MEDIA RELEASE

For immediate release Tuesday, 11 May 1999

AUSTRALIAN TEAM ANNOUNCED
FOX SPORTS CHALLENGE – AUSTRALIA V SPAIN

The Australian Women’s Gymnastic team to compete against Spain in the Fox Sports Challenge on 25-26 June 1999 at Challenge Stadium in Perth is:

Trudy McIntosh VIC/VIS
Melinda Cleland VIC/VIS
Brooke Walker VIC/VIS
Allana Slater WA/WAIS
Zeena McLaughlin VIC/VIS
Lisa Skinner QLD/QAS
Jenny Smith WA/WAIS

The final team of six will be named at the Training Camp prior to the competition.

To qualify a full team of six gymnasts for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games Australia must finish in the top 12 nations in the Team Competition at the World Championships later this year [9-16 October, China]. Spain are touted in the top 12 nations in the world. This event has been programmed as an indicator of Australia’s World Championship placing in the lead up to the World Championships.

Trudy McIntosh, Melinda Cleland, Brooke Walker, Allana Slater, Zeena McLaughlin and Lisa Skinner returned two weeks ago from New Caledonia after a successful training camp and competition with the French National team. At this event Australia bested France’s potential World Championship team and Melinda Cleland took first place overall.

Katarina Frketic NSW/AIS and Rebecca Wilson QLD/QAS withdrew from the New Caledonia tour due to injury. They were both unavailable for the Australia v Spain Fox Sports Challenge as a result of the same injuries. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, INTERVIEWS AND PHOTOGRAPHIC OPPORTUNITIES
PLEASE CONTACT

NIK FREESTONE
STARSPORTS INTERNATIONAL
MOBILE 0414 579 558
WORK 02 9326 9288
FAX 02 9357 7244
EMAIL nfreesto@npg.com.au 

BRIEF ON THE WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM [AUS V ESP]:

Trudy McIntosh

DOB 30-7-84

HPC VIS

VIS = Victoria Institute of Sport

Trudy moved from 1998 Junior National Champion to 1999 Senior National Champion. She is the National Champion on three of the four apparatus. She also scored a perfect ten at the National Championships on beam. Following the National Championships Trudy participated in the Training Camp in New Caledonia and the dual on 24 April. Her results were; Vault-1st, Beam-1st and Floor-5th. Trudy’s strength is vault and weakest apparatus is the bars. She is one of only four gymnasts in the world able to perform her current vault.
Melinda Cleland

DOB 15-10-84

HPC VIS

In 1998 Melinda missed out on the Commonwealth Games team by one place. Since this time she took 3rd place overall at the prestigious Canberra Cup – International Youth Meet and 2nd place overall at the National Championships and 10th overall at the International Team Championships. Two weeks prior to the National Championships [17-20 March, Sydney] Melinda was given 24 hours notice to replace Zeena McLaughlin at the Visa American Cup [4-6 March, Florida]. Melinda finished 6th overall, the highest ever placing by and Australian at this invitation-only event attended by the top 36 gymnasts in the world. She also won a bronze medal on beam.
Brooke Walker

DOB 26-2-82

HPC VIS

 

Brooke who features on the Bodalla ad flipping between the Twelve Apostles has returned from injury in 1999 to take 3rd place overall at the National Championships and earn berths on the International Team Championships team, New Calendonia tour and the Australia v Spain team. In 1997 Brooke was awarded the 1997 WAG Junior Gymnast of the Year.
Allana Slater

DOB 3-4-84

HPC WAIS

WAIS = West Australian Institute of Sport

Allana has made a significant comeback since placing 6th overall in the Junior competition at the 1998 National Championships. She made her move on the National team at the Fox Sports Challenge Australia v Japan in June last year, finishing 1st overall ahead of the 1998 National Champion Zeena McLaughlin. Allana was successful in earning berths on the 1998 World Youth Games team [Moscow], Commonwealth Games team [Kuala Lumpur], Australia Cup team [Melbourne], International Team Championships team [Florida] and New Caledonia team [New Caledonia]. The flamboyant red-head from Perth is one to watch on the floor apparatus.
Zeena McLaughlin

DOB 14-5-81

HPC VIS

Zeena was the 1998 National Champion. She brings stability to the team through her extensive competition experience which includes the 1997 World Championships [Switzerland], 1998 Goodwill Games [New York], Commonwealth Games [Kuala Lumpur], Australia Cup [Melbourne], Arthur Gander Memorial Grand Prix [Switzerland], International Team Championships [Florida] and New Caledonia tour [New Caledonia] teams.
Lisa Skinner

DOB 17-2-81

HPC QAS
QAS = Queensland Academy of Sport

Lisa is the veteran of the team having competed at the 1995 and 1997 World Championships, 1996 Olympic Games and 1998 Commonwealth Games. In March 1998 Lisa dislocated her ankle which put her out of heavy competition for 6 months. In December she had an operation to clean out the loose bone which had accumulated. Since this time she has maintained a progressive rehabilitation program resulting in her competing on 2 apparatus only at the National Championships.
Jenny Smith

DOB 30-3-80

HPC WAIS

 

After the 1996 Olympic Games, Jenny came back from Atlanta and continued to train until the end of 1996. However due to a number of injuries she announced her retirement from competition. In the middle of 1998, she felt the urge to train again. By the end of the year 1998 she was almost back to full training. She began preparing for the 199 National Championships with a view to trailing for this year’s World Championships team and next years Olympic Games team. Injury prevented Jenny from competing at the 1999 National Championships. Jenny will accompany former Olympian Joanna Hughes at the 1999 World University Games in Spain later this year.