The South African gymnast returned to the venue where she made her first World Cup final in 2017 and walked away with a silver medal nine years later.
Koper, Slovenia (02 June 2026) – Caitlin Rooskrantz could not have scripted it much better.
Nine years after making her first World Cup final in Koper, Slovenia, the South African gymnast returned to the same arena and celebrated a silver-medal finish at the Koper World Challenge Cup.
She delivered an impressive performance on the uneven bars at the Koper World Challenge Cup, earning a place on the podium in a venue that holds special significance for her.
Back in 2017, a young Rooskrantz made her World Cup debut in Koper and reached her first-ever bars final. Fast forward to 2026, and the 24-year-old has returned to the city as one of South Africa’s leading gymnasts, turning years of hard work and experience into a silver-medal finish.
Rooskrantz carried strong form into the final, once again delivered and secured a second place against a quality international field.
There was more reason to celebrate for South Africa, with teammate Naveen Daries also producing a strong performance to finish sixth in the same competition.
Earlier in the week, Rooskrantz and Daries were joined in Slovenia by fellow gymnasts Karma Visagie and Jessica Rautenbach, with the South African team competing across multiple apparatus events at the World Challenge Cup.
For Rooskrantz, however, the silver medal carries extra meaning. Returning to the venue where her World Cup journey began and standing on the podium nearly a decade later is a reminder of just how far she has come.
With the Commonwealth Games now little more than 50 days away, the South African star appears to be finding her best form at exactly the right time.
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