Emily Whitehead

              
            

Emily Whitehead is one of Australia’s brightest young talents – a quick look at her Junior results and developing international form show us as much.

A member of the Victorian team that has won five consecutive teams’ Gold medals at the Australian Gymnastics Championship, Whitehead has proved to be ultra-consistent in individual apparatus at the Championships, finishing in the top five on 18 occasions since 2011.

The 2015 Championships proved to be her best yet at national level, as she finished on the podium in all five Individual Apparatus events – winning the All-Around Junior International title, also claiming Gold on Uneven Bars and the Floor.

Emily was selected to represent Australia at the 2016 Pacific Rim Championships and Olympic Test Event but unfortunately was unable to compete after injury in training at the Pacific Rim Championships.

Bouncing back from that injury, Whitehead’s international form is strengthening, with her best recent results including a 10th All-Around at the 2017 L'International Gymnix, Senior International Cup in Canada, and a Silver medal on Vault at the 2018 Melbourne World Cup.

Her talent and hard-work has been closely monitored by Gymnastics Australia, and reward for her development came when she was selected for the 2018 Commonwealth Games team where she won Bronze on Vault and in the Team Competition and placed 5th on the balance beam.

     		  

QUICK FACTS
Birthplace: Melbourne, VIC
Occupation: Student
Nickname: Em 
Sporting motto: Let your faith be bigger than your fear
Most admired sportsperson: Madison Kocian
Most influential person My mum has been the biggest influence in my life
 Superstitions or pre-competition rituals: Never washing my wristbands
Five words to best describe you: Happy, Nice, Crazy, Outgoing
Favourite music: Rachel Platten
Favourite movie: Monsters Inc.
Superstitions or pre-competition rituals: Never washing my wristbands
Best piece of advice received: Just keep chipping away. Train your mind to see the good in everything
How do you relax when not in the gym: Relaxing and enjoying time with my family

TRAINING INFORMATION
Age began gymnastics and reason for starting: 4, my older sister did gymnastics, and it looked a lot of fun
First Club: Grips
First Coach: Jill 
Current Club: Waverley Gymnastics Club
Current Coach: John Hart and Nadiya
Best apparatus: Bars
Favourite skill: Pak
Most difficult skill to learn: Glide kip
Favourite aspect of being a gymnast: I love the feeling of flying through the air and testing new limits!

MOST SIGNIFICANT
Best National Performance: 2015 Australian Championships
Best International Performance: 2015 Jesolo
Best Gymnastic Moment: Being selected for the Rio Olympic Test Event team

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS
Year Jun/Snr Team AA VT UB BB FX
2018 Senior 1st 2nd 1st 4th 3rd 2nd
2016 Senior 1st 22nd - 2nd - -
2015 Junior 1st 1st 3rd 1st 2nd 1st
2014 Junior 1st 2nd 5th 4th 1st 3rd
2013 IDP 10 1st 3rd - 3rd 3rd 6th
2012 IDP 8 1st 3rd 8th 6th 5th 4th
2011 IDP 6 1st 2nd 8th 8th 4th 6th

INTERNATIONAL RESULTS
Year Event Team AA VT UB BB FX
 2018 Commonwealth Games, AUS  3rd    3rd    5th  
2018 Melbourne World Cup, AUS  -  -   2nd  -  -  -
2017 Cottbus World Cup, GER - - - 9th 16th 13th
2017 L'International Gymnix, Senior International Cup Competition, CAN 4th 10th 9th 2nd 13th 7th
2017 AT&T American Cup, Gymnastics World Cup, USA  8th  - - - - -
2015 City of Jesolo Trophy, ITA  3rd  -  -  -  -  - 
2015 Japan Junior, JPN  - - - 13th - -
2015 City of Jesolo Trophy, ITA  4th 21st - 4th    
2014 Pacific Rim Championships, CAN  5th - - 10th 10th 8th
2014 City of Jesolo Trophy, ITA  5th  24th - - - -

MAJOR EVENTS HISTORY
Commonwealth Games: 2018
World Championships: N/A
Olympic Games: N/A