Delhi2010 – Mitchell Equals Commonwealth Record

Western Australian Institute of Sport gymnast Lauren Mitchell has equalled a Commonwealth Games record of four gold medals after adding the beam title and a silver medal on floor to her stellar campaign in Delhi.

Mitchell’s gold on beam saw her join Canada’s Lori Strong who claimed four gold at the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland.

The 19 year-old was in a league of her own in the final, performing a series of stunning manoeuvres in a near faultless routine, which earned Mitchell a score of 14.475, to take gold ahead of Canadian Cynthia Lemieux-Guillemette and Singapore’s Heem Wei Lim who both earned 12.825.

Mitchell’s winning streak finally came to an end in her final apparatus appearance, edged into silver in the floor.

Mitchell looked tired after five days of competition but she had the chance to beat Strong’s record outright, but British Olympian Imogen Cairns edged the Australian for the gold after a snappy routine was followed by Mitchell who was unable to catch Cairns after nearly stumbling out of bounds on her first tumbling pass.

Mitchell ended her Commonwealth campaign with team gold, all-around, un-even bars and beam titles, whilst also picking up silver in the final of floor.