Gym: Aust gym team ready for dogfight Liddick

AAP General News (Australia)
02-10-2000
Gym: Aust gym team ready for dogfight Liddick

By Linda McSweeny

CANBERRA, Feb 10 AAP - Australia's gymnasts were finally gaining some respect from
the sport's traditional powers and were prepared for a dogfight at this month's international
event in Sydney.

With just over seven months to go before the Games, the Australians are ranked fifth
in the world and coach Peggy Liddick was quietly pleased with the attention her gymnasts
were receiving from their opponents.

"Everyone is taking us a lot more seriously. They realise we have a team that's strong,"

Liddick said.

Liddick is counting on Australia's all-rounders Trudy McIntosh, Lisa Skinner and Alanna
Slater to lead the way at the Australian championships and the International Gymnastics
Challenge which run concurrently from 21-27 February at the Olympic venue at the Sydney
SuperDome.

"I am looking for really good strong performances from these three," Liddick said.

"It's going to be a dogfight. It's going to come down to who wants it the most, who
trains the most consistently.

"I have just finished visiting a couple of the gyms and their personal coaches are
putting a lot in.

"I am preparing a really killer international competitive calendar.

"It's going to (come down to) how they deal with the foreign athletes and foreign judges."

Top class international competitors at the challenge include world No.10 Sara Moro,
of Spain, and rhythmic world champion Alina Kabaeva of Russia.

While competition will be hot on the floor, it's just as fierce for places in the Australian
team.

"Everyone is feeling pressure but if they can't take the heat they should have been
out of the kitchen long ago.

"It's survival of the fittest. I want tough kids who have scratched and clawed their
way to the top."

Liddick said the Australians will use the home advantage and have some choreographic
surprises to stir up the local crowd.

"We have a lot of special things we are preparing," she said.

"Some of the music choices we have re-choreographed.

"It's some Australian music and we are really enhancing crowd environment participation.

"They (the crowd) will be on their feet."

AAP lm/pmu

KEYWORD: GYMNASTICS AUST

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