Georgia Godwin of Australia and Georgia-Mae Fenton of Nice Britain are two of essentially the most extensively revered gymnasts in ladies’s gymnastics. However one of many issues the 2 share in widespread (aside from their first title) is each are longtime “fan favorites” of the game regardless of having barely any gold medals in main, worldwide competitors.
The 2 gymnasts have gained quite a few gold medals on the home stage such because the English Championships and British Nationwide Championships for Fenton, whereas in Godwin’s case the Australian Nationwide Championships. However previous to the 2022 Commonwealth Video games in worldwide competitors the pair of gymnasts have struggled to win gold.
Georgia-Mae Fenton has been a competitor on the senior stage for six years. In that point she has been formally named to 4 British groups on the World Championships whereas additionally serving as an alternate on the Tokyo Olympics. Fenton has additionally competed within the World Cup on no less than three events in addition to competing within the 2018 Commonwealth Video games.
Georgia Godwin has been a competitor on the senior stage for ten years. In that point she has recorded quite a few appearances at World Championships, World Cups, grew to become an Olympian, and likewise competed on the 2018 Commonwealth Video games. Godwin has additionally appeared in iconic occasions such because the American Cup and Jesolo.
Regardless of the spectacular resumes and lengthy careers, the 2 gymnasts entered the 2022 Commonwealth Video games with hardly any profession gold medals in senior-international competitors. For Fenton, she had only one gold medal which got here on the 2018 Commonwealth Video games when she gained the uneven bars title whereas representing England.* For Godwin, she beforehand had gained two gold medals in her profession which occurred all the way in which again in 2014 on the Nadia Comaneci Invitational.
*Nice Britain doesn’t compete as a full crew on the Commonwealth Video games. As a substitute, every administrative area competes as its personal crew, reminiscent of England, Scotland, and the Falkland Islands.
For Fenton, she had gone 4 years with out tasting gold, for Godwin it had been eight years. Regardless of the dearth of success, each Fenton and Godwin have endeared themselves to gymnastics followers. Largely as a result of each have been workhorses for his or her respective packages and have been on the high stage for thus lengthy. In current reminiscence any Australian delegation with out Godwin will really feel incomplete whereas in Fenton’s case it was at all times a provided that she would qualify as a Nationwide Group member.
However competitors after competitors, the duo had endure watching different gymnasts take middle stage whereas Fenton and Godwin longed to take pleasure in that feeling as soon as extra.
However on the 2022 Commonwealth Video games that second lastly got here. Georgia Godwin of Australia and Georgia-Mae Fenton of England would mix to win 4 of 6 potential gold medals. The outcomes have been break up proper down the center with two gold medals going to every gymnast. Fenton gained the primary gold medal of her profession in a crew occasion whereas additionally efficiently defending her gold medal on the uneven bars. Godwin gained two gold medals and three silver medals, ending the Commonwealth Video games with a medal on all however one occasion.
The 2 gymnasts have been so profitable on the 2022 Commonwealth Video games that they every gained as many gold medals on this one competitors as that they had beforehand gained of their total careers.
After successful her first gold medal on the 2022 Commonwealth Video games the tv broadcast tried to conduct an interview with Georgia Godwin. However Godwin was so overcome with emotion that she broke into tears and needed to take a pause earlier than she might full even her first sentence. The response completely conveyed the sensation an athlete should really feel after lastly breaking an 8-year gold medal drought.
Godwin and Fenton didn’t simply win any competitors, however the Commonwealth Video games. It is among the largest Olympic-style sporting occasions after the Olympics themselves. The 2022 Commonwealth Video games featured quite a few Olympic stars reminiscent of Australia’s Emma McKeon who gained seven medals in swimming on the 2021 Olympics. There was additionally Jamaican sprinter Elaine Thompson-Herah who gained three gold medals on the 2021 Olympics whereas additionally boasting a profession whole of six Olympic medals (5 gold, 1 silver).
The 2022 Commonwealth Video games are mentioned to have achieved 1.4 million ticket gross sales and the winners of varied occasions together with Godwin herself are receiving nationwide media protection of their respective international locations. For followers of Group England and Group Australia, they may cheer on any athlete in any sport if a gold medal is gained for his or her nation. The Commonwealth Video games is among the few occasions on the calendar that could be a main draw for causal followers who don’t normally observe gymnastics 12 months spherical.
Godwin has acquired exceptionally favorable protection with the media paying attention to her robust commentary in help of #GymnastAlliance. The media has been fast to focus on Godwin for instance that older athletes can obtain success in ladies’s gymnastics. Godwin herself is fast to border her story for instance of how a non-abusive coaching atmosphere that prioritizes psychological well being is a successful technique.
The optimistic components of Godwin’s story has allowed her to be featured in main media publications in each Nice Britain and Australia. Whereas Fenton hasn’t acquired as a lot protection in mainstream media sources, her success on the uneven bars has actually solidified Georgia-Mae’s fame as one of many nice bars employees of the present technology.
For 2 gymnasts who’ve been denied the highlight for thus lengthy, in a single competitors they have been every in a position to receive what has lengthy been overdue. They’ve doubled the variety of gold medals of their trophy case and are receiving the eye they’re rightfully owed.
