When and how did you get into gymnastics?
I began 1 hour a week gym at 7 when we lived in Sydney, as my friends always talked about it. We moved to Perth when I was 8. A WAIS gymnastics coach saw me and asked whether I would wanted to be tested for the elite program. I have been training with WAIS ever since.

You were very successful in the sub junior division, particularly in 2000, when you finished first on bars and second all around. How did you feel going into the junior division having these results behind you?
I was really nervous at first because I hadn't practiced my optional routines for very long and I wasn't very confident about my consistency. However with the support of WAIS/my coaches and everyone else I was prepared to compete with realistic goals.

Last year marked a great improvement for you, as well as your first international competition for Australia in the Canberra Cup. How was the year 2001 in general for you?
Actually 2001 was a pretty hard year for me and I'm happy it's over. My set group coaches Nikolai Lapchine and Jo Richards traveled a lot last year which was difficult because I was early in my skill learning phase. Vladimir Joura and Martine George (my previous coaches) coached our group and we are lucky that all four coaches can work with all of us in any combination. I was also very sick for most of last year which impacted my energy and training. The results from Canberra cup '01 I'm very proud of and they have boosted my confidence for competitions in the future.

Please tell us a bit about your experiences in your first overseas trip, when you competed in the WOGA Classic and Parkettes Invitational earlier this year.
The American trip was a mixture of good and frustrating emotions. Unfortunately the week before we left I injured my issual tuberosity (hamstring and bottom area) which was really frustrating as I had been training quite well before we left. I competed limited routines and was disappointed with my results in both competitions. However I learnt a lot from this trip from being injured and we also discovered how to manage my food allergies which have been one of the main concerns before the trip.

Have you found it hard building your optional routines as you move higher in the rankings of the junior division?
Definitely! This new code makes skill learning learning even harder.

What do you consider to be your best achievement in gymnastics, so far?
Having the opportunity to qualify for the Australian team in Canberra was fantastic and leaving with a medal was a bonus.

What do you hope to achieve in the future in gymnastics?
I would like to bring more artistry into gymnastics particularly on floor and hopefully compete for Australia on more international trips.

What are your plans for the coming months?
To take a day at a time. I am aware that a gymnasts career is unpredictable so I try to train hard and let the future take care of itself.

Are you working on any new skills and/or routines?
At the moment I'm working on heaps of new skills on most apparatuses. On beam I'm working on flip full, Korbut full, Onodi and I was working on tour jete full before my injury. Bars I'm working on hop full, Tkatchev, puck, giant one and a half, jump to handstand half turn, eagle giants and double front dismount. Because of my injury I haven't been able to train floor and vault properly however I was working on a full in on floor and trying to add more twists to my Yurchenko vault.

What would you like to achieve this year?
For the moment my goals are to add more skills to my routines and complete all my routines on all four apparatuses.