Lauren Mitchell facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lauren Mitchell OAM
Mitchell in 2012
Personal information
Full name	Lauren Stephanie Mitchell
Country represented	Australia
Born	(1991-07-23) 23 July 1991 (age 33) Subiaco, Western Australia
Discipline	Women's artistic gymnastics
Level	Senior International Elite
Years on national team	2007–2016 (AUS)
Club	Western Australian Institute of Sport
Head coach(es)	Nikolai Lapchine Martine George
Eponymous skills	Balance Beam and Floor Exercise: triple turn (1080°) in tuck stand on one leg – free leg optional
Retired	27 September 2016
Medal record Representing  Australia World Championships Gold 2010 Rotterdam Floor exercise Silver 2009 London Balance beam Silver 2009 London Floor exercise World Cup Final Gold 2008 Madrid Balance beam Commonwealth Games Gold 2010 Delhi Team Gold 2010 Delhi All-around Gold 2010 Delhi Uneven bars Gold 2010 Delhi Balance beam Silver 2010 Delhi Floor exercise Silver 2014 Glasgow Team Silver 2014 Glasgow Floor exercise FIG World Cup Event 1st 2nd 3rd Apparatus World Cup 5 3 2 World Challenge Cup 1 0 1

Lauren Stephanie Mitchell (born on July 23, 1991) is an amazing Australian former gymnast. She is famous for being the 2010 World champion in the floor exercise. She also won two silver medals at the 2009 World Championships on the balance beam and floor.

Lauren Mitchell was only the second Australian female gymnast to win a medal at the World Championships. She was also the first Australian woman to win a gold medal there! She won many gold medals at the 2010 Commonwealth Games, including for the all-around, uneven bars, balance beam, and with the Australian team. She also won gold at the 2008 World Cup Final on the balance beam. Lauren proudly represented Australia at both the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games.

In her first year competing as a senior in 2007, she reached the balance beam final at the World Championships. At the 2008 Summer Olympics, she helped the Australian team get their best-ever sixth-place finish. In 2009, she made history by winning two silver medals at the World Championships. The next year, she won four gold medals at the Commonwealth Games, tying a record. She also became Australia's first female World champion in gymnastics. At her second Olympics in 2012, she finished fifth in the floor exercise final. She won two more Commonwealth medals in 2014. Lauren Mitchell retired in 2016 as Australia's most awarded gymnast.

Lauren Mitchell's Early Life

Lauren Mitchell was born on July 23, 1991, in Subiaco. This is a suburb of Perth, Australia. Her parents are Leanne and Graeme Mitchell. Lauren is the oldest of four children. Her mother's family is from Romania.

She started gymnastics when she was six years old. She went to a gymnastics birthday party and loved it!

Lauren Mitchell's Amazing Gymnastics Career

In 2005, Lauren competed at the Australian Junior Championships. She placed seventh in the all-around, balance beam, and floor exercise. She was eighth on the uneven bars. Sadly, she missed the entire 2006 season because of a hamstring injury.

Starting Senior Gymnastics in 2007

In 2007, Lauren was old enough to compete in senior international events. She went to the WOGA Classic in Plano, Texas. Her Australian team won the bronze medal. Lauren also won silver on the balance beam and bronze on the floor exercise.

Next, she competed at the Stella Zakharova Cup in Ukraine. She won a bronze medal in the all-around and silver on the balance beam. In May, at the Australian Championships, she won gold with her Western Australian team. She also won silver in the all-around and gold on the balance beam.

In July, Lauren helped Australia win gold against Japan. She was then chosen for the World Championships. She made it to the balance beam final and finished fifth. After this, she won silver on the balance beam and bronze on the floor exercise at the DTB Cup in Germany.

First Olympics in 2008

Mitchell performing a layout step-out on the balance beam during the 2009 World Championships.

In 2008, Lauren competed at the Pacific Rim Championships. The Australian team finished fourth. Lauren placed fourth in the uneven bars final. At the Australian Championships, she helped Western Australia win a silver medal. She also won silver on the balance beam.

Lauren was chosen to represent Australia at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. The Australian team finished sixth in the team final. This was the highest team finish ever for Australian gymnastics! After the Olympics, she won silver medals on the balance beam and floor exercise at the Stuttgart World Cup. Then, she won a gold medal on the balance beam at the World Cup Final. This made her the first Australian gymnast to win gold at this event.

Winning Silver at the 2009 World Championships

In July 2009, Lauren competed at the Australian Championships in Perth. She won her first national all-around title. She also became the national champion on the uneven bars, balance beam, and floor exercise.

