But just who are these potential Olympians? Please bear in mind that the following profiled athletes are senior competitors; some athletes visiting the Olympic training camp are juniors.
Without further ado, the girls vying for Olympic selection are...
Georgia Bonora (VIS/Waverley Advanced)
- Member of the 2006 and 2007 World Championships teams (acted as team reserve in the latter)
- Bronze All-Around, Beam, Floor at 2006 Nationals, 7th All-Around in 2007
The Quiet Achiever. Strongest on floor and beam, but would benefit from skill upgrades and tidying-up of leg form
The Quiet Achiever. Strongest on floor and beam, but would benefit from skill upgrades and tidying-up of leg form
Ashleigh Brennan (VIS)
- Member of the 2007 World Championships team
- 8th All-Around, Bronze on Floor, 4th on Beam at 2007 National Championships
- Gold with team and Silver on Floor at 2006 Commonwealth Games
The Dainty One. Elegant on floor and beam, but often appears nervous. Confidence is the key to consistency
Hollie Dykes (QAS/AIS) *
- Member of the 2006 and 2007 World Championships teams (7th AA in the former)
- Gold with team and on Floor, Silver on Beam, Bronze AA at 2006 Commonwealth Games
- 5th AA, Silver on Beam at 2007 National Championships
- Bronze AA at 2006 Pacific Alliance Championships
- Bronze AA at 2006 Pacific Alliance Championships
The Balletic Beauty. Capable of very high beam scores when she's "on", apparently working on double-layout on floor.
Daria Joura (WAIS)
- 2006 and 2007 National Champion All-Around, Vault, Floor
- Member of the 2006 and 2007 World championships teams (5th and 10th AA respectively)
- 2006 and 2007 National Champion All-Around, Vault, Floor
- Member of the 2006 and 2007 World championships teams (5th and 10th AA respectively)
- Gold on Floor, Silver on Bars, Bronze on Vault at 2007 Stuttgart World Cup
- Silver All-Around, Bronze on Bars at 2007 Beijing Olympic Test Event
The Star Performer. One of our best medal chances in the All-Around/Floor/Vault/Bars finals and a joy to watch competing; hopefully will get the floor scores she rightfully deserves this year
Melanie Jones (AIS)
- Member of Australian team, 2007 Aus v China/Aus v Japan
- Bronze on Vault, 2007 National Championships
- 6th AA at 2006 National Championships
The Pocket Rocket. Dark horse for a team spot, most likely Floor and Vault. A powerful gymnast who would benefit from skill upgrades (something national coach Peggy Liddick noted and seems to want to personally work on)
Lauren Mitchell (WAIS)
- 2007 National Champion on beam, Silver All-Around and on Floor
- Member of the 2007 World Championships team (5th in Beam final)
- Silver on Beam and Bronze on floor, 2007 Stuttgart World Cup
- Silver on Beam and 4th All-Around at 2007 Beijing Olympic Test Event
The Little Powerhouse. Best hope for a beam (and possibly floor) medal, needs to get the shakes out of her system. A gutsy tumbler who is garnering international attention
The Little Powerhouse. Best hope for a beam (and possibly floor) medal, needs to get the shakes out of her system. A gutsy tumbler who is garnering international attention
Shona Morgan (VIS/Waverley Advanced)
- Member of 2007 World Championships team
- 6th AA at 2007 National Championships
- Silver on Vault, 2007 National Clubs
- Member of 2007 Aus v China/Aus v Japan teams
The Suprise Package. Competent performances in 2007 Worlds team. Strongest on bars and floor but has much the same repertoire as club-mate Bonora
Chloe Sims (QAS/Moreton Bay College)
- Member of the 2007 World Championships team
- Bronze All-Around and on bars, Silver on vault at 2007 National Championships
- Gold on Bars, 2007 Aus v China
- Gold team, AA at 2006 Commonwealth Games
The Unpredictable One. Is on-and-off with consistency but the team could use her big beam and floor skills when the time comes
Olivia Vivian (WAIS)
- Member of the 2005 and 2006 World Championships team
- Silver on Bars, 2007 National Championships
- Gold on Bars, Silver with team at 2007 WOGA Classic
- Gold on Bars, Silver AA at 2007 IGI Chicago Style event
The Acquired Taste. Strongest on bars but execution scores are sometimes questionable. Don't know if it would be a smart move to put a sole-apparatus specialist on the team
Visiting Juniors:
Kerby Purcell (VIS) - Held in high regard for her powerful vaulting
Amber Fulljames (QAS) - Asset to the bronze-medal QLD team this year, dynamic on floor
Amber Fulljames (QAS) - Asset to the bronze-medal QLD team this year, dynamic on floor
Other Chances for Spots:
Emma Dennis (VIS) - National junior champion, competed well at the Japan Junior competition
Tain Molendijk (WAIS) - Another WA gem, with flexibility of movement and bright personality
Tain Molendijk (WAIS) - Another WA gem, with flexibility of movement and bright personality
*NB: Strictly speaking, Hollie Dykes is not listed on the Olympic Squad roster as it appears on the Gymnastics Australia website. If this is a true reflection of Dykes' standing in the national squad ranks a) I think this is a big oversight and might not work in Liddick's favour as b) Hollie scores higher on beam than Mitchell and has 2 World Championships and a CommGames under her belt. Even if she hasn't been a rock-steady performer of late, we'd definitely need her beam scores this year.
Photos from Gymnastics Australia/Australian Institute of Sport
5 comments:
Word around the message boards is that Hollie has left the AIS and is back living in Queensland. Some have said she's retired whilst others have said she is just taking a break to let some injuries heal and will return to training when she's ready (don't know where though). I hope she sticks it out till Beijing, it would be a shame for her career to end on this note, she is such a beautiful gymnast!
Man ... are those the best pics GA can come up with? Jeez ... my box Brownie took better shots. Upgrade those pics NOW !!!!!!!!
Hi Mez
thanks for setting up your blog
couple of things
Hollie and Melody H have both retired which is really sad for Australian gymnastics
also Tain is to young for 2008 she is only turning 15 this year
Ok, thanks for letting me know but do we have concrete evidence of that? Just so I know it can be legitimately reported.
Thus far GA haven't changed the squad page on their website to reflect changes; perhaps they will over the week as the office is back in action from today (Monday 7/1) and it's a whole new year for them. I'd assumed the girls might have another crack at selection at Nationals, where the Powers That Be might renege on leaving them off the roster, that's all.
If they have left, well that is indeed sad for the sport as they had been such elegant and unique performers.
I know this is hardly concrete evidence, but someone claiming to be Mary-Anne Monckton has posted a comment in response to my Youtube video of Hollie's prelims beam routine from Worlds.
It was posted a week ago and says "im mary-anne monckton and i used to train with her at the AIS but, no she is not going to the olympics because she has quit now...i know it is sad."
Make of it what you will.
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