GYMNASTICS: More Olympic history has been made in Tokyo with the debut of Australia's Rhythmic Gymnastics Group competing in the qualification round.
Consisting of Emily Abbot, Alexandra Aristoteli, Alannah Mathews, Himeka Onoda and Felicity White, the group performed two beautiful routines. Their first routine had all athletes utilising the Ball apparatus, their second routine had two athletes using Clubs and three utilising Hoops.
Up against 14 groups, all from different nations across both rotations, it was always going to be incredibly difficult competition for the Australians. The field featured the Russian Olympic Committee, the United States of America and Bulgaria.
The Aussie group looked strong on the floor, however some mistakes on connections in both routines put a slight dampener on their Olympic debut. The girls scored 20.850 for the ball routine and 19.500 for the Hoop and Clubs routine.
For this incredible group of athletes the score didn’t matter as they walked off the Rhythmic floor, instead it was the amazing experience they shared and their commitment to make the Olympic Games.
“This group means a lot to each other,” Onoda said after the competition.
“We have trained together for a few years now, gone through a lot together. They are like my sisters, so to be here at the Olympics all together is just something so special. A once in a lifetime experience.
“I think we made the most of it. We could have done better, but it’s OK because we made it and we did it together.”

Alexandra Aristoteli was extremely grateful for the experience.
“To be doing this with my best friends is just really amazing,” Aristoteli said.
“We have made so many sacrifices to get there, especially with COVID. We had a massive break, so to be here out on the biggest stage is just really special.”
Despite coming 14th overall, this group has a bright future. The young athletes have relished every moment of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and are proud to have represented their country on the world’s biggest stage.
“Just being there on the floor, even with the mistakes, I felt like I had the absolute time of my life,” Emily Abbot said.
“I’ve never felt like that at a competition before, where I just enjoyed every single moment.
“We’ve won a medal, a gold medal, in my eyes just by being out there and I can’t believe we just achieved our childhood dreams together.”
Shannon Knaus