MGA’s rising stars

MOKOPANE - Excited for their first competition for 2016, gymnasts from Marshall Gymnastics Academy (MGA) set out to Pretoria to compete against 13 other clubs and 530 gymnasts last weekend.
This competition, hosted by Tshwane School of Gymnastics in Gezina, saw level 4-8 gymnasts compete on Friday, while level 1-3 competed on Saturday. With the Olympic Games drawing closer, the South African Gymnastics Federation introduced new routines and requirements which made the competition challenging.
MGA was represented by three judges, two coaches, and 16 gymnasts. The gymnasts performed very well. Juandré Ruytenberg (level 6) - first on rings, third on high bar and fifth overall; Luan du Plessis (level 6) - fourth on pommel horse and fifth on parallel bars; Marnus Ruytenberg (level 5) - second on floor, pommel horse, rings, parallel bars and high bar,  first on vault and second overall. Jan van der Baan (level 5) - third on floor, fourth on pommel horse, rings, parallel bars, and high bar, first on vault and fourth overall. Hannes Raats (level 3) - sixth on parallel bars; Basson Wolmarans (level 2) - second on parallel bars; Keanu Potgieter (level 2) - fifth on floor; Mathew van Heerden (level 1) - fifth on vault; Juan van Staden (level 1) - first on vault; and Rudolf Brittz (level 1) - sixth on floor. Lize Janse van Rensburg (level 5) finished first on vault, U-bar, beam, and floor and first overall; Miqayla Venter (level 4) - first on vault, fourth on U-bar, second on beam, sixth on floor and fourth overall; Lesedi Mashishi (level 4) - first on vault, second on U-bar, fourth on beam, first on floor and first overall; Lungile Mahlangu (level 4) - fourth on vault and U-bar, first on beam, second on floor and third overall; Melody Raats (level 4) - first on vault, fifth on U-bar, fourth on beam, third on floor and fourth overall; and Jennezee Vermeulen (level 3) - first on floor.