• Gymnastics

Elite gymnasts raise bar with unmatched national victories

• 2 Weeks Ago 06 November 2024

Windhoek’s Elite Rhythmic Gymnastics has dominated rhythmic gymnastics competitions this year, establishing itself as the country’s leading rhythmic gymnastics club in disciplines from Level 1 to the Senior Olympic level.

At the recently concluded Namibian Gymnastics Federation (NGF) Senior National Championship, hosted by Infinity Rhythmic Club in Walvis Bay, Elite cemented its place as a formidable club in the country’s gymnastics fraternity by scooping eight trophies.

Closely behind are Walvis Bay Gymnastics and Windhoek Gymnastics clubs, with five and three overall championship titles, respectively.



Hard work, dedication, motivation and support

Speaking to Sport Wrap about the outstanding achievement, Elite head coach Eleonora Karamfilova, expressed delight, attributing “the amazing job” to the hard work and dedication of both the coaches and gymnasts, as well as the motivation and support from parents and the community.

“The coaches and all the girls have worked very hard, achieving eight trophies and 17 overall first-place titles across the country, from Level 1 to the Junior Olympic level. We also earned 16 overall silver medals and 10 overall bronze medals,” said Karamfilova.

The club’s rhythmic gymnasts have also excelled in individual apparatus, winning 51 gold medals, 36 silver medals and 25 bronze medals across all competitions this season.

One of the rhythmic gymnasts contributing to the club’s trophy case, two-time junior champion Kayla Duchaine from St. Paul’s College, said the trophies are a true symbol of the gymnasts’ success throughout the year.

“We have given our all at every competition, both big and small, to prepare for the nationals. This effort shows in our trophies, medals and even our sashes. I feel like it was a great success and brings us so much joy!” she remarked."



Khomasdal branch’s success

One of Elite’s (based in Prosperita) trophy winners was Janai Kauami from the club’s branch in Khomasdal, which was established three years ago.

Kauami said: “I was very happy when I got the trophy and the medals. I also want to thank the coaches for taking us this far. I’m happy for the other gymnasts, and I’m happy for everyone because no one gave up.”

Reflecting on the journey of Elite’s Khomasdal branch, coach Geena-Lee Faul explained: “We started from scratch, with no equipment—no carpets, no apparatus. We had to borrow a lot from Prosperita.”

She said they started by teaching rhythmic gymnasts the basics and later preparing them for competition – all by building everything from the ground up.

“So, to have a trophy winner after only three years is an amazing result. I’m incredibly proud of the commitment and hard work we’ve seen from the gymnasts and their parents who have been actively involved in the journey,” said Faul.



Remaining international competitions

Elite’s head coach Karamfilova left with five gymnasts to Belgium on Tuesday, to represent the country at the 26th edition of the Happy Cup from Friday until Sunday.

She said they are the two competitions left on the calendar this season, and the club is focused on finishing strong.

“Our goal is for them to have a great experience. Additionally, four of our girls will be representing the country at the Region 5 competition in Zimbabwe next month. We are excited to continue building on this season’s success and giving our athletes more opportunities to grow and compete internationally,” she noted.

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