Perfect pair of local heroes

GOLD Coast-bred gymnasts Georgia Godwin and GeorgiaRose Brown have been selected to spearhead the women’s team with pivotal roles in their home Commonwealth Games.

Godwin and Brown have sealed the key All-Around spots for the women’s team final on Friday with national coach Mihai Brestyan confirming Australia’s medal bid will be built around the comeback stars.

American-based Brestyan, who coached American 2012 and 2016 Olympic gold medallist Aly Raisman, said world title success story Godwin and Brown had the qualities to lead Australia.

Godwin, 19, and Brown, 23, share a steely resolve which has helped them overcome many obstacles, including injury setbacks, which has helped their return from the backblocks of the Australian program.

“I respect them because they have showed the spirit we will need at the Commonwealth Games,’’ Brestyan said.

“The team we chose is the best combination to support our medal chances.

“If the girls do their job in the team final they will have a good spot on the podium.

“I wanted to give Georgia Godwin a chance because she has been pushed to the side in the past. She made the most of her chances even before she got the results (at last year’s world championships).

“Georgia-Rose Brown is also on her way up and she has been getting stronger in the last couple of national camps.’’

Queenslander Rianna Mizzen and Victorian duo Emily Whitehead and Alexandra Eade, who won gold in floor at the Melbourne World Cup in February, round out the Australian team.

Brestyan said Godwin, who finished 13th at last year’s world championship final in Canada as the second-ranked Commonwealth athlete, was a medal chance in the AllAround event and was competitive on all four apparatus as

long as she executed her routines. Brown’s best chance for a medal was on uneven bars.

Godwin and Brown contemplated retirement in the past two years but were driven to stay because they didn’t want to miss “their chance of a lifetime” to compete at home.

Southport-based Brown, who has recently moved back to the Gold Coast and to train at the Queensland high performance base at Chandler after seven years in Melbourne, was a member of the Aussie team which won silver at the 2014 Games in Glasgow.

I RESPECT THEM BECAUSE THEY HAVE SHOWED THE SPIRIT WE WILL NEED AT THE COMMONWEALTH GAMES COACH MIHAI BRESTYAN