Our leading artistic gymnast is back in South Africa with even more motivation to excel in future, writes Mark Etheridge.
Kirsten Beckett fared best of the three women who made up the SA team at last week’s World Artistic Championships in Antwerp, Belgium.
The Johannesburg Grade 11 teenager ended 43rd against the globe’s best gymnasts with a total score of 50.32.
Speaking to Road to Rio 2016 she said the occasion was an amazing one. “My overall Worlds experience was a truly memorable one! I must say that during the week leading up to the comp I was very anxious.
“Being there was a very humbling experience, as the girls that competed are really amazing.
“It was so different to the World Cups that I am used to! Everything was just so professionally run, from the warm-up arena to the competition arena. I was very nervous, this being my first World Championship and on competition day I tried to relax and visualise my routines as much as possible and am glad that I delivered on the day.
“I knew that I had a job to do and the stage was perfect to make an impression. I had a clean competiton with a few wobbles here and there but overall I’m happy with my performance.”
Happy but still aware of the work that lies ahead for both her and South African gymnastics as a whole. “Going forward I must say that we as SA gymnasts really need to up our game and I am extremely motivated and ready to include bigger skills in my routines.”
“But yes, the experience was really something else and to have competed with the very best was absolutely amazing.”
And what’s next up for the little pocket dynamo. “I’m done with competitions for this year but I’m going to Arizona for about six weeks over Christmas, on a training camp with a guy named Wesley Jones.”