Monette Russo
Encyclopedia
Monette Simone Russo is an Australian Artistic Gymnast
. She made Australian history by becoming the first Australian gymnast ever to win an individual World Championship medal at the 2005 Melbourne Artistic Gymnastics World Championships when she came third in the all-around competition. She competed in three apparatus finals but there were no more medals, and finished seventh on bars and fifth on beam and floor. She is more of an all-arounder than an events finalist, having no weak piece but no obviously outstanding either. During her career, she was one of the few women competing two vaults. She was also a part of the 2003 World Championships team for Australia and won a bronze medal, another first for Australian gymnastics.
Monette is also an Olympian, having helped Australia to 8th place in the 2004 Olympics. An injury prevented her from competing in the all around final.
Injury also marred Monette's 2006 season. She did compete at the Commonwealth Games
in Melbourne
, and although she had to reduce her difficulty considerably because of her injury (only one double salto on floor, for example) she still helped Australia to the team gold. Having qualified to the all-around, bars and beam finals, three more medals looked likely. However, injury prevented Monette from competing in the all-around, and she fell from beam, while receiving a bronze on bars behind Elyse Hopfner-Hibbs
and Shavahn Church
.
Monette retired from elite gymnastics in May 2007.
Artistic gymnastics
Artistic gymnastics is a discipline of gymnastics where gymnasts perform short routines on different apparatus, with less time for vaulting . The sport is governed by the Federation Internationale de Gymnastique , which designs the Code of Points and regulates all aspects of international elite...
. She made Australian history by becoming the first Australian gymnast ever to win an individual World Championship medal at the 2005 Melbourne Artistic Gymnastics World Championships when she came third in the all-around competition. She competed in three apparatus finals but there were no more medals, and finished seventh on bars and fifth on beam and floor. She is more of an all-arounder than an events finalist, having no weak piece but no obviously outstanding either. During her career, she was one of the few women competing two vaults. She was also a part of the 2003 World Championships team for Australia and won a bronze medal, another first for Australian gymnastics.
Monette is also an Olympian, having helped Australia to 8th place in the 2004 Olympics. An injury prevented her from competing in the all around final.
Injury also marred Monette's 2006 season. She did compete at the Commonwealth Games
Commonwealth Games
The Commonwealth Games is an international, multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930 and takes place every four years....
in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, and although she had to reduce her difficulty considerably because of her injury (only one double salto on floor, for example) she still helped Australia to the team gold. Having qualified to the all-around, bars and beam finals, three more medals looked likely. However, injury prevented Monette from competing in the all-around, and she fell from beam, while receiving a bronze on bars behind Elyse Hopfner-Hibbs
Elyse Hopfner-Hibbs
Elyse Hopfner-Hibbs is a Canadian gymnast. She was born in Mississauga, Ontario. She first started gymnastics in 1993, and competed in her first international event in 2001...
and Shavahn Church
Shavahn Church
Shavahn Church is a British gymnast, who lives and trains in California. She formerly competed for the United States but decided in 2005 to represent Great Britain. She made her major international debut at the 2005 world championships in Melbourne...
.
Monette retired from elite gymnastics in May 2007.