Rio Dream Ends for Gymnasts

Australia’s bid to secure a women’s artistic gymnasts team berth for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games has ended after it finished fifth at the Rio Test Event on Sunday evening (Monday morning Perth time) in Brazil.

The equation was a simple one for the contesting nations. Eight countries fighting for four spots. Australia’s total apparatus score of 218.428 saw it fall short of France’s 220.869 in fourth place and with it, its prospects of Olympic qualification.

The Australia squad of WAIS athlete Emily Little, alongside; Georgia-Rose Brown, Larrissa Miller, Rianna Mizzen, Kiara Munteanu, Alexandra Eade and Emma Nedov showed patches of solid form, but were ultimately left to rue a weak beam apparatus, which scored the second lowest aggregate (52.898) of the eight competing nations.

Home nation Brazil won the Test Event (226.477) ahead of Germany (second on 223.977) and Belgium (third on 221.438), who joined France in qualifying teams for August’s Olympic Games alongside the previously confirmed top eight nations from last year’s World Championships in Scotland.

There was also disappointment for former gymnastics powerhouse Romania, who finished seventh on a total of 216.569 after a disastrous rotation on the un-even bars.

WA’s Emily Little led the way for Australia on vault, scoring 14.566 on the apparatus as Australia accrued its highest rotation total of 56.532. The London Olympian was not required as Australia scored 54.899 on bars but did return to again earn Australia’s highest score on beam (13.366), where the team collectively lost ground. Little was similarly solid on floor, scoring 13.500 as Australia posted a respectable 54.099, but it was unfortunately not enough to scrape into the top four nations. 

Little’s form earned her qualification for the vault final at the Rio Test Event, which saw the London Olympian finish third, scoring 14.383 to take home a bronze medal.

With Australia not qualifying a team quota for Rio, it will now only have the option to send one individual athlete to compete at the 2016 Olympics in women’s artistic. 

This process will be determined at the 2016 Australian Gymnastics Championships in Melbourne, from May 23 – June 4.