GYMNASTICS: Australia’s best ever gymnast has claimed gold on the last day of women’s artistic competition in Melbourne, Lauren Mitchell crowned national floor champion in a vintage performance.

The 2010 world floor champion and two-time Olympian has been working towards her best throughout the week, and finally delivered with a 13.900 thanks to a near-perfectly executed routine.

Returning to competition for the first time since injuring both ankles before last year’s world championships, the win is no doubt a confidence booster in the short term, though more importantly validates the 23-year-old’s decision to push on for her third Olympics in Rio 2016, with further difficulty to be added to her routines.

“I came into nationals without any expectations and basically just to see where I’m at,” said Mitchell.

“I need to clean it up a lot more and I have one more upgrade to put in once my body allows and once I’m fit enough again.”

“It’s nice to know I’ve still got something.”

Mitchell pipped team mate and close friend Emily Little (WAIS) by the smallest of margins, with 0.1 deducted by the judges for stepping outside the floor.

She was anything but bitter though, confident in her own performance and thrilled to see Mitchell back to her best.

“We’ve been together for ten years and we feel so comfortable with each other, we train together and room together, and it’s nice to just have that support and friendship every day,” Little said.

“Lauren is a world champion on floor for a reason, and I couldn’t be happier for her.”

It has been a successful championships for Little too nonetheless, claiming gold on vault and silver in the women’s all-around title.

The ACT claimed its first major prize of the week with 20-year-old James Bacueti (ACT) taking out the men’s vault final.

A former champion at junior level, it’s been a rocky road for Bacueti, overcoming injury and more-favoured gymnasts to clinch victory on his specialty apparatus.

“I honestly didn’t think I was going to win,” he admitted.

“Preparation hasn’t been the best due to a couple of injuries; last year at nationals I ruptured my syndesmosis, so that was about six months out,”

“And then because of that I had some stress reactions in my shin and couldn’t train until three weeks before these championships.”

“I’m really surprised but proud all the same.”

A Victorian rising star put aside her own adversity to win the women’s junior vault competition, Talia Folino (Vic) not making the initial cut through qualifying due to a technicality.

But her coaches took up the fight and ensured she got her chance, their efforts rewarded with a 14.000 and gold for the 14-year-old.

“I was a bit stressed and quite upset that I wasn’t going to make the final, because I’ve put in so much effort,” she said.

“But my coaches fought for me and I came out strong today and forgot about what had happened; I just wanted to get back on it.”

In state competition, Queensland was named men’s artistic champions for the sixth consecutive year, and awarded the Ken Williams & Jeff Cheales Shield.

The full list of results from today's apparatus finals –

WAG senior floor final:
1. Lauren Mitchell (WA) 2. Emily Little (WA) 3. Madelaine Leydin (VIC)

WAG senior beam final:
1. Georgia Godwin (QLD) 2. Madelaine Leydin (VIC) 3. Emily Little (WA)

WAG junior vault final:
1. Talia Folino (VIC) 2. Yasmin Collier (WA) 3. Emily Whitehead (VIC)

MAG senior high bar final:
1. Tyson Bull (VIC) 2. Mitchell Morgans (QLD) 3. Declan Stacey (VIC)

WAG junior uneven bars final:
1. Emily Whitehead (VIC) 2. Talia Folino (VIC) 3. Yasmin Collier (WA)

MAG senior parallel bars final:
1. Luke Wadsworth (VIC) 2T. Michael Mercieca (QLD) 2T. Naoya Tsukahara (QLD)

MAG senior vault final:
1. James Bacueti (ACT) 2. Clay Stephens (SA) 3. Chris Remkes (SA)

For further results, click here.

Competition continues on Tuesday with a week of rhythmic, trampoline and acrobatic events, highlighted by Friday night’s finals across all three disciplines, as the top gymnasts from each state and territory compete for the title of Australian Champion, and commence their journey on the Road to Rio.