GLASGOW — South Africa’s women’s artistic gymnastics team produced a resilient, top-five finish in the team competition at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, spearheaded by Olympic veterans Naveen Daries and Caitlin Rooskrantz, who both booked their places in the Individual All-Around final.
Competing at SEC Hall 2, the South African squad posted a total combined score of 142.750 across the four apparatuses to finish fifth overall out of 12 competing nations. The result cements South Africa’s growing stature in international gymnastics, placing them just behind powerhouse programs Australia, Canada, England, and Wales.
Strong Showing Across the Apparatuses
Head Coach Ilse Pelser and Assistant Coach Leeland Christian saw their squad deliver consistent performances throughout the competition rotations.
Team SA was particularly impressive on the Balance Beam, recording the fourth-highest team score of the competition with a 35.400. They supplemented this with solid routines on Vault (36.650), Uneven Bars (36.350), and Floor Exercise (34.350).
Daries and Rooskrantz Qualify for All-Around Final
Leading from the front, two-time Commonwealth Games competitor and Tokyo 2020 Olympian Naveen Daries delivered an exceptional four-event performance. Daries scored 48.150 to finish 12th overall in the All-Around qualification standings, comfortably securing her place in the final. She also earned the Second Reserve (R2) position for the individual Balance Beam final after a crisp 12.350 routine.
Daries, who holds the record for the highest-ever All-Around placement by a South African gymnast at the Commonwealth Games (6th in 2022), looks primed to push for another top-tier finish.
Joining her in the final is Caitlin Rooskrantz, South Africa’s most decorated Commonwealth Games gymnast. The two-time Olympian and 2022 Birmingham bronze medallist on uneven bars placed 14th overall with a total score of 47.700, ensuring two South African flags will feature in the marquee individual event.
Youthful Energy and Heartbreak from the Stands
The competition was a mix of debut milestones and emotional heartbreak for the national squad.
Eighteen-year-old Karma Visagie made her Commonwealth Games debut, taking to all four apparatuses to score 44.200 (25th overall). Alongside Zelmé Daries, who delivered a strong 17th-place finish with 46.850, the young duo gained invaluable experience on the major international stage following their silver-medal team run at the African Championships earlier this year.
However, the team’s fifth-place finish was played out under a cloud of bittersweet emotion. Buhle Nhleko, set to make her Commonwealth Games debut after a stellar continental season, suffered a devastating injury during a final training session just days before the competition began.
Ineligible to compete on the floor, Nhleko took her place in the stands, passionately cheering on her teammates through every routine. Her presence served as an emotional rally point for the squad throughout the gruelling rotation schedule.
Looking Ahead
With the team competition wrapped up, attention now turns to the Individual All-Around Final, where Naveen Daries and Caitlin Rooskrantz will aim to write another memorable chapter for South African gymnastics in Glasgow.
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