Gymnastics: Alethea Boon on Olympic standby

By SUZANNE McFADDEN

Auckland schoolgirl Alethea Boon has been put on standby for Sydney - ready to replace injured gymnast Laura Robertson up to 48 hours before the Olympics.

Robertson, who was given a wildcard entry to compete at the Games, twisted her knee as she was warming up for the British championships in London last week.

She landed awkwardly from a somersault and needed a scan to show the damage.

The injury was not as serious as first feared, but Robertson will have to pass a fitness test at the national champs in early September before she is cleared.

So Westlake Girls' High School student Boon, the NZ reserve, has been told to be ready to pack.

New Zealand's male Olympic gymnast, David Phillips, has also been off the floor for the past six weeks, resting with two stress fractures in his lower back.