Five talented gymnasts of Stellenbosch Gymnastics Club have embarked on an exciting international journey as they travel to Györi, Hungary, to participate in an elite high-performance training camp at Györi Atlétikai Club.

The gymnasts selected for the tour, Travis Giles (21), Kiran Condon (20), Kara van der Merwe (13), Annabelle Prinsloo (11), and Layla Hagedorn-Hansen (10), will spend two weeks of the winter school holidays abroad.

The athletes will have the unique opportunity to train alongside internationally experienced gymnasts and coaches, gaining invaluable international experience in both men’s artistic gymnastics (MAG) and women’s artistic gymnastics (WAG).

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The Stellenbosch athletes will have the rare opportunity of first-hand exposure to the standards, discipline and dedication required to compete at the highest levels.

Heading the delegation is JC Nel, who will serve as the team manager and MAG coach. He will be joined by experienced WAG coaches Paul Visser and Shayle Bubb, who will guide and support the female gymnasts.

“This is an incredible opportunity for our gymnasts to challenge themselves, learn from international coaches and athletes, and broaden their horizons within the sport of gymnastics,” said Nel.

“To be able to train alongside Olympians is an experience that very few young South African gymnasts get to enjoy, and we believe it will inspire our athletes to dream even bigger and strive for excellence.”

Valuable experience

The training camp in Hungary is regarded as an exceptional opportunity for young gymnasts to develop their technical skills, experience different coaching methods and immerse themselves in a high-performance sporting environment.

According to Nel, such international exposure plays a vital role in the long-term development of athletes and provides them with experiences that cannot be replicated locally.

Given the level at which the Stellenbosch team competes, it is easy to see why Giles, a senior Olympic gymnast and member of the South African national gymnastics team, and senior Olympic gymnast Condon jumped at the chance to travel abroad.

Club members Van der Merwe and Prinsloo are both level 8 gymnasts, while Hagedorn-Hansen competes in class 2.

Over the years, Stellenbosch Gymnastics Club has built strong friendships and an excellent standing with gymnastics clubs around the world.

These international relationships have opened doors to valuable training opportunities and exchanges.

The club remains committed to expanding these partnerships and aims to provide many more gymnasts with opportunities to participate in international training camps, competitions and cultural exchanges in future.

The local club and the Stellenbosch community have rallied behind the team, wishing the athletes and coaching staff a successful and memorable trip.

The team members departed for Hungary this week and are expected to return home with new skills, international friendships, and experiences that will inspire the next generation of gymnasts and further strengthen the club’s vision of creating global opportunities for its athletes.

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