#TuksGymnastics: Gardiner is in a forever quest for perfection

Posted on June 29, 2018

Shannon Gardiner is in a constant quest for perfection because the only way a rhythmic gymnast can be genuinely competitive is to keep on pushing the boundaries. 
 
At the moment she got an extra motivation for doing so. In March she lost her court bid to be included in the Commonwealth Games team. Gardiner will readily admit that she was disappointed, but there is no time to dwell on what could have been as she is selected to represent South Africa at the World Championships in Bulgaria.
 
It means she often has to train seven days a week for at least three hours at a stretch.  Apart from the gymnastics training she also has to gym, do ballet as well as water ballet. In spite of it, you will never hear the Tuks gymnast complaining.
 
“Rhythmic gymnastics is my passion. It is what I ‘sleep, eat and dream’ about since I started. It is not the easiest of sports. Not only do you have to be physically strong but also mentally as it takes a strict lifestyle to keep at it. 
 
“However it gets to be worth it when you compete internationally. In 2014 I competed at the Youth Olympic Games in China. It was honestly the scariest moment of my life but at the same time the most exhilarating. I get goosebumps just thinking back to it,” said the 19-year-old Gardiner who finished 13th during the Games. 
 
Rhythmic gymnastics is a sport that combines elements of ballet, gymnastics, dance and apparatus manipulation. During a competition, the gymnasts get to do routines with the rope, hoop, ball, clubs, ribbon and freehand. 
 
“Each has its unique challenges. I would say the clubs are my most robust discipline, but I love the ball as it feels as if it gels with me. 
 
"The secret to our sport is to always have a Plan A, Plan B or Plan C when competing because when you throw the apparatus, it might be a bit askew, but you cannot alert the judges that you made a mistake. You continue as if it was meant to happen. That is a trick a lot of gymnasts miss.” 
 
Catherine Baretta, who coaches Gardiner, emphasised that determination and perfection go hand in hand in rhythmic gymnastics. 
 
“You always need to want to do more. If you can do one turn, you would want to do six. Repetition is also key to our sport. It takes a sharp mind to do the same thing 50 or more times. With every repetition, you should want to do it better than the previous time.
 
“In the end, all boils down to finding a balance between brains and flexibility. You need the mental strength, and you need the flexibility to help you along,” explains the Tuks coach.
- Author Wilhelm de Swardt

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