2003 World Championships in Australia names Worlds Team

The 2001 World Championships high bar silver medallist, Philippe Rizzo will lead the six-strong Australian men’s team at the World Gymnastics Championship in Melbourne following the announcement of the team by Gymnastics Australia. Rizzo captured a hat-trick of individual gold medals a year later at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester and finished fourth on the high bar at the 2003 world titles, so he will have high expectations in Melbourne. Rizzo was born into a sporting family as his father represented France at the 1960 Olympics in Rome.

Rizzo, who represented Australia at the Sydney and Athens Olympic Games, was one of five apparatus specialists named for the championships. Australian all-around champion Joshua Jefferis was named as Australia’s sole all-around competitor. He represented Australia at the 2003 World Championships and began gymnastics after a doctor advised his parents to buy a trampoline to tire out their hyperactive son.

Thomas Pichler, Sam Offord and Prashanth Sellathurai, all 19, will make their major championship debut in Melbourne. Damian Istria returns to international competition after a long battle against a career threatening wrist injury suffered in 2003. The 23 year-old made his Australian senior debut at just 16 at the 1999 World Championships, becoming the youngest ever Australian male to represent his country at senior level. A silver and bronze medallist at the Manchester Commonwealth Games, Istria won national titles this year on floor, vault and high bar and will hope to make the final of at least one of his preferred apparatus.

The women’s team was selected two weeks ago following selection trials in Queensland. Monette Russo joins fellow Victorian and Athens Olympian Karen Nguyen and two senior international debutants, Canberra’s Monique Blount and Perth’s Olivia Vivian as gymnasts selected for the championships.

Australian Team
2005 World Gymnastics Championship, Melbourne 21-27th November

Men
Damian Istria, 23, QLD/QAS
Joshua Jefferis, 20, QLD/AIS
Sam Offord, 19, SA/SASI
Thomas Pichler, 19, QLD/QAS
Philippe Rizzo, 24, NSW/AIS
Prashanth Sellathurai, 19, NSW/NSWIS

Women
Monette Russo, 17, VIC/VIS
Monique Blount, 16, ACT/AIS
Karen Nguyen, 17, VIC/VIS
Olivia Vivian, 16, WA/WAIS

With the Australian team confirmed and selected, they will now concentrate on preparing for the championships. Monette Russo and Karen Nguyen will travel to Europe to compete in World Cup events in Stuttgart, Germany (21-23 October) and Glasgow, Scotland (24-27 October).