Gayle Campbell and Gemma Watson will have a chance to convince selectors they deserve a place in the Commonwealth Games when they line up for Scotland in the Welsh Open next weekend. At present, seven tickets have been earmarked for gymnastics, and they are currently favouring men's artistic and the women's rhythmic teams.
The latest blow for women's artistic is that Scottish champion Kirsty Grosart has been ruled out through injury. The Edinburgh University student dislocated an elbow when carrying out a Jaegear somersault on the bars in training last week. It is now up to Gayle, from Falkirk, and Forfar's Gemma to press their claims. ''It would be great if we could include a women's team and we will be pushing for extra places,'' said the sport's Commonwealth Games manager, Ian Whyte.
The rhthymic women have already proved that they will be strong medal contenders. Laura Mackie, from the Craigswood Club in West Lothian, won the British championship in April, and led a Scottish team to victory over England and Wales in Ireland.
''They (England and Wales) are both sending full teams of three so it would be unfair if we didn't send the same,'' continued Whyte. Mackie's clubmate Julie Nelson, Aberdeen's Lindsay Warrack and Roseanne Carrick, from Inver-keithing, are the other contenders.
A team of six men will continue their build-up to the Scottish championships, the final Games selection event, at Perth in three weeks' time by competing in the Oporto Open in Portugal on June 13 and 14. It will be the first clash this year of Scotland's top two, Steve Frew and Jon Mutch.
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