Nickname(s) Penny Disciplines Rhythmic gymnastics Retired 2004 | Role Olympic athlete Name Penelope Blackmore Country represented Australia | |
Born 23 April 1984 (age 39)
Melbourne ( 1984-04-23 ) Education Korowa Anglican Girls' School | ||
Penelope "Penny" Blackmore (born 23 April 1984) is a retired Australian rhythmic gymnast who competed at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. Blackmore attended Korowa Anglican Girls' School in Melbourne from 1989. In 1997, her family moved to Sydney, Australia and she relocated to MLC School in Burwood, Sydney. Blackmore later attended the University of Sydney.
Blackmore started rhythmic gymnastics in 1995, after it was suggested to her by a friend of the family. After mixed results from her early career, she was crowned the Australian National All-Around Champion (2nd Hoop, 2nd Clubs, 3rd Ribbon) in 2003, and ranked 57th at the 26th Gymnastics World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, affirming her then position as Australia's foremost gymnast. In 2004, she again won the Australian National Championships (2nd Hoop, 1st Ball, 2nd Clubs, 1st Ribbon), and thus was given the opportunity to qualify as a wild card entrant in the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. Blackmore's qualification round results were; Ball 19.325, Hoop 19.575, Clubs 19.600, Ribbon 14.550.
Penny announced her retirement from the sport in December 2004. She currently works at General Assembly.