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17 March - AUSTRALIA WIN COMMONWEALTH WOMEN’S TEAM TITLE
HOLLIE DYKES AND MONETTE RUSSO PRODUCE AUSTRALIAN MAGIC IN FINALS FOR COMMONWEALTH GOLD
ENGLAND AND CANADA BATTLE FOR SILVER!
The morning session included some beautiful work by Malaysia and an excellent performance from South Africa who led the morning’s qualifier’s with a score of 155.00. Francki Van Rooyen scored a total of 52.400 to finish 11th in the Individual scores after a great performance, with Chanel Moonsammy and Candice Cronje also in the top 20 highest individual scores. India showed excellent progression performing double backs on Floor and Tsukahara vaults.
At the end of the 1st session, the scores were;
RSA 155.00
MAS 141.95
IND 129.40
AUSTRALIA PERFORM IN FRONT OF PACKED ARENA AND TAKE EARLY LEAD IN FIRST ROTATION
The evening session saw a packed Rod Laver Arena where Australian dreams come true as the Women’s Team swept to Commonwealth glory as they easily won the Women’s Team Event by 8.25 points. The English Team battled with the Canadian’s right to the wire and just pipped them for the Silver Medal which was a fantastic achievement after their Captain, World medallist Elizabeth Tweddle was forced to withdraw after injuring her ankle just 3 day’s before the Games began.
Australian fan favourite Monette Russo who was looking forward to resuming her contest with Tweddle after they finished 3rd and 4th at the World Championships in November was herself a major doubt for the competition after also hurting her ankle, but was passed fit on Wednesday. The Australian’s were simply unstoppable with newcomer Hollie Dykes in her first Senior International producing the highest individual score of the Finals on 58.55, with Monette in second place on 57.10, and Canada’s Elyse Hopfner - Hibbs in 3rd position and England’s Imogen Cairns in 4th with 54.80.
The real battle was for Silver as England had a relatively inexperienced Team with 14 year old Becky Downie and Hannah Clowes competing at this level for the first time, and Shavahn Church in only her second International. Imogen Cairns is the most experienced of the England four after finishing 8th in the Vault Final at World’s, and bronze medals in the Stuttgart and Glasgow World Cup Events. And what a fantastic performance we saw from all 4 girls! The packed arena were already cheering on their favourites as England began on Beam and our youngest gymnast Becky Downie held her nerve to post an excellent opening score of 13.45, followed by Shavahn Church who was unlucky to fall on her free cartwheel for a 13.2. Imogen also suffering a point 5 deduction for a hand on beam marked as 13.1, with Hannah Clowes producing a gutsy performance after a couple of wobbles for a 12.9. Beth had been named as Team Reserve and although hobbling on crutches to protect her ankle she gave lots of encouragement from the sidelines cheering on and advising her team mates.
At the end of the first rotation, Australia were in 1st place on 43.45, Canada 2nd on 40.60, New Zealand 3rd with 40.5, South Africa 4th with 40.15 and England in 5th place on 39.75.
Round 2 and the Australian’s increase their lead!
England moved to Floor while Australia moved to Bars and the Aussie team demonstrated fantastic technique with Naomi Russell producing an excellent routine including a full twisting double back dismount with a perfect stuck landing. Chloe Simms had a couple of unusual errors after she repeated a move which meant she was facing the wrong direction but her excellent Jaegar earned her a 13.2. A roar went up when Monette Russo stepped up to Bars as we thought that she might only compete on 2 pieces, but she knew that she needed to compete on all 4 apparatus to help Australia win Commonwealth Gold! Although slightly late on her turns which the Judges penalize heavily under the new Code, Monnete earned a 14.8 which meant Chloe’s 13.2 could be dropped from the Team Score.
England needed good performances on Floor to have any chance of challenging for Medals and Hannah Clowes responded with a strong full twisting double back on her opening tumble followed by one and a half twists, and a good change of tempo and excellent choreography demonstrating good leaps and dance with two and a half twists to end. A great routine for a well earned 13.85. Becky Downie continued the England challenge with a 13.45 before Imogen produced a beautiful double Arabian displaying her usual high standard of dance and tumbling skills with triple twist to finish for 13.85.
Meanwhile Canada’s Alyssia Brown was unfortunate to fall on her dismount for a 0.8 deduction and Gael Mackie was also penalised heavily for 2 falls and only a 12.15. At the end of the 2nd rotation. Australia had increased their lead to 6.25 with a total score of 86.85, with Canada in 2nd place on 80.65, Wales had moved into 3rd place with the return of Sam Bayley and Rhian Pugh, and a team score of 80.15. England had moved into 4th position on 79.8, with Scotland just 0.4 behind on 70.4! In the Individual places it could not be closer as Hollie Dykes and Monette Russo tied with each gymnast on 29.05, Imogen the leading English gymnast and Jessica Gazzi ahead in the Welsh Team. Each gymnast was desperate to finish in the top 8 on each piece to qualify for this weekend’s Individual Apparatus Finals so each dropped tenth of a point could put them out of contention.
Current Scores 1st Australia 85.25, 2nd Canada 80.30, 3rd Wales 80.15, 4th England 79.80, 5th Scotland 79.40.
Rotation 3 and Hollie Dykes and Monette Russo rule the Beam!
Australia were pure class as Hollie Dykes was in unstoppable form, as she hit an excellent beam routine with backflip, and layout linking twists and leaps with a very positive high front somi and a perfect double back dismount with her knees locked into the landing and a competition high of 15.5. Not to be outdone Monnet produced 2 fabulous layouts with a stuck double back. But by this time even if she had fallen, the Australian Team were 8.5 points ahead, and the Commonwealth Title was theirs! .
