POP STARLET

Mitchell welcomes change in routine

Australia's most successful gymnast Lauren Mitchell is preparing to unveil a new weapon she believes could lead to the country's first Olympic medal in the sport.

Mitchell made history last year when she became Australia's first female individual world champion, winning gold with her floor routine at Rotterdam in The Netherlands.

The performance followed the 19-year-old's outstanding showing of four gold and one silver at the Commonwealth Games. But Mitchell, under the advice of national coach Peggy Liddick, recently abandoned the floor routine that won her the world title.

And this week she finished working with world-renowned gymnastics choreographer Adriana Pop, who designed a new performance aimed at first defending the diminutive West Australian's title before targeting the London Olympics next year.

"I needed a new floor because the world champion can't go back to the world championships with the same routine," Mitchell said. "Peggy opted for some really different music and when I heard it, I thought: "Wow, I don't know if I like it", but we got Adriana down here and she's come up with some really cool stuff.

"She did one of my routines before. This is my fourth routine and she did my second, so she knows me and my personality."

Australia has never won an Olympic medal in artistic gymnastics and Mitchell looms as the country's best chance to break that drought.