SA Gymnastics | 2023 Summer Games : National School Sport Championships

The upcoming 2023 National School Sport Championships are set to take place between 9 and 12 December in Johannesburg.Organised jointly by the Department of Sport, Arts & Culture and the Department of Basic Education, the event will consist of nine different sporting codes from various National Federations, with Gymnastics South Africa being a part of this annual event. 

The gymnastics competitions are scheduled to take place at the WITS University Old Mutual Hall between 10 and 12 December.

Due to a reduction in budget allocation by the National Treasury, the number of participants was reduced by 50% compared to the previous year’s event. A total of 200 learners and 32 teachers will take part in the National Schools’ finals. The competition is organised by the nine Code Competition Committee (CCC) members, 22 Technical Officials with Development Manager, Marti Heri steering the event. Each of the eight provinces is expected to be represented by 25 gymnasts along with their coaches, including LSEN & Deaf categories. Unfortunately, Northern Cape province had to withdraw from the Championships due to financial constraints of their provincial departments.

“We are working hard with our organising team to ensure, that all the learners, teachers and judges have an opportunity to enjoy the event in a safe environment,” said Marti Heri, Program Manager of the schools’ competition. “We will also create fun activities with mass warm up, Flash Mob dance, and interactive games facilitated by the teachers and volunteers every day.”

The focus disciplines of development and school sport at the Summer Games are:

·        Women’s Artistic Gymnastics (WAG)

·        Men’s Artistic Gymnastics (MAG) - Vault and Floor Level 3—4

·        Aerobic Gymnastics (AER) - Individuals and Pairs Level 3-4

·        Rope Skipping (RS) - Speed and Free-style Level 2-3

Participants will fall into age groups 14 and under, 17 and under, and for gymnasts from disability schools, 16 and under in Level 1 or 2 programs.

Excitingly, this year's schools’ finals will feature a new Team Competition aimed at incorporating more disciplines:

·        Gym for All: Display Gymnastics for a mixed age groups and gender (Team of 6)

·        Parkour: Skill Run 2 girls and 2 boys (Team of 4)

“Another exciting development to note is that the event will be available for live streaming on SuperSport Schools, allowing wider access to the championship. Stay tuned for updates and behind-the-scenes highlights on the Gymnastics SA social media pages. We are looking forward to meeting the teams and our leaders at this year’s Summer Games," concluded Heri.