Mitchell Steers Australia to Sixth Position
The Australian women’s team has placed a gallant sixth against the powerhouses of world gymnastics in the final of the team competition at the 2010 FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Rotterdam, Netherlands overnight.
After a shaky start on beam, Australia, featuring 2009 world championship dual silver medallist and WAIS athlete Lauren Mitchell, rounded out their competition with a total of 168.629 relegating arch rivals Great Britain (166.828) to seventh position.
A rejuvenated Russian team (175.397), led by rising star Aliya Mustafina, rebounded from a disaster on uneven bars to win their first world team title, narrowly defeating defending champion the United States (175.196) and 2008 Olympic champion China (174.781).
Romania and Japan placed fourth and fifth respectively, with Italy rounding out the top eight.
Last night’s result is a confidence boosting performance for Australia ahead of the final 2012 Olympic Games qualification competition – the 2011 world championships in Tokyo, Japan – where Australia must finish amongst the top 12 nations to send a full team to London.
Australia’s standing in Rotterdam equals the nation’s placing at the Beijing Olympics (sixth) and is an improvement on their last world championships team campaign in 2007 where they finished in 11th position.
It is also the second time Australia have defeated Great Britain and its respective territories this month – the first being at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi where the women claimed their fourth consecutive team gold medal.
Mitchell said that despite the hiccup on beam where two of the girls fell off the apparatus, the team kept their cool under pressure to resurrect their competition.
“I guess I started shaky on my layout on beam, but got through the rest of my routines ok,” said Mitchell. “We really pulled together as a team on the other three apparatus.”
Australian head coach Peggy Liddick said she was impressed by how the girls bounced back.
“Our goal for tonight was to maintain our position from the qualifications,” said Liddick. “After a shaky start on beam I am really proud of how the girls performed and how this team has come together since the nationals in July.”
Australian gymnasts will next be in action in the women’s all-around final on Saturday morning at 4:30am, where Mitchell and Georgia Bonora (VIC) will be amongst the top 24 gymnasts in the world vying for a coveted medal.
“Our focus now is on good performances in the all around and the apparatus finals,” continued Liddick.
“Georgia has the opportunity to improve her all around placing since the Olympics and Lauren has the program to be competitive with top contenders.”
– Gymnastics Australia