Aussie Gymnasts Eye Commonwealth Gold

Headed by World Championships bronze medallist Monette Russo and triple Commonwealth Games gold medallist Philippe Rizzo, a strong 13-member gymnastics team will hit the mats at Melbourne's Commonwealth Games in March.

As well as claiming Australia's first World Championships last November medal by winning bronze in the women's all-around final in Melbourne's Rod Laver Arena (the same venue as the Commonwealth Games' gymnastics competition), Russo added to her slice of Australian gymnastics history by reaching the finals on balance beam, floor and uneven bars – the first time an Australian had reached three individual apparatus finals.

Of the team sent to Athens in 2004, only Russo is still tumbling.

The rising stars of women's artistic gymnastics, including 14-year-old Ashleigh Brennan and 15-year-olds Chloe Sims, Naomi Russell and Hollie Dykes, have been selected to accompany the 17-year-old Russo to Melbourne.

Queenslander Sims is the most notable of the bunch after impressively winning four gold medals at the 2004 Commonwealth Youth Games in Bendigo.

Australia's head coach Peggy Liddick describes the young and inexperienced make-up of the women's artistic team as a "normal transition" two years out from an Olympic Games.

"For four of the five, it will be their first major international and their first senior team event," Liddick told The Australian.

The men's team contains the same gymnasts who competed at the 2005 World Championships, including all-around finalist Josh Jefferis, high bar finalist Damian Istria, and pommel horse finalist Prashanth Sellathurai.

Istria of Queensland will compete in the high bar, floor, rings and vault, while Sellathurai will ply his trade on the pommel, as well as competing on the rings and parallel bars.

However, Australia's hopes don't end there with Rizzo heading the team on the back of three gold medals in the pommel, parallel bars and high bar at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester.

Rizzo, who recently celebrated his 25th birthday, will be keen to rid of the disappointment of falling off the high bar in the all-around qualifications at last year's Worlds to miss out on qualifying for the final.

"I know lessons that I have learnt. Go out and have fun rather than put too much pressure on myself," Rizzo told AAP.

Vault specialist Sam Offord has been touted as the back up for Rizzo and Jefferis in the all-around competition.

With strong talent on all apparatus, Australia's men's line-up is a genuine chance of winning its first team gold in March.

The rhythmic team consists of three members who competed at the 2005 World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan – Naazmi Johnston, Amy Khera and Kimberley Mason.

In the 2002 Commonwealth Games, Australia came away with six gold, five silver and two bronze but, while Liddick refuses to set a medal target for 2006, she acknowledges that the Australians will be striving to be the best.

"We are going to work as if we are going for the gold," she said.

"We are defending champions and the favourites going in [to the team event]."

Australia, whose main competition is likely to come from England, Wales and Canada, will be looking to build on its improving results in international competition when the gymnastics competition begins on March 16.