#Glasgow2014 Preview: Gymnastics – Artistic

Published On: 22 July 2014

WA's Lauren Mitchell and Olivia Vivian will aim to protect Australia's Commonwealth supremacy in the stunning Hydro Centre

Australia has never failed to win the women’s artistic team gold medal at the Commonwealth Games, but the broader view is, the Aussies will never have a tougher test in claiming the team gold than in Glasgow.

Much will be expected of Western Australian Institute of Sport gymnasts Lauren Mitchell and Olivia Vivian, as they and their Australian teammates seek to keep the likes of England and Canada at bay, to preserve Australia’s team artistic legacy.

As a side note to Australia’s medal charge, Lauren Mitchell is in line to become Western Australia’s most successful ever Commonwealth Games representative, and Australia’s most successful ever gymnast at Commonwealth level.

If there is something to mention on Mitchell and pressure however, it is that it has never weighed her down in the past. In 2010, Lauren Mitchell started a campaign that saw her produce the form of her glittering career, claiming four gold and one silver in Delhi, before heading to World Championships in Rotterdam to win gold on floor.

In the years that have passed, neither she, nor her admirers, have lost any zeal for her competitive spirit. Fans will be eager to jot Friday August 1 into their diaries, as Mitchell competes in the Beam apparatus final from 9.48pm Perth time, and a short time later (11.24pm Perth time), when she backs up on Floor.

If Mitchell’s story inspires, Olivia Vivian’s radiates. The fans’ favourite of Australian gymnastics has overcome a broken bone in her back and the loss of her father to cancer to qualify for her first Commonwealth Games team, and first senior Australian team since the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Vivian even managed to overcome an eleventh hour bruised hand suffered in a training mishap nearing national champs and selection trials, to compete through the pain and claim her Commonwealth Games spot.

Although a bars specialist, Vivian will play a crucial role in Australia’s team competition that will see her and Mitchell compete for Australia across the two days of the team artistic final. Day one sees Australia compete on Bars and Vault, with rotations beginning from 8.30pm Perth time on Monday July 28. The second day will see Australia compete on Floor and Beam, with rotations starting from 6.00pm Perth time on Tuesday July 29. The country with the highest aggregate score across the two days will be Commonwealth champion.

Vivian will also be hoping to earn qualification for the Uneven Bars Apparatus Final, which is held at the Hydro Centre on Thursday July 31, from 12.24am (Aug 1) Perth time.