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Australia will pick its women's squads for October's big events following its national championships, held this week in Perth.  Georgia Bonora at the 2008 Olympics The championships are serving as the trials for the back-to-back Commonwealth Games, Oct. 4-8 in Delhi, India, and the world championships, Oct. 16-24 in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Australia plans to send its top squads to both Delhi and Rotterdam despite the close proximity of the events, women's coach Peggy Liddick said. Five gymnasts will go to Delhi, with an additional three gymnasts to meet up with the group in Europe. Australia is determined to defend its team title from the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, she said. "We're going out to win the Commonwealth Games, and I'm going to put my best team out there," Liddick said. 2008 Olympians Georgia Bonora, Shona Morgan and Ashleigh Brennan are top contenders for the all-around crown in Perth. At the recent Victorian championships, Bonora topped Morgan, who recently signed with Stanford University. Australian star Lauren Mitchell, a double silver medalist at the 2009 World Championships, will sit out the competition with a strained adductor. First-year senior Emily Little, a vault finalist at the Paris World Cup in March, is sidelined with an elbow injury. Both could still factor into the teams' lineups, Liddick said. "With both Lauren and Emily not competing at the trials it's not ideal," she said. "However, I know the team works around them, and I know if they are physically able, they will be there in September. If I deem that their potential is better than the other girls who are vying for the spot, then that is the selection committee's prerogative." The elite session begins Thursday, with the all-around to be decided Friday. The juniors also will take to the floor Thursday, and Liddick named Angela Donald and Georgia Rose-Brown of Melbourne and Emma Jane Nedov of Sydney as gymnasts to watch. "It's all really exciting because these juniors are all eligible for the 2012 Olympics and will make their impact next year," Liddick said. 2008 Olympian Olivia Vivian, a sophomore at Oregon State University, won the Level 10 all-around title Wednesday in Perth. External Link: Gymnastics Australia Comments (0)
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