While most five-year-olds struggle with basic coordination Travis Giles couldn’t even complete a back roll after six months of gymnastics training.

But today the 20-year-old stands as the first Western Cape gymnast to be selected to the South African men’s artistic gymnastics team in two decades, a testament to perseverance over physical limitations.

Starting gymnastics wasn’t a choice born from natural talent, but a necessity. Diagnosed with both ADHD and low muscle tone, the Durbanville native was enrolled in gymnastics as therapeutic intervention. Those early days were challenging; he was “a bit of a nightmare to teach” as hyperactivity made focus impossible and low muscle tone meant even basic skills felt insurmountable.

“I was really bad,” Giles recalled of that first display ceremony, where others received ribbons while he couldn’t do a simple back roll.

His mother still treasures that humbling video, now a reminder of how far determination can take one.

Accelerated training pays

As training hours increased gymnastics began addressing both challenges. The physical demands helped channel his energy, while repetitive practice gradually built muscle strength. Though he still wandered in front of older gymnasts during floor routines, age and experience taught him self-control.

Giles’ competitive journey in the sport began in earnest in 2013 with district and provincial competitions. By 2015 he was competing nationally in both artistic gymnastics and tumbling. The breakthrough came in 2016 with selection for the SA team competing in Zimbabwe, where he placed second overall.

Now pursuing a BSc Computer Science degree at Stellenbosch University – following in his sister’s footsteps and proximity to his training facility at Stellenbosch Gymnastics – Giles faces the demanding balancing act of elite athletics and academics. His first year proved manageable thanks to his Maths Olympiad background, but the second year’s intensity coinciding with a packed competition schedule from July to December created significant challenges.

“It’s tough,” he admitted, sharing he intends to spread his third year over two years to focus on gymnastics while rewriting some subjects. The Maties Gymnastics Club provides additional training flexibility when university commitments interfere with his regular schedule.

Under coaches Gerhard Swieggers and Tabo Mkandawire at Stellenbosch Gymnastics – housed in world-class facilities at Spier – Giles trains alongside five other Junior Olympic gymnasts. Mkandawire, a former African Championships gold medallist and recent Gymnastics South Africa (GSA) senior coach of the year, understands high-performance demands.

His current preparation involves six training days weekly when possible, though university commitments have reduced this to four days at the club plus two evening sessions at the university gym.

National selection

Learning about his national team selection through a GSA circular while training, the moment brought Giles nervous excitement and relief. This historic selection carries weight beyond personal achievement; it represents hope for Western Cape gymnastics, where costly travel to Pretoria-based trials and competitions has long created barriers.

As he prepared for this month’s African Championships in Cameroon, Giles’ goals remained realistic yet ambitious: reaching pommel horse and rings finals, or achieving personal bests under pressure would demonstrate growth.

Throughout his gymnastics journey family support has proven invaluable, from daily training transport until he could drive himself, to financial commitment and travelling to competitions as his “photographers, videographers and administrators”.

For young athletes facing similar challenges, Giles’ advice is simple: “With anything in life as long as you don’t give up and work hard you can go far.”

Beyond 2026, his dreams include World Cups, Commonwealth Games and perhaps the ultimate goal, Olympic competition, supported by computer science’s career flexibility.