Philippe Rizzo’s hopes of becoming the first Australian gymnast to compete at four Commonwealth Games are over, succumbing to a shoulder injury he incurred earlier this year.

The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) scholarship holder said the decision to withdraw from the Games was made following a training session at the Institute last week.

“I was going through a routine and could feel the pain in the shoulder and I knew basically there and then that my Games were over,” said Rizzo, the 2006 world high bar champion.

“I’ve been nursing the shoulder after a reconstruction 3½ months ago and now it had come to the point when I just had to find out one way or the other whether I was right to compete in a major competition like a Commonwealth Games.” 

Rizzo commenced his international career at the 1998 Kuala Lumpur Games, and over the last three editions has added three gold, four silver and three bronze medals to his ever growing collection.

Twenty-three-year-old Luke Wiwatowski (NSW/AIS) has been nominated to the Australian Commonwealth Games Association to replace Rizzo in the men’s team.

With just 17 days to go until the Games commence, both the Australian men’s and women’s teams are busy fine tuning their preparations at the Australian Institute of Sport, and will depart for Delhi on September 26.

The rhythmic team are on their way to Moscow to compete in the 2010 FIG Rhythmic World Championships from September 16 to 27. The three Delhi-bound girls will then return to Australia for a short training stint before departing for India on October 6.

2010 Australian Commonwealth Games gymnastics team

Women’s Gymnastics 
Georgia Bonora  VIC
Ashleigh Brennan VIC
Emily Little  WA
Lauren Mitchell  WA
Georgia Wheeler  VIC
 
Men’s Gymnastics 
Joshua Jefferis  QLD
Sam Offord  SA
Thomas Pichler  QLD
Prashanth Sellathurai NSW
Luke Wiwatowski* NSW
 
Rhythmic Gymnastics 
Naazmi Johnston  NSW
Janine Murray  WA
Danielle Prince  QLD