Coming home

LAUSANNE (SUI) - FIG Office, March 29, 2010: Gold Women’s Vault and Bronze Beam Medallist at the recent FIG World Cup in Doha (QAT), the South African wonder Jennifer Khwela was given a triumphal entry at Durban International Airport that she won’t soon forget.

Accompanied by personal coach Julie Adamson Schürman, Jen disembarked to the applause of her fans and the swarming of journalists and photographers striving to capture the return of the gymnast who took home the first Gold medal in the history of South African gymnastics at an official FIG competition.

Among those there to greet Jennifer, Mr G.V. Sangweni, Director of Sport Coordination for the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Sport and Recreation, the province where Jennifer makes her home, Paddy Chadwick, Programme Manager for Artistic Gymnastics with the South African Gymnastics Federation and, of course, her family, her aunt and her grandmother leading them all!

Jennifer’s success is even more inspiring when seen against the backdrop of where she grew up and trained. Her success is a triumph for her entire Township community, an inspiration to the youth of South Africa, and a personal victory for a young woman who laboured patiently alongside a coach who never once doubted her abilities, Julie Adamson Schürman.

A story to pass on to future generations of gymnasts who may find themselves faltering under the weight of doubt when just reward is long in coming.