ROBERT THORNTON
Three male gymnasts at the Queensland Academy of Sport have made final preparations for the World Championship trials next week.
Michael Merceica, Mitchell Jones and Michael Tone are all bidding for one of six spots on the Australian team, which will travel to Montreal in October.
Merceica, 26, who narrowly missed out on Olympic selection last year, and pulled out of the Glasgow Commonwealth games due to injury, said despite a few setbacks, he is happy with his preparation.
“So far it’s been pretty good, although I had a shoulder injury two weeks after Nationals in May,” said Merceica.
“The injury took me out of proper training for about a month, and I couldn’t train properly, so I’m maybe not in the absolute best form I could be.
“My goal is to qualify into the top 24 at Worlds and make the all-round final, as there is no team event this year.”
Jones, 24, is also happy with his preparation, and has managed to avoid injury in the lead up to the trail.
“My preparation has been going really well, and the new structure we have with our training has been working well.
“My main goal would be to get the all-round spot [on the team], but if not I’ll definitely be aiming for an individual apparatus spot, and potentially making a final on one of these events.” Jones said.
Senior Men’s Head Coach Sean Wilson also has a positive outlook for this year’s World Championships.
“Michael [Merceica] is definitely looking to make all-round finals at Worlds,” said Coach Wilson.
“If he can hit all his routines, that will be a good start, and he’ll definitely be in the hunt.
“If Mitchell and Michael [Tone] qualify, it will be their first World Championships, so that will be very exciting for them.”
After World Championships, the focus will then turn to the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast, which will happen in April next year.