African Jump Rope Championships takes place in Tshwane at the Joni Bach Centre

Rope skipping enthusiasts are in for a treat this October when the inaugural African Jump Rope Championships takes place in Tshwane at the Joni Bach Centre. Organised by the Africa Jump Rope Federation and host federation, Gymnastics South Africa, 40 of the best rope skippers on the African continent are expected to participate in the event.

“We are very excited to host the very first African Jump Rope Championships on South African soil,” says Keo Mokolopo-Meyer, President of the Africa Jump Rope Federation and 2nd Vice President of Gymnastics South Africa. “Rope Skipping, or jump rope, is not only growing in popularity in South Africa but has also taken off across the continent. South Africa’s best rope skippers will be in action against teams from Kenya, Zimbabwe and Mozambique.”

The three-day event kicks off on Thursday, 6 October and the schedule will include both Double Dutch speed and freestyle and Individual speed and freestyle events. Entrance to the event is free and the public is encouraged to come and experience the best of rope skipping.

“This event provides such a unique opportunity for us to showcase our partnership with the rest of Africa and to position Rope Skipping as a high-performance sport,” adds Mokolopo-Meyer. “South Africa’s top rope skippers will be in action, including Stanley Houane (Mpumalanga), Kagiso Pholoholo (North West), Tshiamo Matlhoane (North West), Diteko Matlape (North West), Thato Mabitso (North West) and Mkhululi Gosa (Western Cape), just to name a few. This team of rope skippers made a strong showing at the 2021 International Open Tournament, hosted by the International Jump Rope Union, and secured nine medals in total, of which two were gold, five silver and two bronze. We look forward to seeing them in action.”

The African Jump Rope Championships is made possible by the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture and the National Lotteries Commission. The event will be streamed on SuperSport Schools.

For the full African Jump Rope Championships programme, click on the PDF below.