Penelope (Penny) Blackmore (2002)

Penelope (Penny) Blackmore (2002) was an Individual Rhythmic Gymnast who represented Australia in the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. She was crowned the Australian National All-Around Champion in 2003, and in 2004 she again won the Australian National Championships.

Penny started Rhythmic Gymnastics when she was twelve years old and from the first moment she displayed great determination and dedication, training five hours a day, six days a week. At a very young age, in 1997, Penny was selected to compete at both the World Championships at Osaka, Japan and the Four Continents Competition at Colorado USA.

After her family moved from Melbourne to Sydney in 1998 Penny enrolled into Year 8 at Â鶹ÊÓƵ School. In her final year at School, Penny was a NSWIS Sports Scholarship holder and a member of the Australian Gymnastics Squad and was ranked 6th in Australia. Her lists of achievements at School, inter-school, state, national and international levels were both extensive and impressive.

At the 2002 Speech Night, Penny received an Â鶹ÊÓƵ School Blue for Gymnastics. The award recorded that “Penny is a true sportsperson. Not only has she competed and performed outstandingly at National and International levels, but she has given of her best for and represented Â鶹ÊÓƵ School at all possible competitions. Penny led the gymnasts by example, encouraging them to persevere and strive for improvement at all times. Penny’s contribution to the sporting life of the School has been exemplary and she has been a wonderful ambassador for her country and school.”

The year she left Â鶹ÊÓƵ School, Penny was crowned the Australian National All-Around Rhythmic Gymnastics Champion (2nd Hoop, 2nd Clubs, 3rd Ribbon). That year she also ranked 57th at the 26th Gymnastics World Championships in Budapest, affirming her then position as Australia’s foremost gymnast.

In 2004, Penny again won the Australian National Championships (2nd Hoop, 1st Ball, 2nd Clubs, 1st Ribbon) which gave her the opportunity to qualify as a wild card entrant in the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. After the Games, Penny announced her retirement from the sport. She now lives in Germany and runs an organisation that assists businesses to transition and evolve in the digital age.