Dozens of gymnastics fans giggled and gushed over the opportunity to meet their Olympic hero, Canadian artistic gymnast Ellie Black.
“I’m a really big fan of Ellie Black because she’s really famous and she’s really nice too,” Emma Cavicchi, a nine-year-old amateur gymnast, said.
Cavicchi put a lot of effort into creating a homemade sign showcasing some of Black’s competition photos.
“My mom actually got the idea. She said, ‘Emma would you like to go to see Ellie Black?’ And I said, ‘Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!’ And then she suggested I make this sign.”
The collage also included words of encouragement for Black’s road to Rio.
“We all love Ellie Black. She is super strong and I would love to be like her some day. You may already know that Ellie goes to Alta Gymnastics, as well as me, but I have a little more training to do,” Cavicchi said.
Black is heading into Rio with a banner 2015 year under belt.
READ MORE: Canada’s Ellie Black wins all-around gymnastics gold at Pan Am Games
Black took home five medals at the Toronto Pan Am games last summer, including three gold.
Black also had a historic performance at the 2015 FIG World Championships, finishing seventh in the women’s individual all around for Canada’s best ever result in the event.
She made her first Olympic debut in 2012 in London when she was just 16 years old.
She helped lead Canada to a best, fifth place finish in the team event.
Gearing up to for second Olympic trip at the age of 20 is an opportunity she’s thrilled to experience again.
“It’s unbelievable. It’s hard to really think that it’s happening. I think it’s a really amazing thing to make two Olympics because just to make it to the Olympics is such an incredible accomplishment so I’m just so excited to be heading off to Rio,” Black said.
Although there’s been a fair amount of health and safety concerns around the games being held in Rio, Black isn’t letting any of it phase her.
READ MORE: Air Canada to cancel service to Rio de Janeiro following Olympic Games.
“For us it’s just focusing on what we have to do in the gym and we’re also an indoor sport so that’s also a benefit to us. They’ve been working really hard on keeping us all safe and healthy and so I don’t think it’s going to be a problem,” Black said.
Black has one more training camp to complete in Ontario before she heads to Rio to compete from Aug. 6 to 11.