Tripple Olympic champion Koekie Koekenova doing a beam routine at Golden Lions Gymnastics. Non-defecting Russian choreographer, Ekaterina Kalinina and Lilu Miller are in the background

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA, 1 April 2010 – Three times Olympic and multiple world champion Koekie Koekenova, has defected from Russia to join Johannesburg’s Golden Lions Gymnastics club.

“I was starving in Moscow and I was beaten by my grandparents, my three former husbands, my neighbours, my gymnastics coach and sometimes by the KGB hence my  decision to join Golden Lions. 

“I read in Moscow ‘s The Citizen (Pravda)  that the Golden Lions rugby team never beat anybody. I believe that I can concentrate here on my gymnastics career and make the South African 2012 Olympic team.”  

According to Koekenova she does not have any children as she is watching her figure.

She arrived by Aeroflot’s Cargo Service at the Brakpan Airfield earlier today where her first action was to quash rumours that she was Internet icon Vernon Koekemoer’s younger sister.

A jubilant South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee president Gideon Sam, he is also chairman of the Lotto Distribution Trust Fund, arrived at Golden Lions Gymnastics in Newlands with his Datsun 1200 bakkie filled with cakes and biscuits which he bought with a postdated Lotto cheque from Koljander Tuisgebak in Melville.

“I would like to welcome you at your first training session and would also like to announce that Lotto will start funding you with immediate effect,” he said.

“Koekenova will need six coaches to spot her on bars, seven on vault and will not be held responsible for breaking any beams during her routines. She will do her floor routine in Ontdekkers Road in peak hour as the club’s sprung floor is not to her liking,” Sam said.

Asked if she hoped to find a husband in South Africa, Koekenova smiled sheepishly and said: “I definitely have an eye on Ryk Neethling. Can you imagine what star athletes our children would be? “