From training on aging springs in the Eastern Cape to sticking a pressure-cooker pass in China, the 20-year-old South African has officially arrived as a global podium threat.
In the explosive, razor-thin world of Double Mini Trampoline, a routine is over in less than five seconds. There is no margin for hesitation, no time to recover from a misfired take-off, and zero room for doubt when hurtling toward a landing mat after executing multiple mid-air twists and somersaults.
At the 39th FIG Trampoline and Tumbling World Championships in Nanjing, China, South Africa’s Leolin Petersen didn’t just survive that high-wire act, she shattered a ceiling for South African gymnastics.
Competing against the sport’s heavily funded superpowers, the Plettenberg Bay native, who trains out of Mandy’s School of Tumbling and Trampoline in Gqeberha, delivered a masterclass in tactical execution and nerve, surging through the rounds to finish 6th in the world.
Tactical Precision in Nanjing
Walking into the Nanjing arena, Petersen and her coach, Lee Budler, played a calculated game of chess. On Wednesday’s opening day of qualification, Petersen posted a crisp 25.900 on her opening pass (7.600 difficulty). Realizing the score put her in a commanding position to advance, they immediately pivoted.
“Yes, we did change my second routine for an easier one after realising a higher difficulty wasn’t needed,” Petersen explains. She dropped to a 6.400 difficulty pass, executing it cleanly for a 19.000 execution score and a 51.300 total, securing 7th place and a safe passage into Round 2.
By Friday, however, the safety net was gone. Only the top eight athletes would advance to Saturday’s World Championship Final.
“For semi-finals we knew all the other girls were going to go for big routines, so we did the 8.4 difficulty pass,” says Petersen. “It was needed because only the top 8 could make it into finals.”
The gamble paid off spectacularly. Petersen nailed the massive 8.400 pass, posting a 26.800 to vault up the leaderboard into 3rd overall, trailing only New Zealand’s Bronwyn Dibb and Spain’s Melania Rodriguez.
Sticking the Landing Under Lights
Saturday’s World Final was a cauldron of elite experience. Lining up alongside seasoned finalists from the United States, Russia, Spain, and New Zealand, Petersen faced a daunting mental test, complicated further by a shaky warm-up.
“I didn’t really focus on others; I was mostly focused on myself and trying to make sure my routine was clean,” Petersen says of her mindset on the runway. “It’s different knowing that I was going against others who have been to finals before, but I’m glad I didn’t stress too much over it.”
Moments before her medal-round pass, her single allowed touch-up on the apparatus didn’t go to plan. When the green light flashed, however, the 20-year-old locked in. She launched off the Double Mini, ripped through her skills, and planted her feet dead-still on the mat for a 26.000 and 6th place globally.
“I was really happy I did the pass and stuck it after struggling in my one-touch warmup,” she admits. “It felt really good to finally stick a pass.”
Has the reality of sitting among the top six athletes on the planet sunk in? “Not fully yet, but it’s amazing to say that I’m 6th in the world for Double Mini.”
David vs. Goliath: Four South Africans Against the World
What makes Petersen’s Nanjing campaign truly remarkable is the stark contrast between South Africa’s setup and that of the nations she stood alongside in the final.
While delegations from China, the USA, and Russia arrived in Nanjing with full entourages of physiotherapists, team doctors, sports scientists, and state-of-the-art equipment, South Africa’s entire presence at the World Championships consisted of just four people: two gymnasts, one coach, and one judge.
Even the apparatus itself presented an immediate hurdle.
“It’s way different,” Petersen says of the Nanjing arena compared to her training base back home. “Our Double Mini is harder to jump on because of the older springs, while these are new Double Minis with better springs.”
Adapting on the fly to the extra rebound of modern international equipment, without a medical team on standby, requires a level of grit forged over years of dedication. For Petersen, that journey began at age three in Plettenberg Bay. She entered her first competitions at five, earned provincial colours at seven, and first pulled on the green and gold for South Africa at just twelve years old.
At her senior World Championship debut in Birmingham back in 2023, she was simply happy to be on the floor. Three years later, the student has become a contender.
“Birmingham was my first senior international competition. I wasn’t on the same level as the girls during that time, but after three years I can finally fight for a podium,” she reflects. “My coach and support team have played a big role in getting me to where I am today. This sport is so physically and mentally demanding, so it’s good to have people around you who believe in you and push you to become better.”
Putting South African Trampoline on the Map
Despite bringing home a World Championship top-six finish, alongside competing in the Olympic Individual Trampoline event in Nanjing, where she placed 66th, trampoline gymnastics still fights for airtime in a South African sports landscape dominated by rugby, cricket, and football.
“I feel like my result could bring more viewers to the sport in South Africa,” Petersen says. “It’s sad that trampoline gymnastics does not get the same recognition as the other sports in South Africa, even when we bring back good results.”
For young gymnasts watching from clubs across the Eastern Cape and beyond, Petersen’s message is simple: “Never give up and listen to your coaches. Your coach knows exactly what they’re doing and will help you become a better gymnast. Always have a positive mindset.”
First, however, she credits the inner circle that keeps her airborne: “I just want to thank my family first. They’ve always supported me and are the people I’m the closest with. Next, I would thank my coach, without him, I wouldn’t have gotten this far.”
Eyes on the Podium, and the Olympics
With a World Championship final now on her résumé, Petersen isn’t slowing down. The ceiling hasn’t just been broken; the target has shifted entirely.
“My next big goals are definitely getting a medal next year at Worlds, or maybe even at the World Cups,” she says, before adding the ultimate ambition for any gymnast on the planet. “Making it to the Olympics for trampoline, so that’s a big competition I’m training for too. Lastly, to also compete in more international competitions.”
If Nanjing was any indication, the rest of the world has officially been put on notice. South Africa has arrived on the Double Mini, and Leolin Petersen is only just taking off.
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