Emerald Gymnastics Club is celebrating a proud milestone after its gymnasts participated in their first official competition at the St Mary’s Competition held on 9 May. The Soweto based club, which continues to grow across Tladi and Pimville, focuses on introducing young people to the world of rhythmic and aerobic gymnastics while creating a safe and empowering environment for children to thrive.
Gymnastics is a sport that combines flexibility, strength, balance, coordination, creativity, and discipline. Beyond competition, it helps children develop confidence, teamwork, focus, and resilience from a young age. Emerald Gymnastics Club was founded with the vision of making gymnastics more accessible within the community and creating opportunities for young athletes who may not otherwise have exposure to the sport.
For many of the girls, the St Mary’s Competition was their very first experience performing in front of judges and a large audience. Despite the nerves and excitement, the gymnasts delivered remarkable performances and brought home several medals and overall placements.
Competition Results
Level 1 Under 7
Khanyisile — Silver Medal and 8th Overall
Minienhle — Silver Medal and 5th Overall
Azamahle — Silver Medal and 3rd Overall
Level 1 Under 8
Lwando — Bronze Medal
Lethokuhle — Bronze Medal
Ntebogeng — Bronze Medal
Warona — Bronze Medal
Level 1 Under 9
Mosa — Silver Medal
Level 1 Under 10
Onalerona — 1st Place
Level 2 Over 11
Onthatile — Silver Medal and 4th Overall
Level 2 Under 11
Tlhompo — Silver Medal and 3rd Overall
Under 9
Siphosethu — Silver Medal
Irene — Gold Medal, 2nd Place Hoop Dance, and 4th Overall
Owethu — Gold Medal and 2nd Overall with the highest scores
Coach Jennifer Mdluli expressed pride in how the gymnasts handled the pressure of their first competition.
“For many of these children, this was more than just a competition. It was a moment of growth, courage, and believing in themselves. Watching them step onto the floor with confidence made us incredibly proud as coaches.”
Coach Thando also highlighted the importance of community support and the journey the club has taken so far.
“We are building more than athletes. We are building confident young people who are learning discipline, teamwork, and resilience through gymnastics. Seeing the progress from training sessions to competition day has been inspiring.”
The club says the competition marks only the beginning of a bigger journey for the athletes and for Emerald Gymnastics Club itself. With growing interest from the community and expanding classes in both Tladi and Pimville, the coaches hope to continue developing future provincial and national gymnasts while keeping the sport accessible to local children.
The gymnasts are now preparing for their next competition taking place on 23 May as they continue building experience and confidence on the competition floor.
For enquiries or registrations:
call or WhatsApp 068 280 347 or email info@emeraldgymnasticsclub.co.za
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