GYMNASTICS: Queensland’s Danielle Prince has been rewarded for a leap of faith that has seen her based in the United Kingdom for the past six months, training with elite coaches and gymnasts in Great Britain.
The 23-year-old performing a masterclass every time she took to the floor, as part of the 2015 Australian Gymnastics Championships.
Prince swept all comers across all four apparatus in routines of precision, emotion and elegance.
“I’m finally starting to see the results of all that hard work I’ve put in over there [UK] earlier this year, and I’m really hoping to step up in the world cup and world championships,” said Prince.
“To be training with someone who is at the same level or even better than you is that constant daily reminder to keep pushing yourself as hard as you can.”
Two scores of 12.400 with ball and clubs, a 14.450 with ribbon and 13.900 with hoop only strengthening the 2010 Commonwealth Games gold medallist’s case for what would be her first Olympic berth at Rio 2016.
“I’ve gone through the Olympic selection before and haven’t been so fortunate, so this time round I’m just enjoying the time I have as a gymnast out on the floor and making the most of that experience,” she said.
“So far, so good.”
Returning to competition for the first time in more than a year, Enid Sung (NSW) showed no signs of the severe shoulder injury that had her sidelined, but was not immune to the odd mistake across her four routines.
The 23-year-old her harshest critic.
“Coming back after a year’s break was an achievement in itself, but performance wise I could have done a bit better,” she admitted.
“For me it’s such an internal thing.”
“I’m a very emotive person and sometimes it’s a good thing because it can come through in my routine and the way I move, but when things go wrong it can definitely affect me and that’s what I need to address.”
The final event of the night was certainly worth waiting for, as New Zealand’s Dylan Schmidt (NZ) claimed trans-Tasman bragging rights in the men’s senior trampoline final.
Unable to claim the Australian title, the last man to step onto the tramp still fired a shot across the bow of any Australian hoping to qualify for Rio via this year’s world championships in Glasgow.
“There’s always a friendly rivalry between Australia and New Zealand,” said Schmidt.
”This is only my second senior event and I’ve managed a personal best so I couldn’t have really asked for it to go any better.”
Blake Gaudry (SA) the best of the rest and crowned national champion due to Schmidt’s ineligibility.
A humble winner, the 23-year-old full of praise for his Kiwi rival, wishing him well on the road to Rio.
“Dylan’s come a long way and he’s proven himself as a competitor at last year’s world championships, and now here,” he said.
“I know the direction myself and my coaches are going in, and we’ve got a plan set out to get us to the Rio games.”
“I’m confident that that’s going to work, and it’s going to be good if both Australia and New Zealand could get there.”
In acrobatics, mixed pair Aiden Lerch and Mackenzie Levin (NSW) posted scores of 21.620 in dynamic and 23.910 in balance to earn gold.
GYMNASTICS AUSTRALIA
