Woah, athlete profiles are flying thick and fast in the papers this week.
AIS/VIC gymnast and Olympic squad member Melanie Jones was profiled in the Canberra Times (spot the typo, grammar gurus, that has fluffed what should have been a rhyming headline). There are two photos of her in training, and you get some personal insight into how she feels about her progress. She could get a vault/floor specialist spot on the team... but then again her lack of international experience may work against her so she could just end up as the travelling reserve.
Call it as you will. I was quite taken with Mel when I first saw her last year - lots of power, gutsy tumbles, very exciting to watch.
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Tip your editor Meredith at ozgymblog@gmail.com.
Log in using Google or OpenID to leave comments. Cheers.
This blog wishes, with all sincerity, to acknowledge the Wurundjeri people; the original and ongoing owners of the land upon which this author lives and upon which these words are collated.
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5 comments:
such a pity that she has only reached the limelight of media attention now (...that Hollie has retired, the AIS doesn't have a "star" that the Canberra press can report on). Melanie could be our Sacramone in coming years - so long as the AIS doesn't burn her out a-la Hollie Dykes. Melanie has been in the shadow of Hollie at the AIS - i wonder whether thats a blessing or a curse?
Bit confused about the comment regarding Mel only doing Elite for 3 years - Ade said something similar when introducing her at Nationals but i thought she made the transition from Nationals in the 2003/2004 year.
I don't know why everyone seems the think we need VT and FX workers, it seems to me after watching the vids that we need bar workers!
I'm not saying that we don't need bars workers - we do! But they may decide after all that they don't need Olivia V for a bars spot, who knows. Liv would probably only be there for the one apparatus but Mel would be there for up to two.
They could just have Dasha, Shona, Ashleigh, Georgia and Lauren on bars (for prelims) but then again they could put Olivia in instead someone like Lauren or Ash. There are a few ways they could arrange it, given they only have one lock thus far (Dash).
P-Liddy works in mysterious ways and heaven knows what outcomes camp and the last trial will bring about.
The AIS did not burn out Hollie Dykes, she hardly ever did any gymnastics, she couldn't, she always had some problem with her elbow that started when she was about 10 years old, then her back has been probmatic since about age 12. She started having shin problems as she matured, about 14. So if anything, she had not enough gymnastics to stay healthy, she was weak and unfit. It was very frustrating to her coaches, they were always being told not to let her train by the medical staff. That is where she lost her enthusiasm, as anyone would.
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