GYMNASTICS TRIO UP AGAINST COVID-19

MBABANE – The fight against COVID-19 cannot be a one man’s show.

Today, our daily COVID-19 pandemic lockdown training took a slight deviation from the usual presentation. This column today features three gymnastics children, namely Yenziwe Ngcamphalala, Mahle Msibi and Sphephelo Khumalo. With consent from their gymnastics club, Superstars coach, Max Ngwenya, the children who last competed in 2019 at the Lobamba OlympAfrica Sports Development Centre said the outbreak of the virus has greatly affected them especially in as far as fitness was concerned. According to the gymnasts, together, the nation can conquer after government made it clear that the seriousness of this virus cannot be underestimated.

The children further advised their peers and the nation at large to adhere to government and health officials’ prevention measures against COVID-19 through covering your mouth when you sneeze or cough, greeting with your elbows, keeping a social distance, washing your hands with soap and running water regularly and always wearing a face mask. The nation can take inspiration from these young athletes who take life seriously by adhering to prevention measures and trying to keep fit and healthy by embracing individual training at their respective places of abode. This is what they had to say:

How do you ensure that your body is strong enough to fight illnesses? “By eating the right food, have the best diet, what we eat is important and make no mistake about it.  We keep ourselves fit and healthy by training at home with gymnastics daily workout sent by our coach.” Is there any way through which you interact as gymnasts and get training tips from your coach? “We do have rebooting gymnastics guidelines from Eswatini Gymnastics that were sent to us by coaches to guide gymnasts.” How has COVID-19 affected you personally and as gymnasts? “As gymnasts, COVID-19 has really affected us a lot, we are so lonely and we are not physically fit as we used to be.

Gymnastics is skill that needs to practised daily, it may be an individual sport, but we work as a team, cheering each other on and setting a strong pace. We also make friends with other athletes we compete with, we miss all the fun.” What is this one thing that you learnt or achieved since the outbreak of COVID-19? “Our slogan on how to stay safe; Cover your sneeze or cough. Greet with your elbows. Keep a social distance. Wash your hands regularly. When do I wear a mask? When I go to the shops, when I go to school, when I go to hospital or when I go to places where there are other people.” What message can you share with the nation during these trying times? “We can do this together! It was communicated that the seriousness of this virus cannot be underestimated.”

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