It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King’s College, the first institution of higher learning in the colony of Upper Canada.

Originally controlled by the Church of England, the university assumed the present name in 1850 upon becoming a secular institution. As a collegiate university, it comprises twelve colleges, which differ in character and history, each with substantial autonomy on financial and institutional affairs.

The university was the birthplace of insulin and stem cell research, and was the site of the first practical electron microscope, the development of multi-touch technology, the identification of the first black hole Cygnus X-1, and the development of the theory of NP-completeness. By a significant margin, it receives the most annual scientific research funding of any Canadian university.

There are some great minds at Toronto University and they share their vision with us. “We believe that excellence flourishes in an environment that embraces the broadest range of people, that helps them to achieve their full potential, that facilitates the free expression of their diverse perspectives through respectful discourse, and in which high standards are maintained for students and staff alike.”

No wonder Rosie continues to fly high.

Wouldn’t you love for a group of great minds to so strongly believe in you too?

On a larger scale, one of our favorite travel experts Lonely Planet embraces the variety of Toronto. “Welcome to Toronto, the most multi-culturally diverse city on the planet: over 140 languages are spoken. It’s estimated that over half of Toronto’s residents were born outside Canada, and despite its complex makeup, Torontonians generally get along. When the weather is fine, Toronto is a blast: a vibrant, big-time city abuzz with activity. Some of the world’s finest restaurants are found here, alongside happening bars and clubs and eclectic festivals.”

As to the future, Rosie continues to set high goals.

At shesconnectedblog.com they enlighten us with her vision. “Working around her athletic training, competition and school schedule, Rosie’s part-time role as a Canadian Tire Jumpstart Ambassador will draw on her experiences, from the playground to the podium, to help raise awareness and funds necessary for children in need to participate in sports and recreational activities across Canada.”

For those young minds, those are wonderful lofty goals.

Her family and Canadian community believes in her, now Rosie in turn instills belief in Canada’s young.

It was really nice briefly visiting Rosie’s life.

Through her competitive efforts Rosie has lifted us higher.