The South African women’s gymnastics team stepped onto one of the biggest stages of the FIG World Challenge Cup circuit this past weekend, competing at the Accor Arena in Paris on 13–14 September. With the event attracting more than 200 athletes from 51 nations, it was a true test of form and readiness ahead of next month’s World Championships in Indonesia.
Four athletes represented South Africa: Olympians Caitlin Rooskrantz and Naveen Daries, along with Zelmé Daries and Buhle Nhleko. The team approached Paris as an important stepping stone to showcase upgraded routines, test new difficulty, and measure themselves against the best in the world.
Vault – Steady Efforts From Daries and Nhleko
In the vault qualifications, both Naveen Daries and Buhle Nhleko produced composed efforts. Daries registered scores of 12.700 and 12.866 across her two vaults for an average of 12.983, while Nhleko returned 12.750 to finish in 16th position. Though neither advanced to Sunday’s final, both athletes showed encouraging execution as they worked on consolidating higher-difficulty vaults.
Uneven Bars – Rooskrantz Shines With Top-Four Finish
The highlight of the weekend came on uneven bars, where Caitlin Rooskrantz reminded the gymnastics world of her talent. In qualification, she impressed with a 13.933 to place second overall, securing a spot in the Sunday final alongside Algeria’s Kaylia Nemour – the only two African athletes to progress in this apparatus.
In the final, Rooskrantz produced another elegant routine, scoring 13.233 (difficulty 6.0, execution 7.233) to finish fourth overall, narrowly missing a podium place. Considering her recent comeback from injury, this performance was a major step forward and a timely boost ahead of October’s World Championships.
Naveen Daries also featured on bars, also improving her difficulty rating on the apparatus and finishing a competitive 23rd with 11.633.
Balance Beam – Fine Margins for Zelmé Daries
On beam, Zelmé Daries narrowly missed out on a finals berth, placing 15th with 12.166 after a solid performance that demonstrated both composure and technical upgrades. Rooskrantz also competed on beam, finishing 27th (11.633) in a highly competitive field of more than 60 athletes.
Floor Exercise – Building Confidence
In floor qualifications, Daries (9.933) and Nhleko (10.466) both showcased their new choreography and tumbling elements. Though they placed outside the top 40, both were able to put competition pressure on training progress, which was a core goal for the Paris campaign.
A Weekend of Purpose and Progress
The South African team left Paris with heads held high, having achieved exactly what they set out to do. Coach Ilse Pelser emphasized that the competition delivered on its purpose: testing new difficulty, refining routines, and building confidence before Worlds.
“This was one of the strongest World Cup fields we’ve ever faced, and the athletes delivered what we came here for,” she said. “Caitlin’s fourth place on bars was a standout, but equally important was the progress across the team – all of them put down the harder routines we’ve been training. That was the real win.”
Looking Ahead – Focus on Indonesia
Next month, the same quartet will represent South Africa at the World Championships in Jakarta, Indonesia (19–25 October). With Paris now behind them, the team has clear benchmarks to sharpen execution and consistency in the weeks ahead.
For Rooskrantz, the Paris final was a reminder that she remains firmly among the world’s elite. For the entire squad, the experience reinforced the value of incremental progress on the road to bigger stages. It also echoed Coach Ilse Pelser’s pre-event reflection: “We started out 10 years ago in the bottom third of the world. Now we’ve moved into the middle third, and we’re pushing into the top third. Some of our gymnasts have already broken through at that level, and with the rest of the team continuing to grow, we’re getting closer.” Paris proved her assessment to be spot on, showing South Africa’s upward climb in global gymnastics is both tangible and ongoing.
Together, this team continue to carry the hopes of South African gymnastics, inspiring the next as well as current generation and proving that with persistence, belief, and opportunity, global breakthroughs are within reach.
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