Little Collects Full-Medal Set at Melbourne World Cup

Emily Little has collected a full set of medals from the Melbourne World Cup and reinforced her status as one of the nation’s leading gymnasts.

The Perth 23 year-old earned gold on Floor having earlier claimed silver on Vault and a bronze medal on Beam in a clinical demonstration of her skills.

Buoyed by a parochial home following, Little said her golden standard on Floor had come as something of a surprise.

“I came in tonight thinking that I just wanted to hit my routines clean. I was just aiming for the bronze medal so to come first is just amazing,” she said at the close of competition.

Her score of 13.400 was clear of fellow Australian Georgia Godwin (12.800) whilst Chinese visitor Tingting Liu earned third place on 12.733.

Best known for her prowess on Vault, it was on this apparatus that Little picked up her first success of the meet. The Olympian finished just a narrow step out (0.051 deduction) of equalling World Cup champion Yan Wang of China, whose 14.250 for gold was just ahead of Little’s 14.199

With Wang a fifth place finisher on vault at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, Little will draw great confidence from her performance in Melbourne.

She also picked up bronze on Beam, after fetching a score of 13.233 from the judges. Liu took the win with a top score of 14.766 ahead of Dutch talent Sanne Wevers (14.500).

“I’m really happy. I didn’t expect to come third so I’m just over the moon,” Little said of her bronze medal effort.

With the Apparatus World Cup tour now moving overseas, Little will next compete at the Baku and Doha competitions in the second half of March.

Photo: Gymnastics Australia