Weekend Edition

What better way to get acquainted with our homegrown world floor champ before her Wide World of Sports appearance tomorrow than with this new feature article from Linda Pearce!

Lauren now has an official Facebook fanpage which you can check out here. There is a very sweet welcome message from the girl herself!

What She Said

Hello, sleepyheaded Tuesdayites.

GA confirms that Lauren Mitchell will appear on Wide World of Sports THIS Sunday.

And some things got said here as well.

"I'd rather have a team full of very good gymnasts than a bad team with one medallist.

"The fact that our team did well (at the World Championships) set Lauren up to win her medal last year, because it is very, very rare if at all that a gymnast comes from a team that isn't strong to get a medal."

And yesterday, GA also announced the following WAG assignments and cohorts:

Junior Commonwealth Games Team:
Alexandra Eade - VIS
Maddi Leydin - VIS
Emma Jane Nedov - Epping YMCA
Coach: Misha Barabach


Japan Junior Team:
Georgia Godwin - MBC
Jasminne Cassis - MBC
Coach: Sasha Belooussov

Open Levels Tour:
Level 9
Christine Bonfadini - VIC
Kenyah Lawler - ACT
Isobel Looker - VIC
Sophie Musgrave - QLD
Jessica Wigglesworth - QLD
Brianna Wong - QLD

Level 10
Natalia Bennison - QLD
Kirsty Bishop - QLD
Claire Black - QLD
Alicia Brown - VIC
Taylor Ryan - QLD
Amy Smit - NSW

Coaches:
Jackie Caldwell
Wendy Gilliver

Congratulations to all gymnasts, coaches and official for their selection to represent Australia.


Please see below the athletes who have been named on the Senior and Junior National Squad for July 2011 - July 2012:


Senior National Squad
Georgie Bonora - WAV/VIS
Ashleigh Brennan - VIS
Georgia Rose Brown - VIS
Sophie Budack - QAS
Nikola Chung - WAIS
Shar-Lee Clark - MBC
Angela Donald - WAV/VIS
Tierra Exum - VIS
Britt Greeley - VIS
Laura Hingston - VHPC
Natalia Joura - QAS
Amaya King Koi - QAS
Emily Little - WAIS
Zoe Lorenzin - VIS
Amelia McGrath - MLC/VIS
Larrissa Miller - QAS
Lauren Mitchell - WAIS
Mary-Anne Monckton - VHPC
Clare O'Donnell - MLC
Svetlana Sanders - VIS
Georgia Simpson - WAIS
Chloe Sims - QAS
Georgia Wheeler - VIS
Katie Wurth - QAS
Crystal Yeo - SA


Junior National Squad
Ebonie Boucher - VHPC
Rachel Boyd - WAV
Jasminne Cassis - MBC
Emily Conran - QAS
Emma Curry - MLC
Alexandra Eade - VIS
Grace Flood - VHPC
Franceska Fusha - WAIS
Georgia Godwin - MBC
Nicole Grout - SA
Tamika Jones - QAS
Ashley Kittl - WAV
Elisha Lai - Epping YMCA
Naomi Lee - WOD
Maddi Leydin - VIS
Celeste Loo - CH
Isis Lowrey - Jets
Kiara Munteanu - VHPC
Emma Jane Nedov - Epping YMCA
Madeleine Nedov - Epping YMCA
Desnee Richter - Epping YMCA
Stella Savvidou - MLC
Aimee Warncok - WOD
Eden Tarvit - WAIS


Please see below gymnasts who have been selected onto the GA/Olympic Squad:

GA/Olympic Squad July - December 2011
Ashleigh Brennan - VIS
Georgia Rose Brown - VIS
Emily Little - WAIS
Larrissa Miller - QAS
Lauren Mitchell - WAIS
Mary-Anne Monckton - VHPC
Chloe Sims - QAS
Jasminne Cassis - MBC
Alexandra Eade - VIS
Georgia Godwin - MBC
Tamika Jones - QAS
Naomi Lee - WOD
Maddi Leydin - VIS
Emma Jane Nedov - Epping YMCA

Congratulations to all gymnasts for their selection on to the National Squads

I ask that you observe and speculate on these outcomes RESPECTFULLY. The Anon function is still in place but I ask you to really think about what you're posting because I do monitor what goes on.

The Not-Too-Distant Future

A quick heads-up on some upcoming events as April winds down and May fires up.

For those of you morningly inclined, watch out for an appearance by Epping YMCA gym club on Saturday Disney this Saturday morning, from 9:00 on the 7 network. Remember James, Janine and Sophie? Remember Duck Tales? Those were the days...

If you're wanting to watch some live gymnastics action, the VWHPC is hosting more blue ribbon trial competitions in the lead-up to the 2011 national championships. The Victorian State Team trial dates are up at their site. I'll endeavour to bring you live coverage at Twitter.

If you have some news on upcoming events in your state that you would like promoted, know of a gymnast doing a media appearance or just want to drop me a line regarding media nuggets you have uncovered, feel free to do so at ozgymblog@gmail.com

All correspondence answered personally by me. Or my trained sloth Esteban.

Hie Thee to a Newsagency!

Our homegrown World Champion on floor, Lauren Mitchell, is featured in the latest edition of Inside Sport magazine. The piece, entitled "Top Floor", is penned by the gymblog world's own interviewer extraordinaire Brigid McCarthy!

