Canada's university gymnastics champion four consecutive years, led UBC to the National championship in '83. Was awarded the Marilyn Pomfret Trophy as UBC's outstanding female athlete a record three times.
Patti Sakaki, a graduate of Richmond High School in BC and student in Physical Education at UBC, first came to prominence as an athlete on campus during the 1979/80 session. This was Sakaki's first year with UBC's gymnastic team and quickly she asserted herself as the school's outstanding gymnast, leading UBC to third place at the Canada West Championships. At these championships she won all four of her events and was crowned Canada West's overall individual champion, an indication of what was to come during her UBC career.
It was later that season, March 1980, the Ubyssey announced, "UBC Women Gymnasts Shine at Nationals ". Led by a sparkling performance by Patti Sakaki, who won gold medals in all four women's events, the UBC team finished less than a point and a half behind the winners, York University, at the CIAU Championships. Sakaki was the tournament all-round champion and according to her coach Alena Branda, "…performed simply excellently. She won in tough competition".
Not only was Sakaki the 1980 Canada West and National collegiate champion, she was the individual champion at three other Canada/U.S. competitions during the year. Her performance this season earned her the Marilyn Pomfret Trophy as UBC's outstanding female athlete of 1980. She also received the Sport BC Award as the year's top female university athlete in the province.
The next season Patti again prevailed at meets at which UBC participated. She was the top individual competitor at both the UBC/Oregon/Alberta tournament and at the Boise State Meet. According to Sports Information Director, Steve Campbell, "Sakaki was awesome, nearly unbeatable - the Wayne Gretzky of Canadian gymnastics!"
In February of 1981, Sakaki led UBC women gymnasts to victory at the Canada West Championships. She was first in the vault, uneven bars and floor exercise and for the second consecutive year, first all-round. In March 1981, it was Sakaki again being crowned National collegiate all-round champion, leading UBC to a second place finish at the CIAU National Championships. For the second year in a row Sakaki won the Pomfret award as UBC's distinguished female athlete - the first time this award had been earned by the same athlete twice.
Described by those in the Athletic Department as "dedicated and determined", Patti was also seen as "reserved and gentle - a good role model for the younger gymnasts coming up."
In 1981/82, Sakaki maintained her domination of university competition. After winning the individual championship in all four initial meets in which UBC participated this season, she led UBC to a third place finish at the Canada West Championships- winning her third consecutive Canada West individual title. Despite a back injury which had kept her status in doubt, Sakaki, Canada's defending Canadian champion, was now set for the 1982 CIAU Championships.
At the Nationals, UBC finished second in the country, but it was Sakaki for the third time in succession, winning the overall individual gold medal- once again Canada's collegiate champion.
At one time aspiring to participate in the Olympics, Sakaki indicated ”My goal now is to have fun and to have a perfect competition without making any dumb mistakes. " At this time she was the pride of women's athletics and perhaps the most prominent athlete on campus.
The 1982/83 UBC women's gymnastic team, led by Sakaki and Anne Muscat, placed first in the Canada West Championships, the second Canada West title for Sakaki. It was Muscat, edging her celebrated teammate by .25 points, who won the meet individual championship.
The 1982/83 season did prove gratifying for Sakaki as she and her UBC team overcame injuries to win the CIAU national championship. To add to this victory, Sakaki was crowned, for the fourth consecutive time, the National university individual gymnastics champion and for a record third time was awarded the Marilyn Pomfret Award as UBC's top female athlete.
Having achieved all she could at the intercollegiate level and gaining as much publicity as any UBC athlete, Sakaki graduated from UBC with her Physical Education degree in 1984. As Sandi Hartley had done 10 years earlier, Patti dominated women's gymnastics, almost single-handedly returning the UBC women's team to the forefront of the sport in Canada.
Researched and written by Fred Hume, UBC Athletics Historian
