Namibia bags four medals at SA Nationals
Namibian gymnasts returned with one gold and three bronze medals from the Gymnastics South Africa National Championships held at the Bellville Velodrome in Cape Town last week.
Lienke Holmes, Ivannah Shivute, Zara Duchaine and Elizabeth McClune accounted for the four-medal haul, while several other gymnasts in the 39-athlete team recorded top-five overall finishes across the different levels.
Holmes of Walvis Bay Gymnastics Club (WBGC) delivered Namibia’s only gold medal of the championships by winning the ball apparatus in Level Four. She also scored 25.05 overall to finish fourth in her division.
Overall podium finish
Windhoek Rhythmic Club’s (WRC) Shivute earned the team’s only overall podium finish, taking bronze in Level Four with a total score of 26.60.
In the high-performance (HP) U10 division, Elite Rhythmic Gymnastics Club’s (ERGC) Duchaine scored 16.45 on ball to secure bronze on the apparatus. Her combined score of 44.60 also placed her fifth overall.
McClune of Oceanview Rhythmic Club (OVR) added the other apparatus bronze in Level Seven with her free dance routine, while her overall score of 23.45 earned her fifth place.
Top-five finishes
Away from the podium, ERGC’s Triti Nair narrowly missed out on a medal after scoring 25.30 to finish fourth overall in Level Five.
Clubmate Kirah Kooper was another to make the top five, scoring 26.70 to tie for fifth place in a Level Four field of 55 gymnasts.
Other results
The championships also saw other Namibian gymnasts competing across the HP divisions and Levels Four through 10.
In the remaining HP results, ERGC’s Jayd Pretorius scored 47.95 in the U12 pre-junior division, while clubmate Nina-Mari Nel recorded 45.55.
Level 10
Infinity Rhythmic Gymnastics Club’s (Infinity RG) Angodene Titus and Nylah Muller recorded totals of 32.15 and 31.50 respectively in the O15 division, while ERGC’s Yule Joubert scored 31.00 in U15.
Level Nine
ERGC pair Carli Otto and Amy van der Merwe represented Namibia at Level Nine U13, scoring 41.55 and 35.10 respectively.
Level Eight
WRC’s Joyce Nekwiyu scored 38.80 in U15, while Infinity RG’s Ray-Anne Moller finished with 36.15. ERGC’s Annabel Oosthuizen recorded 43.25 in the U13 division.
Level Seven
Also competing at Level Seven were WBGC’s Meke Kaya Brandt with 24.65, OVR’s Tamrin Coetzee with 19.45 and Arabella Burger with 17.75, Infinity RG’s Azalia Schiefer with 17.90 and WRC’s Louisa Namadungwe with 17.25.
Level Six
WRC’s Amira Tambrescu led the Namibian scores with 24.80, followed by clubmate Janai Kauami on 23.30. Parkies RGC’s Victoria Aipanda scored 22.70 and Hailey du Toit 21.65, while WBGC’s Selma Marthin registered 21.90.
ERGC’s Lara Nisan scored 21.30, with WRC’s Alana Smit recording 19.50.
Level Five
WBGC’s Helena Kaulinge posted 24.15, while ERGC’s Jeanelle Cloete scored 22.70, Kenzie Ndjadila 22.60, Elif Nisan 22.40 and Danelle Theron 20.60. Infinity RG’s Juniqe Louw scored 22.20 and WRC’s Mila Kruger 21.45.
Level Four
Completing Namibia’s results at Level Four were WRC’s Twanyayudhwa Angolo with 24.20, Azania Nashilundo with 23.70 and Zooey Martopo with 21.70, while Parkies RGC’s Le-Yah Cloete scored 23.40.
