Leolin Petersen finished sixth in the women’s Double Mini-Trampoline, while Matthew Bosch recorded a personal best and reached the semi-finals.
Nanjing, China (12 November 2026) – South Africa’s Leolin Petersen has secured an impressive sixth-place finish at the 39th FIG Trampoline and Tumbling World Championships in Nanjing, China.
Petersen was among the standout performers for the South African team at the competition, held from 4 to 8 November, where she produced a series of strong routines in the women’s Double Mini-Trampoline (DMT).
She began her campaign with a score of 51.300 in the preliminary round, finishing seventh to book her place in the semi-finals.
The South African then stepped things up, recording a personal best of 26.800 to finish third in the semi-final and qualify for the World Championship final.
She ultimately claimed sixth place in the world, a significant achievement on one of gymnastics’ biggest international stages.
Teammate Matthew Bosch also enjoyed an encouraging outing in the men’s DMT, producing a personal best of 58.100 in the preliminary round.
His score placed him fifth overall and secured his passage to the semi-finals. However, a mistake during his next routine saw his campaign come to an end, with Bosch finishing 19th overall.
Despite missing out on the final, his preliminary performance was a major milestone and demonstrated his ability to compete among the world’s best.
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Budler praised both athletes for their performances, highlighting the significance of competing at a World Championships and the progress they have made.
“Competing at a World Championships is an achievement in itself,” says Lee Budler, National Trampoline Coach for Gymnastics South Africa. “To see Leolin reach a World Championship final and finish among the top six gymnasts in the world, alongside Matthew achieving a personal best and qualifying strongly for the semi-finals, is something to be immensely proud of.”
He added that the experience would provide valuable motivation as both gymnasts continue to develop and take on future international challenges.
Petersen’s sixth-place finish gives her a strong result to build on, while Bosch will also take confidence from his personal best as the pair return from Nanjing with valuable experience at the highest level.
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