Top 5 Series: Balance Beam Edition

The second-most captivating event in women's artistic gymnastics, and the one event that typifies what the sport is all about - acrobatics combined with grace and amplitude made to look effortless, yet at the same time studied and honed. The intimidating, enigmatic and rather unpredictable Balance Beam.

Anyway, that's me gettin' all sentimental. On to the list of great Aussie beam routines!



5. Trudy McIntosh, 2000 Olympic Games team preliminaries

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Despite being a powerhouse on floor and vault, Trudy was quite a solid beam worker as well. She wasn't the most elegant but was still very watchable. She plants her feet strongly after every skill, used the whole length of the beam and of course had difficulty to boot (though I got a bit sick of those Shushunova-to-hip-circle-around-the-beam's). Australia needed this after a rough start on vault. Love the way Liz C says "changement jump", just exquisite (sorry, came across all Nigella Lawson-y then...)


4. Monette Russo, 2004 American Cup all-around

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Great routine for her in the lead-up to the Athens Olympics. Netty joined a very short list of Aussies that have competed (and had routines broadcasted!) at the annual American Cup event. *Lovely* acro work, my personal favourite skills being her layout to two feet (which she later vetoed for a layout-stepout) and her rulfova.


3. Hayley Wright, 2003 Friendship Classic

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A bit shaky throughout but in terms of an eye-catching routine, she honestly had one of the best beam mounts around, so unique and elegant, it is such a shame she never got to perform it on a grander stage. I just love planches. Hayley had such good execution in all her skills. She also had great floor choreo too.

2. Lauren Mitchell, 2007 Beijing Olympic Test Event beam final

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The only thing I love more than the routine itself is what happens after it - The grin and wave, Dasha joking "take up all the camera space [why don't you]!" and her hugging Lauren with a big smile. Nice to see she'd ironed out most of the wobbles from Worlds (I do like that unique Humphrey turn) though many felt she should have won over suprise winner Cheng Fei (the queen of vault and floor). Lauren's the national champ on this event, was a World finallist in Stuttgart and came second on it at the DTB Cup weeks later (going on to win the 'Winners Final'), she is a shoo-in for a medal in Beijing if she hits.

1. Hollie Dykes, 2006 Pacific Alliance Championships team/all-around

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The first Aussie under the new code to crack a 16.0, which was a fantastic achievement (and one she repeated at the AUS v CHN event in 2007). This was one of her strongest routines (after flubs at the Commonwealth Games, Shanghai World Cup and Stuttgart Worlds) besides her gold-medal winning routine from the DTB Cup in 2006. She was beautiful and talented and so calm on the event, it's sad we won't be seeing this at Beijing (making the commentator's remarks somewhat bittersweet).