Montreal-born gymnast Suzanna Shahbazian won a gold medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Courtesy Iris van den Broek

Samuel Kayll,
Local Journalism Initiative

Suzanna Shahbazian shares her story and plans for the future

Suzanna Shahbazian thought she was receiving a sweet treat.

The 20-year-old still smiles at the memory of her start in rhythmic gymnastics. At four years old, her mother regularly swam at a local sports complex. Just down the hall was Questo Rhythmic Gymnastics—the studio where Shahbazian still trains. 

One day, while helping a lost girl, Shahbazian’s mother stumbled into the Questo facilities. Intrigued, she returned home and told Shahbazian she had a surprise. 

“My naive self thought it was something like a chocolate or something sweet. And obviously, it wasn’t,” Shahbazian laughed. “So we headed to the gym, and my first coach saw me. She looked at my physical abilities: my splits, my points, my flexibility. And I started rhythmic gymnastics.”

It’s safe to say Shahbazian doesn’t regret missing out on chocolate now.

Through coaching skepticism, untimely injuries and even belligerent teachers, Suzanna Shahbazian has blazed a trail through her love for rhythmic gymnastics. From the World Junior Championships to a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games to the 2025 FISU Games, her success has brought her to the forefront of Canadian representation in her sport. 

And she’s not done yet. 

“My goal is to bring Canada to a higher level in rhythmic gymnastics on the international stage,” Shahbazian said. “I want to show that with love for what you do, you can get to any goal you want.”

Shahbazian’s ascent surprised even her coach, Natalia Popova, who first trained Shahbazian at six years old. 

“She had flexibility, which is important for our sport,” Popova said. “But she was like an ordinary gymnast—nothing promised this big career. And she was short.”

Popova says Shahbazian’s patience played a key role in her success.

“This career takes patience, because there were many obstacles in her way up to these world competitions,” Popova said. “Now she takes a deeper way to understand how to prepare herself.”

Ekaterina Shtrevensky noticed Shahbazian’s passion for rhythmic gymnastics early on. The former national competitor and current Questo coach outlined Shahbazian’s hunger for knowledge both on and off the mat.

“[Shahbazian] has a pure love for the sport,” Shtrevensky said. “She knew all the champions’ names, the countries they represented, all of that. Even as a young gymnast, she knew that one day she would be up there alongside them. That passion and love really translated into her performances.”

As Shahbazian’s journey progressed, the workload grew. Competing year-round in tournaments like the Rhythmic Gymnastics World Cup, World Championships, and Pan American Championships took a toll on Shahbazian’s schedule—and her relationship with her teachers.

“We didn’t have a sports program in high school. Plus, I was in an enriched program,” Shahbazian said. “I couldn’t miss any classes or exams, and my teachers really didn’t like me. So when I came back from tournaments, they would not let me do any exams. It was very difficult.”

It wasn’t just academics that threatened Shahbazian’s performances, though. As an indoor sport, the COVID-19 pandemic took a particular toll on rhythmic gymnastics. Popova remembered a tournament in 2021 where Shahbazian not only competed online, but also with a severe injury. 

“When things started to be a bit easier with the restrictions, we had very limited time in the gym,” Popova said. “The first Elite Canada was by video, and I remember she had an injury at the time. I was planning not to put her in the competition, but she insisted that she could still do it.”

Popova points to that perseverance as a key part of Shahbazian’s influence at Questo. 

“I hope young kids will see that no matter what, if you like what you’re doing, you can continue as long as you can and you want,” Popova said. “So I hope they will see that, and I hope they will continue like Suzanna.”

Shahbazian knows what it’s like to look up to a club idol—Shtrevensky trained at Questo during Shahbazian’s youth. She hopes to set the example for Montreal’s next generation of rhythmic gymnasts

“When I was younger, I would look up to our senior gymnasts,” Shahbazian said. “I even took [Shtrevensky’s] hoop music in my senior program a year or two ago because I really loved her music when I was a child. So if the kids now look up to me as I once did, of course, it feels special.”

For Shtrevensky, it’s easy to see Shahbazian’s influence on younger gymnasts. She praised Shahbazian for breaking through rhythmic gymnastics’ barriers to flourish at a high level.  

“Fifteen years ago, anyone not meeting certain physical requirements was ruled out from the get-go,” Shtrevensky said. “Suzanna didn’t check all the boxes, but she compensated with her drive. She showed that the sky is the limit if you’re relentless.”

But it’s not just about the club. Rhythmic gymnastics remains a fairly niche sport in Canada, and Popova acknowledges the country’s second-tier international status behind giants like Belarus, Ukraine and Bulgaria.

“We learn from each competition because it’s no secret that our gymnastics is not very popular in Canada,” Popova said. “There aren’t many specialists here in Canada with good technical knowledge. It’s something we learn from, because all these European countries dominate this sport.”

In aiming for crucial performances at the World Championships, Shahbazian hopes to raise the country’s standing in the world of rhythmic gymnastics.

“Going on the carpet, especially when I do well, I can raise my rank,” Shahbazian said. “Every competition for me is a new step towards my end goal.”

For Shtrevensky, it’s inspirational to see not just Shahbazian’s passion, but also her humility.

“She makes this kind of success feel collaborative,” Shtrevensky said. “She goes out of her way to thank not only her coaches, but also the volunteers, the organizers and the other girls who all helped make this result possible.”

For Shahbazian, the World Championships, World Cup and even the 2028 Olympics are all tangible goals.

But it’s about more than that: it’s about Questo, about Montreal, and all of Canada. And her passion there will never fade.

“I always loved rhythmic gymnastics,” Shahbazian said. “I asked my mom, and she said that I was very driven, like I always had that fire inside of me.”

That fire? Given Shahbazian’s career, it may just have been the sweetest treat of them all.