Canadian counsel helps Aussie medal glutton mull future
Joanna Guelas |
Worried she’s too old for it, Australian star gymnast Georgia Godwin concedes this year’s Commonwealth Games could be her last.
But the 28-year-old won’t say for certain, conceding she is still in love with the sport despite a gruelling campaign in Glasgow.
Australia’s most decorated female gymnast at the Games, Godwin went full circle in her comeback from a traumatic Achilles injury by finishing up in Glasgow on the apparatus that threatened to end her career.
Soaring to new heights after a remarkable Birmingham 2022 campaign, Godwin’s career came to a sudden halt just three months before the 2024 Olympics.
She had ruptured the Achilles tendon in her left foot doing a round-off flick double pike while working on a floor exercise.
Two years on from the training injury, Godwin was “pretty bloody happy” after completing her third-straight floor routine despite a seventh-placed finish in the final on Wednesday morning (AEST).
And while she readily admits to feeling “too old” or “silly” to be competing at 28, Godwin won’t say if she’s ready to close the chapter.
“I’m not saying yes or no, because I don’t even know what I’m doing tomorrow,” Godwin laughed.
“It’s (floor exercise) something that I still find challenging, and has been the most challenging to overcome.
“I haven’t been able to make a floor final in the last two Comm Games, so to finish it off like this, if it is my last one, I’m pretty happy.”
Godwin said she aims to be at the gymnastics world championships in the Netherlands in October if she makes the team.
Should she power on, Godwin will be 30 at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and 32 at the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad.
Godwin is drawing inspiration from Canadian great Ellie Black, who won the individual all-around gold medal in Glasgow at age 30.
“On the days where I feel like I am too old for the sport, I have actually reached out to Ellie,” Godwin said.
“Being like, ‘I feel too old, this feels silly, I don’t know if I should keep going’, and she’s like, ‘if you enjoy it, why stop?’.
“I was like, ‘preach’ … I hope I can follow in her footsteps.”
Despite missing out on an individual medal, the Queensland product will leave Glasgow having cemented her legacy at the Games.
Making her debut at the 2018 Gold Coast Games, Godwin surpassed Allana Slater as Australia’s most-decorated female gymnast after winning team gold.
Godwin now has three gold, four silver and two bronze medals, and trails just Philippe Rizzo (10 medals) and Brennon Dowrick (11) in Australia’s record books.
She helped guide Australia to second on the gymnastics medal table, with a tally of nine medals ensuring they trailed only Canada (14).
Godwin had become the breakout star of the 2022 Games after an extraordinary five-medal campaign in Birmingham, which included the individual all-around title and vault gold.
AAP