Gymnasts take on the world
Local gymnasts will be showing their talent among others from the world at the World Gymnaestrada in Finland.
A GROUP of 16 excited young gymnasts from KwaZulu-Natal will be jetting off to Helsinki, Finland today (Thursday 9 July) to participate at the 15th World Gymnaestrada from 12 to 18 July.
The World Gymnaestrada is a world-wide, non-competitive display gymnastics event held every four years, attracting the largest number of active participants of any gymnastics event. This year, over 21 000 participants from 51 countries will attend the week-long event.
The KwaZulu-Natal team, together with gymnasts and officials from Gauteng, Northern Cape and North West, make up the team from South Africa of 85 participants. The team will perform three times over the course of the event as well as performing in the South African Afternoon – an hour hour gymnastics show entitled “A Day in Africa” – where the diversity and talent of South African gymnasts and dancers will be showcased. Included in the show is a performance piece highlighting the plight of the rhinos in Southern Africa.
The gymnasts taking part come from Ocean Rhythmic Gymnastics Club, Pinetown Gymnastics Club, Glenwood Gymnastics Club (all based in Durban) and Elite Rhythmic Gymnastics Club, based in Hilton. The gymnasts range in age from 12 to 22 years old.
