A year of great wins for Caitlin Rooskrantz
The Olympic athlete shares on the great year she had and what she hopes 2023 looks like.
The only uneven aspect for Caitlin Rooskrantz this year was the uneven bars she saw herself successfully swing on, attaining medal after medal consistently.
From winning her second gold medal on uneven bars at the Artistic Gymnastics World Cup in March to attaining the all-around championships title in the African Championships and achieving a bronze medal in her first Common Wealth Games, Rooskrantz has had a big year. One, she said, had been one of her best years to date.
“It’s exciting to end the year off with such big achievements and milestones reached, going into next year, the Olympic qualifying year,” she added.
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However, we all know that great wins are often met with challenges to overcome and for Rooskrantz, this season was chock full of travel throughout the year, “We competed right through the year, travelling about five times. It was a full season from March right through to December and this can be really tough, not just physically but mentally too.”
Being a first-year student at the University of Johannesburg added to the challenge. Having been on gap years for the past two years, it was the adjustment of getting back to her studies coupled with the travel that needed her to switch up her routine and juggle the two. “But I had a really good support structure around me and also had the university on my side who helped through the year.”
If anything, this year taught her just how resilient she was and that when she set her mind on something, she achieved it no matter how difficult it was.
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Her biggest wish for the coming year is to obtain her Paris 2024 Olympic qualification in the 2023 World Championships. “This is my biggest goal for 2023 and it is something I am working hard towards and I hope I achieve it.”
A big thing for her is to always show people that anything is possible, no matter what their dream may be. For her, all one needs to do is show dedication and hard work, and keep your mind on your goal.
ALSO READ: Caitlin Rooskrantz takes bronze at the Commonwealth Games