One interesting point about the new Code came when one of the Australian Team fell on a D element she received an immediate deduction of 0.8. But as the bonus is only 0.4, the question must be asked - Is it fair to penalize someone by double the amount which they would get if they completed the move? Or will this lead to safer gymnastics where moves are only performed in competition if they are secure? Let me know your thoughts as this debate will be sure to rumble on!
Junior European Champion Rhian Pugh returned to high bars after being out of competition due to injury, and hit an excellent routine with a simple safe dismount to protect her neck, and earn a 13.5 for the Welsh Team. Meanwhile Canada were struggling on Floor as Jenna Kerbis and Gael Mackie fell in their tumbling runs, with Mackie particularly unlucky as she had performed a gorgeous routine but fell out of her triple twist. This increased the pressure on the remaining Canadian girls as England were now neck and neck for the Silver medal. But Elyse Hopfner - Hibbs responded with full twisting double pike, then double Arabian, but stepped out of the floor area on her full twisting front and recovered well to finish with a huge double pike for a 13.55 to throw down the challenge once more to England.
The English team knew they were within reach of a Silver medal, and they were now on Vault which had consistently produced the highest scores of the day! Hannah Clowes produced a strong vault with a slight step back for 13.80, while Shavahn Church performed handspring, pike front half turn just stepping out on her landing for 13.6. We needed a big performance and up stepped Imogen who produced an excellent one and a half twisting Yurchenko with a 0.5 bonus for each half twist, Imogen scored a fantastic 14.5. England had moved into second place just 1.75 ahead of the Canadians and Wales as we moved into the final rotation, with England to finish on Bars, and Wales on Beam!
Scores were 1st Australia 131.05, 2nd England 122.00, 3rd Canada 120.25, 4th Wales 120.25, 5th New Zealand 117.15
Who will win Silver? The battle hots up!
Australia were first to go on Floor and what a performance they gave! As Dykes and Russo were neck and neck for individual first place, the Australian crows were on their feet chanting “ Aussie, Aussie, Aussie Oi, Oii, Oi!”. The atmosphere was electric! Hollie was born on the Gold Coast and she had Gold medals in her sights as she stepped up to a roar of anticipation. The Silver Medallist in the Youth Olympics included four tumbles including a superb two and a half twist punch front with good height, but was slightly out on her front full twist but recovered well to finish with double pike which was under rotated. The audience cheered her performance and her smile lit up the whole Arena. A great routine from a new young Australian star! Look out for her this weekend in the Individual All Around and in the Individual Apparatus Finals as she will surely medal again.
Up stepped Monette, and she knew that each step out is a 1 point deduction, but the Team Gold was secure and she went for it in front of her home fans! Reminding us a little of Dos Santos at World’s with her powerful tumbling and confident performance, Monette still needed to protect her ankle, and modified her tumbles but still showed her wonderful ability and technique with great dance and expression for a routine which the audience loved. Monette Russo said afterwards "We all have nerves but it's good to have nerves. I came here to do my programme I'm very happy with that, I'm happy with my floor" (on her ankle injury) "My ankle is fine now!".
So the Commonwealth Team Title goes to Australia, but what about the Silver Medals?
On the other side of the arena, Canada were on vault with Elyse scoring 14.0, and Mackie 13.5, England still had to go on Bars without World Bronze double Medallist and Commonwealth Champion Beth Tweddle! England needed to score more than 42.30 to take Silver, could they do it? Amazingly Beth took off her England tee shirt wearing her leotard as gym fans held their breath! Would she compete despite being advised by Doctors not to, in a bid to claim Silver Medals for England but risk further injury? Fortunately she did not take the risk, and Shavahn scored a fantastic 14.70, Becky posted an excellent routine for a 14.05, Hannah hit 13.6, and Imogen scored 13.35 to win the Silver Medals for England with a total of 164.35, just 1.80 ahead of Canada in the bronze position! Beth commented afterwards "I was really pleased the team spirit was great, they knew what they had to do, and gave a great performance.". Coach Amanda Kirby said: "After Beth's injury she was really upset but she is a great role model for the team and she was there supporting them."
Final Scores were as follows:-
1st - AUS 172.600
2nd - ENG 164.350
3rd - CAN 162.550
4th - WAL 158.750
5th - SCO 156.450
6th - RSA 155.000
7th - NZL 151.550
8th - MAS 141.950
9th - BER 134.950
10th - ND 129.400
11th - IRE 120.550
Individual Top 15 Scores - Commonwealth Team Finals
17th March 2006
1st - Hollie Dykes - Australia 58.55
2nd - Monette Russo - Australia 57.10
3rd - Elyse Hopfner - Hibbs - Canada 56.65
4th - Imogen Cairns - England 54.80
5th - Shavahn Church - England 54.35
6th - Becky Downie - England 54.10
7th - Alyssa Browm - Canada 53.85
8th - Hannah Clowes - England 53.65
9th - Chloe Sims - Australia 53.050
10th - Melanie Roberts - Wales 52.600
11th - Francki Van Rooyen - RSA 52.400
12th - Lynette Lisle - Wales 52.400
13th - Rosalie Hutton - Scotland 51.85
14th - Gael Mackie - Canada 50.950
15th - Emma White - Scotland 50.600
Congratulations to Australia, new Commonwealth Team Champions for 2006! And not forgetting the fantastic performances of England and Canada in making it a truly memorable Final with some excellent performances. Well done to all the home nations and good luck in the Apparatus Finals! We will have a full list of all qualifiers here soon!
Related links - Beth out of Commonwealth Games after ankle injury
Monette Russo given All Clear to compete
Women Gymnasts ready to compete in Melbourne
Canada win Men’s Team Commonwealth Title, England win Bronze.
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