Gymnastics golden girl Lauren Mitchell says securing the Australian team a berth at the London Olympics takes precedence over her world title defence.

Mitchell created history last year as the first Australian to win a gymnastics world title - her stunning performance on the floor in Rotterdam prompting hopes the 20-year-old can end the country's Olympic medal drought in the sport.

But ahead of the 2011 world championships in Tokyo starting on Friday Mitchell said team, not personal goals, were the priority over the next few days.

The top eight teams at the world championships gain automatic team entry to the London Olympics, the Australians hoping to at least replicate last year's sixth place finish in Rotterdam.

"There's no point going over to Tokyo just for me when there could be five other girls going to London with me," Mitchell told AAP.

"My focus is to help Australia get to compete in the team's event at the Olympics.

"This year's world championships, for us it's more important for the team to qualify to be able to go to London next year rather than me do well in Tokyo individually."

Not that the team goals will see Mitchell reduce her effort in defending her 2011 gold on the floor, having revamped her winning routine from last year.

As well as the floor, Mitchell could also push up into the medals in the individual all-around, provided her performance on the uneven bars holds up.

She finished sixth in the individual all-around at last year's world championships.

"My bars is probably the only thing that holds me back a little bit in being a true competitor with the rest of the world," Mitchell said.

"I've increased my difficulty a little bit on bars - this is the year to try new skills and try new things and put them out there so that they'll be ready for next year."

With the top 24, but only two from each country, to qualify for the world championships all-around final, Mitchell is likely to battle with Mary-anne Monckton, Georgia Rose Brown and Emily Little to make the cut.

Ashleigh Brennan is considered a chance of making the finals in the beam and floor, while Larrissa Miller is a standout on the bars.

In the men's, Prashanth Sellathurai will lead the Australian charge and is considered a strong medal chance on the pommel horse, with all individual medalists in Tokyo securing a berth at London.

Sellathurai is also a solid performer on the rings and parallel bars, and will need to excel on all disciplines for the men's team to qualify for London.

Like the women, the top eight secure direct entry to London, but teams that finish 9-16 will meet again in London in January to fight for the remaining four team positions.

The Australian men finished 18th at last year's world titles.

Steve Jancetic
AAP