Newclare Primary gymnasts taking on Nationals
WATCH: Shanika Mapping and Vetelle Jacobs, both gymnasts show us to the back swallow.
Kelly Salem (10), Khloe Heymann (5), Shanika Mapping (10) and Vetelle Jacobs (10) are not just pretty little girls from Newclare Primary, they are four gymnasts who are doing exceptionally well under the Central Gauteng Gymnastics Association (CGGA).
Salem is an aerobics gymnast under a club called Olympus. Heymann, Mapping and Jacobs are acrobatic gymnasts under Lefido Acrobatic Gymnastics Club.
The gymnasts explained that there is not much of a difference between the two types of gymnastics, aerobic gymnastics is more solo work with high-intensity patterns and aerobatic gymnastics is more group or partner work and it’s a combination of dance moves and acrobatic moves.
The three gymnasts have a few years of experience in the sport with Heymann still starting at level 1, however, she already has medals to show that she is top of her level. When it comes to levels, Mapping is in level 8, Salem in level 5 and Jacobs in level 8 and 9.
Two weeks ago, all the girls took part in the provincial competition and all came first in their levels. Mapping, Jacobs and Heymann train for three hours on a Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and Salem trains for an hour and a half on a Saturday morning.
The gymnasts each explained what they like about the sport and it came to one common fact and that was that it is a fun sport. The girls each competed in number of competitions, Salem explained that her most memorable one was when she won the zone championship.
“I remembered all of my elements while I was dancing, and I just enjoyed myself during the routine,” she added and Jacobs said that her most memorable was last year at the district competition where she got the highest score out of everyone even from the ones doing high performance.
The three from Lefido Acrobatic Gymnastics Club are now preparing for Nationals which will take place in Cape Town from September 23 to September 29 and Salem will participate in Nationals later in the year.
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