WAG Podium Training + Misc.

Wow, a lot happens when you're away for upwards of nine hours!


A Phil Rizzo profile piece is here.

You can follow WAG podium training observations here. Thanks, Albert!

And GA did an interview with the WAG team!

The Australian Women's Team have been at a pre-World Championships training camp at the AIS and left for World Championships last Thursday. During the camp Shona, Georgia and Larrissa kindly gave up some to give Australian gymnastics fans an insight into their preparation.

Key: Gymnastics Australia (GA), Georgia Bonora (GB), Larrissa Miller (LM), Shona Morgan (SM)

Going back a few years - when and why did you choose gymnastics? (GA)

I started gymnastics when I was 3 years old in kinder gym because I was a very hyperactive child and my sister was also a gymnast (GB)

I chose to do gymnastics when I was 5 years old, when my older sister was doing gym (LM)

I started gym when I was 7 because I had heaps of energy and my friend invited me along (SM)


What is your favourite part of gymnastics? (GA)

My favourite part of gymnastics is the fun of learning new skills and the challenge of mastering them (GB)

When you have been training a particular skill for so long and you finally get it (LM)

Learning new skills and showing them off in a competition environment (SM)

What gymnasts are your role models? (GA)

Catalina Ponor because she had a long career and always looked so calm and elegant (GB)

Nastia Liukin (LM)

Monette Russo, Cheng Fei (SM)

Outside gymnastics, what do you enjoy doing in your spare time? (GA)

I enjoy hanging out with friends, shopping and wake boarding (GB)

Being with friends, going to the beach, shopping and watching movies (LM)

Reading, hanging out with friends (SM)

If you could choose a dream skill to learn – what would it be? (GA)

It would be an Adler on bars as they are beautiful to watch (GB)

Double layout on floor (SM)


Do you have any new skills or routines you're particularly excited about? (GA)

I am excited about competing my new connections on beam (GB)

Probably my Adler on bars (LM)

I’m excited about showing off my new vaults (SM)

What do you think is the hardest thing for gymnasts to handle? (GA)

I believe that the hardest thing for a gymnast is handling the pressure and nerves during a competition (GB)

Probably the injuries involved (LM)

Juggling school, a social life and training (SM)

What are your realistic goals for London as an individual? (GA)

To hit all four apparatus and to qualify for All Around finals (GB)

To perform my routine the best I can (LM)

Beam and vault finals (SM)

Looking back, which moments of your gymnastics career so far stand out the most? (GA)

Definitely competing at the Beijing Olympics and performing a personal best (GB)

Getting selected into the 2009 Japan Cup team and also the 2009 World Championships team (LM)

Competing at the Beijing Olympics (SM)

What goes through your mind right before starting a routine in a competition? (GA)

I try to think of performing my routine just like in training and concentrate on one skill at a time (GB)

I just go through my routine step-by-step (LM)

I go through each skill separately and my mental cues and remind myself to have fun (SM)

The Australia team gymnasts all seem to get on and work together well as a team. Why do you think this is the case? Do you keep in contact with the girls from other programs when you are not at training camps? (GA)

I think by training together we each get to see how everyone works hard and how each of us have ups and downs which makes it easier to relate to each other. I always try to keep in contact with everyone outside camps (GB)

Yes, we all usually keep in contact with each other but the support that everyone gives definitely makes that bond stronger (LM)

We are a really close team. I think it is because we understand we are all in the same boat and so try to help each other out as much as possible. I regularly speak to the other girls when not at camp. (SM)

Who do you think has had the biggest influence on your gymnastics career to date? (GA)

My personal coach has had the biggest influence on my gymnastics career as he has helped me realise that gymnastics doesn’t have to be hard work and serious all the time and it can be fun also. (GB)

Definitely my coaches, team mates and my family (LM)

My coach, he has always supported me and helped me through the tough times (SM)

The women’s qualifying competition starts on the 14th October and fans can watch live streaming of the event through WCSN. Good luck girls!