In October, she competed at the World Championships in London. She finished fourth in the all-around, just missing a bronze medal. She then won two silver medals in the event finals: one on the floor exercise and one on the balance beam. This was a huge achievement! She was the first Australian female gymnast to win a medal at the World Championships. She was also the first Australian gymnast to win two medals at the same World Championships. In December, Lauren broke her hand.

Becoming a Champion in 2010

Mitchell (centre) at the 2010 Commonwealth Games medal ceremony for the uneven bars final.

After recovering from her broken hand, Lauren had more injuries in 2010, including a sprained ankle. She returned to compete at the 2010 Commonwealth Games. She won a team gold medal with her Australian teammates. Then, she won gold medals in the all-around, on the uneven bars, and on the balance beam. She won a total of four gold medals! She also won a silver medal on the floor exercise. Her four gold medals tied the Commonwealth Games record for a female gymnast.

Lauren then competed at the World Championships in Rotterdam. The Australian team finished sixth. Lauren also finished sixth in the all-around. In the balance beam final, she placed fourth. Then, she won a gold medal on the floor exercise! This was the first World title for a female Australian gymnast.

In November, Lauren competed at the Stuttgart World Cup. She won gold medals on the floor exercise, balance beam, and uneven bars. She was the first Australian gymnast to win three gold medals at one World Cup event! She then won two more gold medals at the Glasgow World Cup. Her final competition of the season was the Toyota Cup, where she won gold on the balance beam.

Competing at the 2011 World Championships

On March 5, 2011, Lauren competed at the American Cup in Florida. She finished sixth in the all-around. She then went to the Paris World Cup and placed fourth on the balance beam. At the Japan Cup, she finished fourth in the all-around.

In July, Lauren won gold medals in the all-around, vault, balance beam, and floor exercise at the Australian Championships. She was then chosen for the World Championships team. The Australian team finished eighth, and Lauren finished eighth in the all-around and fifth on the floor exercise.

Second Olympics in 2012

In March 2012, Lauren competed at the Pacific Rim Championships. The Australian team finished fourth. In the event finals, she finished fifth on both the balance beam and the floor exercise. In April, she won a bronze medal on the balance beam and a gold medal on the floor exercise at the Zibo World Cup. At the Australian Championships, she won gold medals on both the floor exercise and the balance beam.

Mitchell (second-from-left) with Kate Lundy and her Olympic teammates

On June 21, 2012, Lauren was officially named to represent Australia at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. The Australian team finished tenth in the qualification round and did not advance to the team finals. However, Lauren qualified for the floor exercise event final where she finished fifth. After the Olympics, she had shoulder surgery.

Her Comeback in 2014

Lauren returned to competition in 2014 at the Doha World Cup. She finished fourth on the floor exercise. She also placed fourth on the floor exercise at the Korea Cup. At the Australian Championships, she won a bronze medal on the balance beam and a gold medal on the floor exercise.

At the 2014 Commonwealth Games, Lauren won a silver medal with the Australian team. She also won a silver medal on the floor exercise. She was supposed to compete at the World Championships, but she had to withdraw because she injured both of her ankles during practice.

Injuries and Retirement (2015-2016)

Lauren competed at the 2015 Australian Championships. She won the gold medal on the floor exercise. While getting ready for another competition, she suffered a serious knee injury (tore her ACL and PCL) and had surgery in June.

Lauren returned to compete at the 2016 Australian Championships. She was honored by being added to Gymnastics Australia's Hall of Fame. In the event finals, she won a gold medal on the balance beam and a bronze medal on the floor exercise. However, Australia only had one spot for the 2016 Olympics, and Lauren was not chosen. Her last competition was the Anadia World Challenge Cup, but she had to withdraw due to another injury.

Lauren Mitchell announced her retirement from gymnastics on September 27, 2016. She said, "I've given everything that I could to the sport and I have no regrets."

Life Outside Gymnastics

Lauren Mitchell graduated from Curtin University. She now works as a radiographer at Royal Perth Hospital, which means she takes X-rays and other medical images. She also gives talks to inspire others. Since 2019, she has been part of committees that help guide gymnastics in Western Australia and advise the Commonwealth Games.

In 2021, she received the Medal of the Order of Australia. This award recognized her great contributions to gymnastics.

Her Special Gymnastics Moves

Lauren Mitchell has a special gymnastics move named after her in the official Code of Points. It's called the "Mitchell" turn. She performs this move on both the balance beam and the floor exercise.

Images for kids

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  Mitchell (right) on the balance beam podium at the 2009 World Championships.

See also

In Spanish: Lauren Mitchell para niños