Namibia off to strong start at Region 5 Gymnastics Champs 

Namibia got off to a strong start in the rhythmic gymnastics category of the Region 5 Gymnastics Championships currently underway in Windhoek.

Namibia and South Africa dominated the team categories, winning four gold medals each, while Namibian gymnasts won a lot more individual medals as well. 

Namibia won gold medals in the team categories for u10 and u12 Level 4; as well as Level 3 and 6, which are both open age categories. 

South Africa also won four team categories, namely in the u13 Pre-Junior  category; the 14-15 year junior category; the open Senior category, and the open Groups category. 

Namibian coach Eleonora Karamfilova, who is also part of the local organising committee, said Namibia did very well in the rhythmic gymnastics competition. 

“We have won lots of individual medals, from level three to four and six, and at junior level we came second for the first time, beating one of the South Africans. We even have a gold medal in the junior category and a silver amongst the seniors, so that’s a huge improvement,” she said. 

The rhythmic gymnastics competition was held at the Windhoek Showgrounds, while the championships continued at thew Crete Gymnastics Hall in Olympia with the trampoline and tumbling competition on Wednesday, while the articstic gymnastics competitions got underway yesterday. 

More than 200 gymnasts from eight countries are competing in the championships. 

The rhythmic gymnastics results are as follows:

Level 3 – Clubs:

1 Elinka Botes (Namibia)

2 Emily Stefanus (Namibia)

3 Karabelo Lekhooana (Lesotho)

Level 3 – Ribbon 

1 Elinka Botes (Namibia)

2 Emily Stephanus (Namibia)

3 Thato Koenene (Lesotho)

Level 3 – Overall

1 Elinka Botes (Namibia)

2 Emily Stephanus (Namibia)

3 Karabelo Lekhooana (Lesotho)

Level 4 u10 – Free dance

1 Milana Shiweda (Namibia)

2 Anne Hiveluah (Namibia)

3 Martisha Chikutuva (Botswana)

Level 4 u10 – Rope

1 Milana Shiweda (Namibia)

2 Triti Nair (Namibia)

3 Martisha Chikutuva (Botswana)

Level 4 u10 – Ball

1 Anne Hiveluah (Namibia)

2  Milana Shiweda (Namibia)

3 Joy Magwape (Botswana)

Level 4 u10 – Overall 

1 Anne Hiveluah (Namibia)

2 Milana Shiweda (Namibia)

3 Martisha Chikutuva (Botswana)

Level 4 u12 – Free dance

1 Paulina Iimvula (Namibia)

2 Junique Louw (Namibia)

3 Atara Peters (Botswana)

Level 4 u12 – Rope

1 Amira Tambrescu (Namibia)

2 Jada Munerenyu (Botswana)

3 Kenzie Ndjadila (Namibia)

Level 4 u12 – Ball

1 Amira Tambrescu (Namibia)

2 Paulina Iimvula (Namibia)

3 Jada Munerenyu (Botswana)

Level 4 u12 – Overall 

1 Amira Tambrescu (Namibia)

2 Paulina Iimvula (Namibia)

3 Jada Munerenyu (Botswana)

Level 6 – Free dance

1 Pin-Zeng Feng (Namibia)

2 Louisa Namadungwe (Namibia) 

3 Titose Nkanokang (Botswana)

Level 6 – Rope

1 Pin-Zeng Feng (Namibia)

2 Louisa Namadungwe (Namibia) 

3 Titose Nkanokang (Botswana)

Level 6 – Ribbon 

1 Pin-Zeng Feng (Namibia)

2 Tamrin Coetzee (Namibia)

3 Titose Nkanokang (Botswana)

Level 6 – Overall

1 Pin-Zeng Feng (Namibia)

2 Louisa Namadungwe (Namibia) 

3 Titose Nkanokang (Botswana)

Pre-junior – Free Dance 

1 Ilana de Jager (South Africa)

2 Vida Gomes (South Africa)

3 Zara Duchaine (Namibia)

Pre-junior – Ball

1 Grace Aufrichtig (South Africa)

2 Vida Gomes (South Africa)

3 Karli Conradie (Namibia)

Pre-junior – Hoop

1 Ilana de Jager (South Africa)

2 Jayd Pretorius (Namibia)

Pre-junior – Clubs

1 Holly Mayer (South Africa)

2 Grace Aufrichtig (South Africa)

3 Karli Conradie (Namibia)

Pre-junior – Ribbon 

1 Vida Gomes (South Africa)

2 Ilana de Jager (South Africa)

3 Jayd Pretorius (Namibia)

Pre-junior – Overall

1 Ilana de Jager (South Africa)

2 Vida Gomes (South Africa)

3 Karli Conradie (Namibia)

Junior – Hoop

1 Almone Bosch (South Africa)

2 Haylee de Jager (South Africa)

3 Faiza Hamutenya (Namibia)

Junior – Ball

1 Kayla Duchaine (Namibia)

2 Faith Roodt (South Africa)

3 Haylee de Jager (South Africa)

Junior – Clubs

1 Rubyy Richards (South Africa)

2 Almone Bosch (South Africa)

3 Kayla Duchaine (Namibia)

Junior – Ribbon 

1 Almone Bosch (South Africa)

2 Faith Roodt (South Africa)

3 Faiza Hamutenya (Namibia)

Junior – Overall

1 Almone Bosch (South Africa)

2 Kayla Duchaine (Namibia)

3 Faith Roodt (South Africa)

Senior – Hoop

1 Tricha Richards (South Africa)

2 Dere Vermeulen (South Africa)

3 Peya Kashaka (Namibia)

Senior – Ball

1 Tricha Richards (South Africa)

2 Amy George (South Africa)

3 Emilia Ekandjo (Namibia)

Senior – Clubs 

1 Tricha Richards (South Africa)

2 Amy George (South Africa)

3 Peya Kashaka (Namibia)

Senior – Ribbon

1 Amy George (South Africa)

2 Peya Kashaka (Namibia)

3 Dere Vermeulen (South Africa)

Senior – Overall 

1 Tricha Richards (South Africa)

2 Amy George (South Africa)

3 Peya Kashaka (Namibia)

Group Dance – Overall 

1 South Africa 

2 Namibia 

3 Zimbabwe 2

4 Zimbabawe 1 

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