Australian gymnast Georgia Godwin has officially got an original move named in her honour.
“The Godwin” — a move on the uneven bars that involves a clear hip circle, forward to handstand with a 360 degrees in a handstand phase, has now entered the global scoring system for gymnastics.
Godwin, who created the original move, debuted it for the first time earlier this year at world challenge cup events in Israel and Croatia.
“An absolute dream come true to be able to say I have created a skill and was the first person in the world and in the history of gymnastics to [complete] it,” the 26-year old wrote on Instagram.
“I worked my butt off for it to be ready and I’m so happy. Thank you to everyone who believed in me and ‘the Godwin’.”
The International Gymnastics Federation’s code of points — the official rulebook determining sport’s scoring system, has now officially recognised the move.
Godwin, who competed at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, is the fifth Australian to have a gymnastics move named after her.
Previous Australian gymnasts to have original moves named after them include Trudy Mcintosh (vault), Jacqui Dunn (beam), Lauren Mitchell (floor and beam) and Mary-Anne Monckton (uneven bars).
Earlier this year, the two time Commonwealth Games gold medallist spoke to the ABC about competing well into her twenties in a sport where many retire in their early twenties.
“Even in Australia we didn’t see many athletes going past 19 or 20,” Godwin said.
In May, she became the oldest Australian woman to win the Australian Championships title on the Gold Coast — her seventh win.
She credits a combination of “Physio, psych, strength and conditioning, nutrition” for her longevity in the sport.
“Everyone is more welcomed into this space, whereas previously it wasn’t really, not for me anyway,” Godwin said. “It’s really good to see that’s the way it’s going instead of the old mindset that the coach has to handle everything.”