In 2011 it is the year for young talents born in 1995 to step up to the senior ranks.
Here are a few of those young talents that we will have to opportunity to see a lot more of in 2011.
Tan Sixin (China)
Her elegant and precise beam and bar work won her recognition at the Pacific Rim and Youth Olympic games in 2010 (remember when her coach felt she was robbed of the bars gold!) Also her new floor routine showed a growing personality - expect her to grow into a senior role very quickly.
Her elegant and precise beam and bar work won her recognition at the Pacific Rim and Youth Olympic games in 2010 (remember when her coach felt she was robbed of the bars gold!) Also her new floor routine showed a growing personality - expect her to grow into a senior role very quickly.
Viktoria Komova (Russia)
Goes without saying really - the only thing that stopped her being a dominant senior gymnast in 2010 was the age on her passport!
Laura Mitchell (Great Britain)
Born on 3rd January she barely missed out age wise on being a senior this year. A strong all-arounder (she won the GB junior championship with ease and missed out on a trip to the youth olympics only because of an ankle fracture in the weeks leading up to the games. A bubbly character from the same club as Nicole Hibbert and Danusia Francis, she will fit very easily into a senior GB squad.
Other young Brits
Also look out for Ruby Harrold, Jessica Hogg, Billie Mackenzie, & Rebecca Tunney.
They benefit from a basis of strong talent, inspiring gymnasts ahead of them (think Beth and the other GB seniors) and a good level of financial support behind them in the wake of good results in 2010
They benefit from a basis of strong talent, inspiring gymnasts ahead of them (think Beth and the other GB seniors) and a good level of financial support behind them in the wake of good results in 2010
Diana Bulimar (Romania)
This smiley face from the youth olympics will almost certainly be seen amongst the senior ranks very soon. With several of the seniors retiring, the relatively small Romanian team will be looking to draw on the skills of it's young talents.
This smiley face from the youth olympics will almost certainly be seen amongst the senior ranks very soon. With several of the seniors retiring, the relatively small Romanian team will be looking to draw on the skills of it's young talents.
Jordyn Wieber (USA)
Having outscored all of the US seniors at the Classic and collected an armful of medals at the Pacific Rims, it looked that like Komova, all that was holding this powerhouse back was her passport.
She has been plagued by ill-timed injuries though, can she put them behind her in 2011?
She has been plagued by ill-timed injuries though, can she put them behind her in 2011?
Sabrina Vega (USA)
Overshadowed somewhat by Wieber and Kyla Ross (who, being born in 1996 is still too young to compete senior in 2011), this student of Romanian great Teodora Ungureanu has bags of style and a personality to match - look to see her be a senior contender in 2011.
Natsumi Sasada (Japan)
A beautifully stylish young gymnast who was devistated to just miss out on a medal in the all around at the Youth Olympics, she is a pleasure to watch and we likely will be watching her a lot more this year.
Carlotta Ferlito (Italy)
The girl who pipped Sasada to the YOG bronze medal in the all around, then backed up her claim with further medals on vault and beam. Italy may have a new face to be proud of!
And some faces for 2012 and beyond.
Some of the top juniors in 2010 (the 1996 babies) will be contenders for a medal in London but are still too young to compete senior in 2011. Look to see them build up their experience (and medal collections on the junior ranks this year.
Anastasia Grishina (Russia), Kyla Ross (USA), Larisa Iordache (Romania) & Venus Romaeo (GB)
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