Heidi-Marie Oosthuizen & Ilse Roets

Heidi-Marie’s father, photo journalist Wessel Oosthuizen, established the club on his credit card and as the two young gymnasts were at the beginning of their careers, the club opened its doors with one gymnast and three coaches.

Though there were not any boys to coach, the clubs men’s coach was an undertaker who regularly turned up for training sessions.

The club has since obtained its permanent venue at 90 Italian Road in Newlands, Johannesburg, and change from Artistic Gymnastics to Acrobatic Gymnastics and obtained a sponsorship from a large developer, DreyProps. Its name changed to the Russian Gymnastics School of SA.

The services of top Russian coaches, Ludmila Kholina, and her son, Alexander and choreographer Tatiana Silchenko, all from Voronezh, were obtained.

Within 18 months, they succeeded in producing the South African Gymnastics Federation’s first ever world champions: Monique Steglen and Jolien Dryer won the Women’s Pairs (11 – 16) at the International Age Group Games in Lievin, France in 2004.

The club’s name has sinced changed its name to Golden Lions Gymnastics and it coach is former Belarus team member and European bronze medalist, Natalia von Willig.

Several years ago the club obtained a sponsorship from the Lotto and new equipment was bought.