Mitchell’s Moment to Shine

Australia’s gymnasts arrived in London with one realistic chance at a first Olympic medal, and with just Lauren Mitchell left to compete in the Tuesday’s floor final – that hope is still alive.

While finals in the teams and individual all-around were always stated ambitions, only Mitchell possessed the skill and level of difficulty on the floor to compete with the world’s best.

Australian women’s coach Peggy Liddick knows if Mitchell – the 2010 world champion on the floor – can just execute her routine, a medal – even gold – could be hers.

“As far as definite medal potential, Lauren’s definitely in contention,” Liddick told AAP.

“I definitely don’t want to put any pressure on her.

“She just needs to go and do her normal floor routine – what she does in training every day.

“And if there’s a medal involved, that’s great.”

The crunch will come during the second tumbling pass on the Australian’s routine, during which she made a minor error during team’s qualification.

It didn’t cost her a spot in the floor final, but a repeat will cost her a medal.

Complicating matters is a abdominal strain she has been carrying for two weeks, an injury Liddick says should not hamper Mitchell on Tuesday.

“She’s going to have to improve her execution because she had a 0.5 mistake on her second tumbling pass in qualification – she definitely can do better in execution,” Liddick said.

“It’s a full twisting double back in the pike position which would probably be the most strenuous on her stomach.

“But she’s been able to do it the last three days perfectly in training.

“By Tuesday it (the abdominal muscle) won’t be sore, but the two weeks of lack of preparation could come into play.

“We’re hoping all the work we’ve done prior to that will pay off.”

And if it does a medal could be hers, but it’s a hot field in the final.

Along with Mitchell, there are two other world champions on the floor, while another finalist in Romanian Sandra Izbasa is the reigning Olympic champion.