Artistic gymnastics wraps up with UC student at top of his game

Story by Jess Duffy, news services reporter and Monitor Commonwealth Games correspondent. Photo: Kimberly Douglas

24 March 2006: The Artistic Gymnastics has just wrapped up which is a bit sad because it's produced some breathtaking performances and I've had an absolute ball with it. It's weird spending all my time in the underbelly of Rod Laver Arena as you don't really have any concept of what's happening in the rest of the Games, let alone the wider world, but gymnastics certainly isn't a bad thing to be absorbed in.

My role involves gathering quotes from gymnasts after competition, writing up daily previews and any other interesting story that arises. Oh yes, and I get to sit in the press tribunes and watch competition!

Prior to the Games I was semi-interested in gymnastics, but the one thing which disappointed me was that they never seem to fall. Well, if I've learnt one thing from this experience it's that everybody falls. South African gymnast Gerhard 'Teddy Bear' Swiegers fell from the high bar on the first day, and his coach was injured trying to break his fall. It emerged coach Miklos Szabo had   torn a ligament and had to fly back to South Africa for surgery.

I wasn't on duty for either of the team finals, but worked a double shift to ensure I was present at both the men's and women's individual finals. Australia cleaned up both, to the absolute delight of the sell-out crowd. The home support was so boisterous that bronze medalist Hollie Dykes couldn't hear the music to start her floor routine.

UC student Josh Jefferis won over Melbourne with his staggering run of success which included two gold medals, silver in the team event and bronze on the Parallel Bars. Apparently the media weren't that interested in him after the Team final, but couldn't get enough of him when he took out the all round competition in a thriller. Teammate Damian Istria was full of praise for the 20-year-old.

"Josh is strong, young and trains his butt off," he said. "He has character, ambition, love for the sport and respect for his country."

Jefferis also won gold on the rings, his pet event, on Monday night. I shared a tram home with his very proud family, and learnt that the night was a very special one for his mum Alison.

"It's actually my birthday today," she said. "It's the best birthday present a mother could ask for!"

Also from Jess Duffy at the Games

Medals bonanza in first days of Games

Magnificent ceremony kicks off Games

Read more about Jess Duffy:

Student reporter seizes Games opportunity

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Last Updated on April 3, 2006