Queenslanders dominate gymnastics squad
QUEENSLAND has seven gymnasts headed to the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games after the Australian team was named today.
Making up more than half the 13-strong Australian team, the host state has three women’s artistic gymnasts (Georgia Godwin, GeorgiaRose Brown and Rianna Mizzen) and three men (Michael Mercieca, Michael Tone and AIS-based Mitchell Morgans).
Sydney-based Queensland native Danielle Prince is on the rhythmic gymnastics team.
Gymnastics Queensland CEO Kym Dowdell believed it was the biggest contingent of gymnasts from one state to a Commonwealth Games team since the sport’s entry into the competition in 1990.
“We are pretty pumped up here in Queensland at the moment,’’ Dowdell said.
“There has never been any state filling the majority of spaces for men, women and rhythmical gymnasts combined.
“It’s a record number and the result of a lot of years of hard work.”
The Australian men’s team includes vault gold medal hopeful AIS-based South Australian Chris Remkes, who won the World Cup vault event in Melbourne last weekend, and Victorian Luke Wadsworth.
The women’s team includes two Gold Coast-born-andraised gymnasts Godwin and Brown, a 2014 Commonwealth Games team silver medallist who won bronze on the uneven bars last weekend in Melbourne.
Victorian duo Alexandra Eade and Emily Whitehead also gained selection.
Godwin, known for her allround excellence, finished fourth on vault in Melbourne and withdrew from the beam and floor finals because of a slight ankle injury.
Godwin said it was a precautionary measure knowing the Games announcement was so close but she will be fine for the Games competition, starting at Coomera Sports Centre on April 5.
Mercieca won bronze medals in last weekend’s World Cup on parallel bars and horizontal bar.