Have a happy Easter, everybody. Keep safe and well.

"Now where's my grip bag...?"

Mixed Bag

The Good News: It's not often an Aussie gymnast makes a real name for themselves in the public eye, but I simply can't let this weekend pass without mentioning two quite cool occurences.

Spotto! Olympians and VWHPC alums Karen Nguyen and Monette Russo feature in the back celebrity-spotting pages of the Herald Sun today, having made an appearance at the glittering VIC 21st anniversary celebration.

And in more happy news, Olivia Vivian of the Oregon State "Any Given Night" Beavers has become the first Australian gymnast to qualify for an NCAA national gymnastics championships apparatus final. Olivia will, by this time tomorrow, contest the uneven bars title alongside a couple of OSU teammates. Olivia spent much of this season at the #1 national ranking. This fantastic showing has come after two difficult years dealing with a number of injuries, not to mention a cross-continental transition to collegiate life. Carn Liv! We're cheering for you!

Canada's Edmonton Sun posted this nifty pic of Katie Wurth and coach Irina Joura warming up at the recent Wild Rose Invitational (click for larger... my stodgy re-sizing hasn't done it any justice):

Aaaaand the not so good news is that fellow Aussie at OSU, Melanie Jones, unfortunately strained a calf muscle before competition at the national championships commenced. Get well soon, Mel!

Painting the Town Pink

The "P" in VWHPC stands for "Performance" but on March 5th, it could stand for a lot of things - preparation, presentation, precision, poise, perspiration, perfection, personality, planches, punches, pikes and pointed-toes, but mostly it'll stand for Pink!

The Victorian Women's High Performance Centre (in Prahran, how Perfectly aPProPriate!) is hosting an open day at training once again.

See the event's Facebook page here and find out more about the gym here.

All are welcome to attend from 8am onwards, they simply ask that you make a donation at the door which will go towards the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

Yours truly will be there!

Zeitgeist or Something

If it hasn't aired in your state yet, make sure you catch tonight's episode of sports quiz show The Trophy Room on ABC1 because Lauren Mitchell gets mentioned as a clue!

But not just mentioned... pictured, discussed and praised by the panellists!

Keeping Up Appearances

Interstate gymfans, this weekend sees YOUR chance to meet some Aussie superstars!

Commonwealth Games gold medallists Dani Prince, Tom Pichler and Josh Jefferis will be doing a meet-and-greet in Queensland, while Gold Medallist of Everything Ever Lauren Mitchell will be making an appearance at the National Club Championship in Canberra.

So keep your eyes peeled and your marker pens uncapped!

Also, in competition appearance news, our Toyota Cup team heading to Japan will be Lauren Mitchell, Ashleigh Brennan, Larrissa Miller and Prashanth Sellathurai.

Gold Is So Hot Right Now

Calling all Melbournians!

Tomorrow, September the 3rd, head to Melbourne City Square (cnr Swanston and Collins St) at 10:30 to see Georgia Bonora among a handful of Aussie athletes unveiling our official Commonwealth Games team uniform. It coincides with Spring Fashion Week, so... expect lots of strutting and pouting under those patriotic blazers.
A press release is available here.

*******************************************

Georgia looked faaaaaaabulous in a yellow tee and grey shorts, and even showed off a handstand-walk down the runway (while being asked what she thought of the uniform!). Channel 10 News showed a brief grab of her thoughts on Delhi's security and readiness.

(Images courtesy The Age and JumpMedia)

Read more and see video from the uniform launch here.

GA has linked to video from Channel Nine News here.

G-Bo On Ya Radio

Delhi-bound National Champion Georgia Bonora was interviewed by popular Melbourne radio station LightFM. Cracking stuff.




(via Gymnastics Australia/Waverley Gymnastics Centre)

Delhi TV Spot

If you've not caught it on your telly just yet (though my guess is it's just me who hasn't!), GA have posted Lauren Mitchell's promo spot for the upcoming Commonwealth Games.



And if you feel like a late one tonight, Foxtel/Austar is showing the Paris World Cup (Day 2) at midnight Melbourne time on Fox Sports 2.

Pacific Rim News: OZ BROADCAST

I've had a cracker 24 hours, have you?

Just came home to read this:

Gymnastics Australia is pleased to announce that One HD will screen a two hour program of the 2010 Pacific Rim Championships on Friday, 25th June at 5pm. Presented in nine segments, the program will primarily focus on the women’s team and all around competitions and include features on Australian gymnastics and the men’s team, all-around and apparatus finals.

(Interestingly enough, GA's original announcement listed Network 10 instead of OneHD but it it was a minor error. Either way... wooohooooooooooooooooo!!!)

Also...

On June 18th, keep your eyes on OneHD's mothership, the aforementioned Network 10, because VWHPC gymnasts Britt Greeley and Zoe Lorenzin will be guest-hosting Totally Wild at 8am.

*readies the popcorn and beanbags*

Let's See Miranda Kerr Do THIS

Aussie rhythmic Olympian Naazmi Johnston had a runway starring role last week for designer Miss Unkon at Rosemount Australian Fashion Week!

Read a little more here.

Gorgeous, daaaaaaaaahling!