GYMNASTICS - ARTISTIC: The 47th FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships kicked off in Montreal today, with Australia’s Men’s Artistic Gymnastics team being the first of the Aussies to take to the world’s ultimate gymnastics stage in Canada.
The team consisting of Tyson Bull (VIC), Michael Mercieca (QLD), Mitchell Morgans (QLD), Christopher Remkes (SA) and Clay Stephens (SA) took to the floor in sub division 3, alongside gymnastics powerhouse nations of Japan, China, Russia, as well as host nation, Canada.
Appearing at his first World Championships, Tyson Bull looked right at home on the international stage. Currently training at the University of Illinois, big crowds don’t phase Bull, who performed a clean and high-difficulty routine on his pet apparatus, the Horizontal Bar, to score 13.400 and sit ranked 17th overall, with one sub division remaining to compete tomorrow.
Unfortunately South Australia’s pocket rocket, Chris Remkes, didn’t have such an ideal competition, with unsteady landings on both his Vaults, and coming off the Pommel Horse twice. Remkes however remained positive about the experience.
“I came into this Worlds a lot more prepared, and was able to bring the experience from [the] 2014 World Championships through to this one,” Remkes told Gymnastics Australia, as he looks towards the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Fellow South Australian, Clay Stephens, had a solid competition at his first World Championships, particularly on the Vault, were he is currently ranked 19th, with an average score of 14.433.
Unfortunately a spectacular-looking Floor routine came undone for Stephens on his last tumbling line, where he landed awkwardly and had to be helped from the floor by medical staff with a knee injury. Stephens was taken immediately for scans with a diagnosis pending.
Despite having less than ideal preparations in the lead up to the 2017 World Championships, Queensland pair Mike Mercieca and Mitchell Morgans, were both pleased with their performances in Montreal.
Despite a nervous start on Parallel Bars, Morgans performed a clean routine on his favourite apparatus, the Horizontal Bar.
“It was an awesome experience,” Morgans said of his first World Championships, “and [I] can’t wait for the Commonwealth Games next year.”
“It doesn’t matter how many times you have been to Worlds, it’s always a good chance to show off your skills,” Mercieca added, with 2017 being his second appearance at a World Championships.
“There’s definitely a medal chance for us next year at Commonwealth Games, we just need to clean up our routines and work on our consistency.”
Final rankings in the Men’s will be determined tomorrow, following the fourth and final sub division’s competition in the morning. Full results and live scoring can be found here.
Meanwhile Australia’s Women’s Artistic Gymnastics team will have their turn to take centre stage at the Montreal Olympic Stadium tomorrow, when the Women’s competition kicks off with sub division 1 in the afternoon.
Gymnastics Australia
