BY: Magadu Mashudu
The 22-year-old South African gymnast made history by being the first to qualify for the Games, securing a spot at Tokyo 2020.
It is unclear if South African gymnast Caitlin Rooskrantz will be able to compete in the Paris 2024 Olympics due to an injury she sustained on Sunday. “Rooskrantz has been forced to withdraw from the all-around competition after suffering an injury to her right foot during the floor exercise on Sunday. It is unclear whether she will play a further part in these Games,” Team South Africa said.
If Rooskrantz has to pull out, it would be a great disappointment. Athletes like gymnasts work very hard to be able to compete in the Olympics. She started doing gymnastics when she was six years old and began competing in international events when she was 11. She has competed in several world championship games and was named the top female gymnast on the uneven bars in Cairo 2022.
Rooskrantz often gets injured. She hurt her knee five times from 2015 to 2017 and hurt her foot in 2019. Just before her most recent injury, Rooskrantz was very excited about the Paris Games.
“Tomorrow [Sunday] is the day. Getting the opportunity to live out this dream once more is the biggest blessing. I cannot wait to absolutely leave my heart out there tomorrow. Through it all, my eyes are on you, Lord,” she said in an Instagram post.
Rooskrantz shared her journey to the Olympics on her Instagram account. She showed her dedication and hard work through her excitement before the competition, making the injury setback even more upsetting.
“I hope she knows she didn’t let us down. Just by her presence there, we are happy and proud of you as a country,” said Nhlakanipho, a fan.
In the first round of the women’s qualification on uneven bars, she scored 13.733. Her floor routine earned her a score of 10.866. Even though she fell early in her beam routine, she was able to recover quickly. Many people on social media have been sharing messages to show their support for Rooskrantz, who was thankful for the kind words.
“This is very sad. Training for 4 years and getting injured at the Olympics when you are about to compete for your medal. We pray for a speedy recovery,” said Unathi, a fan.
“Hi everyone, thank you so much for all the messages of support. I’ve read all the messages and seen all the videos, and it’s so special. I can feel the love all over the world. I’m super excited to be competing on Sunday,” said Rooskrantz.
