Stella Umeh burst onto the big-time international gymnastic stage in a most unusual way.  The year was 1990 and the stage far-away Auckland in New Zealand, that year the host city for the quadrennial Commonwealth Games. Stella, a 14-year-old teenager and a budding gymnastic talent anxiously waiting to discover the world, was minding her own business – being a student at Father Goetz Secondary School and, away from school pursuing excellence at the Gymnastics Mississauga training facilities. 

     She was a tad disappointed (but not unduly bothered) that she just missed qualifying for the team that represented Canada at the Commonwealth Games.

     Having just returned from a family vacation, Stella got an urgent phone call and was told to get on the next plane and fly to New Zealand. Team member Monica Covacci suffered a knee injury and the first alternate Koyuki Oka was also injured. Stella was next in line — rather unfortunate for Covacci and Oka, but a welcome break for Gymnastics Mississauga’s bright young hope. 

     Once at the Commonwealth Games, Cinderella Stella made the most of the gymnastic ball and produced a performance considered far too mature for her age and experience.

     She returned home with a gold medal in team championship. It was just one of those unusual things in Stella Umeh’s life. The way she became a gymnast was another.

     Stella didn’t get into gymnastics like most kids. One day her mother, Patsy, lost her way while driving, so she stopped to ask directions. With 6-year-old Stella in tow, Patsy entered Mississauga Gymnastic Club seeking help to find her bearings.  Stella got signed up for gymnastics a week later. From this unassuming beginning, Stella went on to become one of Canada’s most decorated and unique gymnasts, male or female.

     Although she competed in several high level competitions prior to 1990 (she was ninth in the Junior Pacific Alliance championships in 1987, won all-around at the 1989 Junior Pacific Alliance championships, came fifth in the 1989 American Cup, fourth in floor and eights all-around in the 1989 Moscow News competition), Stella points to the Commonwealth Games where she really burst onto the gymnastics scene. 

     Over the next four year Stella performed brilliantly on the global stage, her world and Olympic results unparallel by other Canadian female gymnasts. In 1994, Stella chose the Commonwealth Games as a most fitting stage to cap her elite gymnastics career. The only veteran returning from 1990 Games — it was important to Stella to end her career where it began — Stella turned her swan song into a gym dandy show, winning the all-around gold medal.

     From Mississauga, her path took Stella on a gymnastic scholarship to UCLA where her successes turned heads and earned more recognition. Stella ended her collegiate career as the top AA finisher at the 1998 Pac-10 championships, also winning the balance beam and floor exercise. At the NCAA championships, she shared the gold medal in floor exercise with Karin Lichey (Georgia), both scoring a perfect 10. 

     Gymnastics Canada saluted Umeh with gold level award for her significant contribution to the sport and outstanding results in Olympics, Commonwealth Games, Pan American Games, World Team Championships, and Canadian championships. 

     At home, Stella was co-winner (with synchro swimmer Lisa Alexander) of the 1994 Female Athlete of the Year award and in 2002 inducting her into the Mississauga Sports Hall of Fame.

     Stella’s lifelong ambition was to become an actress and after earning her degree from UCLA she was activity pursuing this career path, first appearing in Sea World’s World Rhythm on Ice shows alongside U.S. Olympian Betty Okino, then performing in Cirque du Soleil’s Mystère in Las Vegas and Quebec.