Twelve-year-old gymnast Aryannah Singh is celebrating an incredible milestone after winning both the districts and provincials in the Women’s Artistic Gymnastics (WAG) Level 5 category.

Her achievements continue to open doors. She has been selected as 1st reserve for the Region 5 Gymnastics Team, which will represent South Africa at the Region 5 competition from December 10-12.

Aryannah describes the moment she learned about her double victory as both surprising and a source of pride.

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Having worked hard over the past year to improve her routines, she said this achievement reflects her growth and perseverance.

Beyond talent, Aryannah’s passion for the sport comes from the people around her. “What I enjoy most about gymnastics is my teammates, how strong you get, and all the fun skills you learn,” she said.

She added that gymnastics has taught her discipline, self-motivation, and good sportsmanship, values she deeply treasures.

With a demanding training schedule of 10.5 hours a week over four days, Aryannah has learned to handle both her highs and lows in the gym. One of her biggest challenges has been preparing mentally for competitions. To overcome this, she practises her routines at home on her air mat, stretches regularly, and uses positive affirmations to stay focused and confident.

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Her major source of inspiration is global gymnastics icon Simone Biles, whose story she finds ‘incredibly motivating.’

Closer to home, her teammate, Kiara, had been her biggest support. “I couldn’t have done it without her. She always helps me at comps by saying ‘You got this, Ary’, right in the middle of my routine. We’ve had our ups and downs, but she really motivates me.

“I am very excited to be selected as 1st reserve. Obviously, I hope I end up going, but what will be will be. I’m happy to have come this far and would love to represent my country.”

Looking ahead, Aryannah dreams of competing internationally, standing on podiums overseas, and experiencing competitions in different countries and continents.

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