Jennifer vaults into spotlight

Gymnast Jennifer Khwela, virtually unknown before her medal-winning performance at the Commonwealth Games last month, is expected to be the big attraction at South Africa's annual showpiece in the sport, the Bumbo Gymnastics Cup.

The cup takes place early next month, and Khwela will compete against top international gymnasts.

The Gymnastics Cup, which will be held in Pretoria from December 2 to 4, has attracted world gymnastics stars including Jessica Hogg (Wales), Katelyn Ohashi (US), Marian Dragulescu (Romania), and Luke Folwell (England).

Folwell won five medals at the Delhi Games while Dragulescu was the men's champion in the floor and vault.

Khwela, 18, from Umbilo near Durban, was narrowly beaten by England's Imogen Cairns in the women's vault final at the Commonwealth Games.

Cairns, 21, who also competed at the Beijing Olympics of 2008, won by only 0.038 points from the South African. Nevertheless, her performance on the vault at the games has put Khwela firmly on the South African sporting map.

Gymnastics might not have the crowd-pulling power of rugby, cricket or football, but Khwela has now given local star quality to the Pretoria event.

Outside of gymnastics circles, the Umbilo teenager was hardly known until she shot into the limelight with an outstanding performance in Delhi.

Khwela decided to take up gymnastics as an eight-year-old when she watched the 2000 Sydney Olympics on TV. Coach Gail Adamson noticed her ability at school while giving physical education lessons. She took Khwela under her wing and is still her coach.

Khwela became national artistic gymnastics champion in 2008 and specialised in the vault, where she is ranked sixth in the world.

She lives with her mother, Queen Khwela, grandmother Khethiwe Khwela, an aunt, two cousins, and two sisters in Umbilo.

"I list my gran and aunt as my role models, the people I look up to as they helped me be who I am," she said.

She likes going to movies with her friends, but says she is focused on her career as a gymnast, training several hours a day.

After the Commonwealth Games, she is going to Rotterdam to compete in the World Championships. Later this month, she will compete in World Cup events in Croatia and Germany before the Gymnastics Cup in Pretoria.

But her main aim is the London Olympics of 2012.

"I am really working hard towards that," she said.