Goodwill Games

06/21/2001

Aussie Gymnasts Up Against Top International Stars at Goodwill Games
US$286,000 for Artistic, Rhythmic and Trampoline Gymnastics Events

TEN Australian gymnasts will gain valuable international experience when they compete against a stellar field of world-class athletes during the 2001 Goodwill Games.

The artistic, rhythmic and trampoline gymnasts from 18 countries around the world, will compete for a total prize purse of $286,000 (USD) at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre from August 29 to September 2.

2001 Goodwill Games organisers today announced a top field of gymnasts confirmed to compete in the Games, including eight-time Goodwill Games medallist and 12-time Olympic medallist Aleksei Nemov (Russia) and two-time Goodwill Games and Olympic gold medallist Svetlana Khorkina (Russia).

Other star competitors include:

Five-time US National Champion and two-time Olympian Blaine Wilson (USA)
1998 Goodwill Games all-around champion and Olympian Ivan Ivankov (Belarus)
2000 Olympic gold medallist Andrea Raducan (Romania)
2000 Olympic all-around bronze medallist Oleksandr Beresch (Ukraine)
Olympic twin brothers, Paul and Morgan Hamm (USA)
two-time US Jr. National Champion Kristal Uzelac (USA), and
Olympian Morgan White (USA).

Raducan will return to Australia for the first time since she was stripped of her all-around Olympic gold medal for a doping violation at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

They will compete against 10 gymnasts selected by Gymnastics Australia, including:

Philippe Rizzo (AIS, Canberra) - pommel horse, high bar
Damien Istria (QAS, Brisbane) - vault
Eliza Gower (QRGA, Brisbane) - Rhythmic All around
Valeria Vatkina (NSWIS, Sydney) - Rhythmic All around
Scott Brown (NSW, Gosford) - Trampoline
Robyn Forbes (Melbourne) - Trampoline
Allana Slater (WAIS, Perth) - Women's All around and Individual apparatus
Danielle Kelly (QAS, Brisbane) - Women's All around and Individual apparatus
Jacqui Dunn (AIS, Canberra) - Women's Individual apparatus
Allison Johnston (AIS, Canberra) - Women's Individual apparatus

Gymnastics Australia Chief Executive Jane Allen said while two Men's All-Around competitors would be announced mid July, she could confirm Philippe Rizzo and Damien Istria were ``front runners for those positions''.

The individual apparatus the four Women Artistic team members will compete in, will be announced mid July.

Ms Allen said the 2001 Goodwill Games would provide a great opportunity for Australian gymnasts to gain valuable experience against the world's top competitors.

``From our point of view, the Goodwill Games could not come at a better time to help prepare our next group of athletes for the future, including the 2004 Olympics,'' Ms Allen said.

``The quality of gymnasts our athletes will be competing against will be enormously beneficial for our athletes, particularly since they will be competing on home soil. This is a terrific promotion for gymnastics in this country.''

2001 Goodwill Games Chief Executive Campbell Rose encouraged gymnastics fans to purchase their tickets quickly, with just over half of the tickets already booked.

``We are bringing the world's top gymnasts to compete in what will be a superb contest,'' Mr Rose said.

``Gymnastics will be held at the Games' Red Centre - the centre of not only world class sporting activities, but of world class entertainment. It is an opportunity not to be missed.''

The 2001 Goodwill Games will be the first elite international multi-sport event to feature the new vault apparatus. The entire apparatus has been redesigned and will now be the same for both men and women.

The artistic gymnastics competition will feature 12 events. The men's events include all-around, floor exercise, pommel horse, rings, vault, parallel bars, and high bar. The women's events include all-around, vault, uneven bars, balance beam, and floor exercise.

The prize purse will be divided among the 12 places in the men's and women's all-around event (first place $20,000 USD) and the eight places in the men's and women's individual events (first place $ 6,000 USD).

The rhythmic gymnastic competition will feature five events. They include all-around, hoop, clubs, ball, and rope. The prize purse will be divided among the eight places in the all-around and the individual events (first place all around $ 6,000 USD, and $1500 USD individual events).

The prize purse for the trampoline competition will be divided between the top eight places for both the men and women's individual events (first place $ 3,000 USD).

Athletes from Australia, Belarus, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Great Britain, Germany, Hungary, Japan, Latvia, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Russia, Spain, Ukraine, the United States and Uzbekistan have confirmed their spot in the 2001 Goodwill Games.

For tickets to Gymnastics phone Ticketek on 133 877.

Media information:
Nikki Todd, 2001 Goodwill Games Brisbane
Ph: 07 3233 2045 (direct) / Mobile: 0408 011 204

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