The 18-year-old West Australian hinted at a stellar 2009 when she won a gold medal last December on the balance beam at a World Cup final in Madrid, and confirmed her world-class status with a string of top-notch results this year. She started by winning the all-around at the Australian titles in Perth. She also won gold medals in the uneven bars, balance beam, and floor exercise. She was chosen to travel to London for the world titles, where she finished fourth in the all-round – just 0.025 of a point outside a medal – including a heartbreaking 0.1 deduction for stepping out of bounds. But she won two silver medals – the highest placing of any Australian gymnast at world level – on the beam and floor to stamp her credentials as a future Olympic medallist. She trains at the West Australian Institute of Sport. Will Swanton
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