News

Monette Russo makes gymnastics history (Nov 23)
Victorian 17-year-old Monette Russo has rewritten the history books by becoming the first Australian female gymnast to qualify for more than one apparatus final at a world championship event.
Russo made her way through to the finals which will take place from Friday to Sunday on both beam and uneven bars.
The young gymnast has a number of titles already under her belt, the first of these being in 2001 where she won the Junior National division.
In 2004, Russo represented Australia in the Athens Olympics where she finished in eighth place, competing despite a serious leg injury.
Her best international result to date was at the AA Olympic Test Event in 2004 where she came second.
Now Russo's sights are set on the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne where she hopes to make Australia proud and perhaps become the first Australian female gymnast to win a major individual medal.
Coach Peggy Liddick has high hopes for Russo and will try to build the rest of the team around her.
"She's prepared and we're just trying to treat it like any other competition," said Liddick.
"She's experienced. She knows what it's all about.”
By Danielle Tralli
Russo web site
Russo profile at Gymnastics.org.au

World gym champs (Nov 22)
Melbourne began hosting the world artistic gymnastics championships yesterday.
See this link for the championship website.
CRI Online has run an interesting piece on some of the competitors, tracing back their family heritage in the sport. See this link.

Team set for gymnastics champs (Oct 1)
Victoria's Monette Russo will come into the World Gymnastic Championship as Australia's top placed female gymnast after dominating selection trials.
Russo will lead the Australian gymnastic team at the championships to be held at the Rod Laver Arena from the 21st to the 27th of November.
At just 17 years of age, the Melbourne high school student is set to become the face of the championships.
Russo was the youngest member of the entire Olympic team in Athens, where she was forced to withdraw with an injury sustained after qualifying for the final of the all-round competition.
Russo was also the youngest member of the team that won Australia first ever medal at a world level at the last World Gymnastic Championships in Anaheim U.S.A in 2003.
Since then she has progressed become a leader of the next generation of Australian female gymnasts.
Monique Blount of Canberra and Olivia Vivian of Perth will make their international debut at the championships.
Blount turned 16 a fortnight ago and has here eyes set on a finals place after scoring the highest score at the trials, a 9.533 on beam.
Blount has made good progress in 2005, highlighted by her victory on floor at the Australian Titles in May.
Perth teenager Olivia Vivian clinched a spot on the Australian team, scoring 9.216 on the uneven bars, her final apparatus on the last night of the trials.
Karen Nguyen, who has experience at an international level, will return to the national team.
Nguyen, along with Russo, was a member of the team that created history in Athens by making the team final where Australia was placed eighth.
Nguyen was thrust onto the floor at Athens as a last minute replacement for the injured Danielle Kelly.
By Jacqueline Scott

Features

Profile: 2005 Artistic Gym Team (Nov 9, 2005)
Meet the crew

Links

Artistic Gym World Champs 2005: http://www.gymnastics.org.au/2005worlds/
Aust Federation: http://www.promo.gymnastics.org.au/
Commonwealth Games 2006: click here
Gymnastics supplies: http://www.ascx.om/gymco.htm
Gymnastics Today: http://www.gymnasticstoday.com/main.asp
Institute of Sport: click here
International hall of fame: http://www.ighof.com/index.html
International Gymnast mag: http://www.intlgymnast.com/
International Federation: click here
State sites:
NSW: http://www.gymnsw.org.au/default.asp
NT: http://www.nt.gymnastics.org.au/
Qld: http://www.gymqld.org.au/index.htm
Vic: http://www.gymnasticsvictoria.org.au/
WA: http://www.gymnasticswa.asn.au/
Clubs database: click here