Alexandra Orlando
Encyclopedia
Alexandra Michel Orlando (born January 19, 1987) is a Canadian
rhythmic gymnast
. She was born in Toronto
and attended Havergal College.
Orlando has swept to win every rhythmic gymnastics event at the Canadian National Championships in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007. Orlando swept the individual event finals at the Elite Canada rhythmic gymnastics competition in 2007 and also won the all around crown. At the world championships in September, she finished ninth in the all-around competition and qualified for the Olympic Games in Beijing
. She however only placed 18th in Beijing.
She won all six rhythmic gymnastics events included as part of the gymnastics
program at the 2006 Commonwealth Games
in Melbourne
. She joined Graham Smith
(1978
, Edmonton
), Susie O'Neill (1998
, Kuala Lumpur
) and Ian Thorpe
(2002
, Manchester
) as the only competitors to win six gold medals at a single Commonwealth Games
.
Orlando currently studies commerce at the University of Toronto
and she continues to train at the Ritmika RG Club under Mimi Masleva. She is the subject of the book Alexandra Orlando: In Pursuit Of Victory (Toronto: BookLand Press, 2006) by Martin Avery.
Orlando is of Italian origins, her father is Sicilian and mother Salerno
.http://www.zampablu.it/interview/070826_orlando_en.php She stated in an interview, "I went last summer for vacations for two weeks. I have many Italian relatives, my family is from the South. My mother is from Salerno, and my father is Sicilian. They all live there still, just my family lives in Canada."
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
rhythmic gymnast
Rhythmic gymnastics
Rhythmic gymnastics is a sport in which individuals or teams of competitors manipulate one or two pieces of apparatus: rope, clubs, hoop, ball, ribbon and Free . An individual athlete only manipulates 1 apparatus at a time...
. She was born in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
and attended Havergal College.
Orlando has swept to win every rhythmic gymnastics event at the Canadian National Championships in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007. Orlando swept the individual event finals at the Elite Canada rhythmic gymnastics competition in 2007 and also won the all around crown. At the world championships in September, she finished ninth in the all-around competition and qualified for the Olympic Games in Beijing
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
. She however only placed 18th in Beijing.
She won all six rhythmic gymnastics events included as part of the gymnastics
Gymnastics at the 2006 Commonwealth Games
The Gymnastics at the 2006 Commonwealth Games was made up of the following disciplines:*Artistic gymnastics **Men's and Women's Team**Men's and Women's All-Round Individual...
program at the 2006 Commonwealth Games
2006 Commonwealth Games
The 2006 Commonwealth Games were held in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia between 15 March and 26 March 2006. It was the largest sporting event to be staged in Melbourne, eclipsing the 1956 Summer Olympics in terms of the number of teams competing, athletes competing, and events being held.The site...
in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
. She joined Graham Smith
Graham Smith (swimmer)
Graham Smith was a Canadian swimmer, who won the silver medal in the 4x100m Medley Relay at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Canada. He did so alongside Stephen Pickell, Clay Evans, and Gary MacDonald...
(1978
1978 Commonwealth Games
The 1978 Commonwealth Games were held in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, from 3 to 12 August 1978, two years after the 1976 Summer Olympics were held in Montreal, Quebec...
, Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
), Susie O'Neill (1998
1998 Commonwealth Games
The 1998 XVI Commonwealth Games were held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 11 September to 21 September 1998 making it the first Asian country to act as host and the last Commonwealth Games for the 20th century. A record 70 nations supplied 3638 athletes...
, Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
) and Ian Thorpe
Ian Thorpe
Ian James Thorpe OAM , nicknamed the Thorpedo and Thorpey, is an Australian swimmer who specialises in freestyle, but also competes in backstroke and the individual medley. He has won five Olympic gold medals, the most won by any Australian, and with three gold and two silver medals, was the most...
(2002
2002 Commonwealth Games
The 2002 Commonwealth Games were held in Manchester, England from 25 July to 4 August 2002. The XVII Commonwealth Games was the largest multi-sport event ever to be held in the UK, eclipsing London's 1948 Summer Olympics in numbers of teams and athletes participating.After the 1996 Manchester...
, Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
) as the only competitors to win six gold medals at a single Commonwealth Games
Commonwealth Games
The Commonwealth Games is an international, multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930 and takes place every four years....
.
Orlando currently studies commerce at the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated 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 Upper Canada...
and she continues to train at the Ritmika RG Club under Mimi Masleva. She is the subject of the book Alexandra Orlando: In Pursuit Of Victory (Toronto: BookLand Press, 2006) by Martin Avery.
Orlando is of Italian origins, her father is Sicilian and mother Salerno
Salerno
Salerno is a city and comune in Campania and is the capital of the province of the same name. It is located on the Gulf of Salerno on the Tyrrhenian Sea....
.http://www.zampablu.it/interview/070826_orlando_en.php She stated in an interview, "I went last summer for vacations for two weeks. I have many Italian relatives, my family is from the South. My mother is from Salerno, and my father is Sicilian. They all live there still, just my family lives in Canada."