Visions on top at African Championships

Visions Gymnastics head coach Derick Scholtz has every reason to smile after four gymnasts excelled at the recent 12th African Gymnastics Championships in Pretoria.

Michael Makings (senior men’s team captain), Bianca Mann (senior women’s team), Muhammad Khaalid Mia and Keagan Pearson (both in the junior men’s team) did a superb job for South African Gymnastics, bringing home no less than 10 medals.

Overall the senior men’s artistic team improved from fourth place previously to win bronze this year and the junior men’s team grabbed silver while the senior women’s team took gold.

“Our gymnasts were instrumental in these results and certainly did not disappoint the team selectors,” Derick said.

Adele Heine, club owner said, “We are very proud of our gymnasts and with these results Visions Gymnastics is confirmed as a top club in South Africa, as it is the only club in South Africa that consistently produces individual international medal winners in both men’s and women’s Artistic gymnastics disciplines”.

Looking at individual performances, Michael led the team as captain to a third place overall in a category that was contested hotly.

“To make the achievement more impressive, Michael sustained a serious injury to his arm in the lead up to the competition, and unfortunately could not compete at full strength, but his scores were valuable in the achievement of the team medal,” Derick added.

“Bianca delivered her best performance to date at an international event with that superb second place in the all-around finals. She also made finals for vault, bars and beam with a silver on bars and beam, bringing her total medal tally at the championships to four – one gold and three silvers.”

Bianca has been nominated by the South African Gymnastics Federation as part of the team to represent South Africa at the Commonwealth Games later this year. The entire team is just awaiting approval from the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC).

Muhammad also led from the front and helped his junior team achieve overall a silver medal. In addition he was third overall as well as third on Pbars and Hbar. This gives him one silver and three bronze medals. Muhammad also passed the criteria to be nominated for the 2014 Youth Olympic Games and is awaiting final selection from SASCOC. At just 15 years old, Muhammad became the youngest male gymnast in Africa to claim a medal.

Keagan, who made his debut for South Africa, stayed cool, calm and collected and achieved outstanding scores that contributed towards the final team’s silver medal. Keagan also made two finals.

• Details: Visit www.visionsgymnastics.co.za.