GYMNASTICS - TRAMPOLINE: The Australian Team of Ty Swadling, Blake Gaudry, Will Morris and Jack Penny have taken out the bronze medal in the Team Final at the 29th Trampoline Gymnastics World Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Competing against Gymnastics powerhouses China, Russia and Japan, the Australian Team were considered an outside medal chance having qualified in fifth position. Showing true fighting spirit, the team exceeded expectations to take home the Bronze medal behind China and Russia.

“Australia should be very proud of the way our athletes performed today. This result is the product of a huge amount of hard work and absolute confidence in their ability to get the job done – individually and as a team,” said Brett Austine, Head Coach of the Australian Team.

“This is a truly world class performance and I am thrilled for the Team as they maintained their composure throughout the event and were duly rewarded for their efforts.”

Having performed strongly in the preliminary round, the Australian athletes went in to the Team Final full of confidence. Will Morris was the first to compete followed by London Olympian Blake Gaudry and finally Ty Swadling.

“We are a close knit team and were aiming just to reach the Team Final. To surpass our own goals and walk away with the Bronze medal is icing on the cake and will spur us on for the future!” Gaudry said.

Australia’s Trampoline Gymnastics athletes have their sights firmly set on the Rio 2016 Olympic Games where they will look to emulate the feats of Sydney Olympian, Ji Wallace, who is Australia’s only medal winner in Gymnastics at the Olympic Games.

Mark Rendell, Chief Executive Officer of Gymnastics Australia, highlighted the importance of the medal victory for the sport in Australia.

“Gymnastics Australia receives significant Federal Government investment under its ‘Winning Edge’ strategy and our sport is expected to contribute significantly to the medal targets which have been set for Australia at World Championships, Commonwealth Games and Olympic Games,” Rendell said.

“Our Trampoline Gymnastics Team’s Bronze medal performance overnight is a credit to the athletes, coaches and support staff involved and carries our sport one step closer to achieving our goals in Rio.”

Gymnastics Australia