By Renae Jones
Following an impressive return to international competition, gymnast Marcus Casamento has been named Commonwealth Games Australia’s June Emerging Athlete of the Month.
“It’s always a great feeling to have my efforts recognised, and I’m very thankful to be selected,” Casamento said.
“Looking back at past winners, they are athletes I really look up to. It’s amazing to have my name alongside theirs.”
The 23-year-old from Macleod, Victoria, delivered a standout performance at the 2025 FIG (International Gymnastics Federation) World Challenge Cup in Varna, Bulgaria, winning bronze on floor in his first international appearance since rupturing his Achilles tendon.
Casamento followed this up with strong results at the Koper World Challenge Cup in Slovenia, qualifying for two more finals – finishing sixth on parallel bars and seventh on floor.
He also showed strong form across multiple apparatus at the recent Australian Gymnastics Championships, including a sixth-place finish in the All-Around event and helping the Victorian team to a bronze medal.
The journey to get here hasn’t been easy.
“The Achilles injury was tough”, Casamento reflected.
“I felt at the peak of my powers, and was headed to Germany to compete, and in the lead-up training, my Achilles just had enough.”
With support from his coaches and the team at the Victorian Institute of Sport (VIS), he rebuilt his strength and mindset.
“Amidst the chaos, my team worked really hard to not just get me back but get me back stronger.”
Standing on the podium in Bulgaria marked a special personal milestone.
“I’ve made finals before, but never the podium. To return to the international stage with better results after everything gives me peace of mind that I’m on the right track and belong at this level,” he added.
Casamento’s passion for gymnastics began early, thanks to a classic case of sibling influence. After insisting on trying calisthenics like his sisters – an experiment that ended in tears – he was quickly redirected to gymnastics at age six, which proved a much better fit. By 2018, he had made his mark with a national title, a place on the national squad, and selection to his first Australian team.
“I love the feeling of competing. Gymnastics is a performance to me, so competing a routine becomes more about performing something I have worked so hard to perfect,” said Casamento.
“You can tell he is a young man who adores the sport,” remarked the World Challenge Cup event commentator.
Guided by his favourite piece of advice, ‘every second counts’, he is making each moment count as he sets his sights on the Commonwealth Games and World Championships.
He is focused on ‘putting his best foot forward to hit competitive scores at target selection events and building the difficulty of his routines’.
Like many athletes, he is working to get the ‘gym, work, life balance right, as it is a lot to juggle all at once’.
Throughout everything, Casamento is quick to thank those around him including his coaching team, training squad, VIS support team and his parents.
“They’ve really gone above and beyond for me, and I cannot thank them enough.”
With resilience and world-class talent, Marcus Casamento is back, and he is one to watch.
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The Commonwealth Games serves as a platform for developing the future stars of Australian sport and the Emerging Athlete of the Year forms part of a refreshed Awards and Honours program developed by the CGA Heritage and Awards Committee.
The CGA Emerging Athlete of the Year Award celebrates the next generation of Australian sport stars and those that may make an impact for Australia at major sport events in the future.
Over the course of 2025, an athlete will be recognised each month as the Emerging Athlete of the Month and will receive a $500 contribution towards their training and competition expenses.
Three finalists from the monthly winners will then split a $7000 cash prize, with the winner receiving $5000 and the two runners-up $1000 respectively.
