YAOUNDÉ, CAMEROON — Following a dramatic opening round that saw Team South Africa secure vital World Championship berths and all-around medals, the squad closed out the 19th African Artistic Gymnastics Championships with a phenomenal display in the individual apparatus finals. Highlighted by a historic gold medal for Daniel McLean and an emotional, unifying tribute to an absent coach, the weekend sessions proved to be a defining moment for South African gymnastics.
McLean Makes History on the Floor
One of the standout individual performances of South Africa’s championship campaign came from the Men’s Artistic Gymnastics (MAG) division. Daniel McLean delivered a spectacular, tightly executed routine in the Floor Exercise final to edge out a highly competitive field and be crowned the new African Champion.
McLean’s historic individual gold was the perfect capstone to a highly successful campaign for the senior men. Earlier in the competition, the squad—consisting of McLean, Travis Giles, Kadin Chester, and Ruan Lange—showcased their continental pedigree by claiming a hard-earned bronze medal in the team standings.
“Really proud of the positive energy the men had during the event,” said Derick Scholtz, South Africa’s Senior Men’s Artistic Coach. “We had mistakes, some big ones, but at each new rotation the men were energised again. Great effort from the guys.”
Women’s Squad Shines Under Pressure
On the women’s side, the apparatus finals yielded further podium success. Buhle Nhleko delivered a powerhouse performance on the Vault, securing a silver medal and firmly establishing her presence on the continental stage, and in without doubt, the world stage in the future.
Meanwhile, Olympian Caitlin Rooskrantz added to her all-around silver by clinching another silver medal on her signature apparatus, the Uneven Bars. Teammate Naveen Daries was right on her heels, fighting hard in the same final to finish a strong fourth.
The women’s impressive medal haul was made all the more remarkable given the immense emotional weight the athletes carried into the arena.
“The fight these five ladies put up was simply outstanding,” noted Martinette Marais, the stand-in Assistant Coach of the Senior WAG Artistic team. “Under very challenging circumstances they rose to the occasion and gave it everything they had. True South African ambassadors. Beyond proud of this team.”
A Tribute Beyond the Podium
The “challenging circumstances” Marais referred to were felt deeply by the entire WAG squad. Back home in South Africa, their key National Coach, Ilse Roets from JGC Gymnastics was ill in ICU, unable to travel with the team she had spent countless hours preparing for this very stage.
In a deeply moving moment off the competition floor, athletes Caitlin Rooskrantz, Zelme Daries, Buhle Nhleko, and Naveen Daries posted a heartfelt personal video on social media dedicated to their absent coach. The athletes thanked her for her unwavering dedication, expressing that all the hard work she had poured into them was felt every time they stepped onto the mat, pushing them through the grueling week to achieve their medal-winning performances. The quartet also extended their deep gratitude to the coaches and support staff present in Cameroon who stepped up to guide them through the emotionally taxing championships.
Eyes on the Commonwealth Games
With the African Championships now in the rearview mirror and tickets secured for the World Championships in Rotterdam later this year, the athletes are already turning their attention to their next major milestone.
In previous interviews, Rooskrantz, Nhleko, and the Daries sisters have all explicitly pointed to the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games as a cornerstone of their long-term competitive plans. Coming off this highly successful and emotionally unifying week in Yaoundé, Team South Africa has proven they possess both the technical execution and the profound resilience needed to seriously compete for the podium come Glasgow 2026.
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