Monette Russo

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Medal record
Competitor for Australia
Artistic Gymnastics
World Championships
Bronze	2003 Anaheim	Team competition
Bronze	2005 Melbourne	All Around

Monette Russo (born August 4, 1988 in Lilydale, Victoria, Australia) is an Australian Artistic Gymnast. She made Australian history by becoming the first Australian gymnast ever to win an individual World Championship medal at the 2005 Melbourne Artistic Gymnastics World Championships when she came third in the all-around competition. She competed in three apparatus finals but there were no more medals. Monette finished seventh on bars and fifth on beam and floor. She is more of an all-arounder than an events finalist, having no weak piece but no obviously outstanding either. During her career, she was one of the few women competing two vaults.

Monette is also an Olympian, having helped Australia to 8th place in the 2004 Olympics. Her injury prevented her from competing in the all around final.

Injury also marred Monette's 2006 season. She did compete at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, and although she had to reduce her difficulty considerably because of her injury (only one double salto on floor, for example) she still helped Australia to the team gold. Having qualified to the all-around, bars and beam finals, three more medals looked likely. But injury prevented Monette from competing in the all-around, and she fell from beam. There was, however, a bronze on bars behind Elyse Hopfner-Hibbs and Shavahn Church.

Monette retired from elite gymnastics during May 2007. She is currently a year 12 Student and is concentrating on her education.