10-year-old South African gymnast crowned Champion of the World in USA – WATCH
Nelisa ‘The Acrobat’ Skhosana recently represented South Africa in an international competition…
Ten-year-old Nelisa ‘The Acrobat’ Skhosana, from KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) in South Africa, has been crowned Champion of The World in Acrobatics/Gymnastics for the 5-10-year-old category!
When her name was announced as the winner, she sweetly and very excitedly ran to the stage to receive her award. (Watch the video below.) Nelisa’s proud mom Mzukulu Ka MaMncwabe was blown away. Posting a video from Los Angeles, where the World Championships of Performing Arts (WCOPA) event was held, Mzukulu wrote: “This came as a surprise… I have no words…” .
Speaking this week to SAPeople, Mzukulu says Nelisa has been passionate about acrobats since she was about three or four. “She would go on YouTube and look at various things, until she came across Sofi Dossy, an Acrobat from the USA. Then she would copy her and other Acrobats and Gymnasts. Once I took her to the Tuks Gymnastic school and she saw a girl doing an aerial. She was in awe. Next thing I knew, she was doing an aerial in one of her performances!” she laughs.
Nelisa is being taught by Shallane Allwright, the founder of The Dance Platform: School of Acrobatics in Kloof, KZN.
WCOPA includes contestants – dancers, singers, instrumentalists, actors etc. – from over 50 countries around the world.
Team South Africa excelled at this year’s WCOPA, leaving with 118 Gold Medals, 86 Silver Medals, 41 Bronze Medals and 43 overall World Champion Trophies, according to the South African Championships of the Performing Arts.
Congratulations to Nelisa and all the contestants flying the flag high and representing South Africa at the competition!