PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - For Plettenberg Bay gymnastics star Leolin Petersen, it seems, the road to Bulgaria is paved with Hertzoggies and a mother's love.
The 16-year-old former Plettenberg Bay Primary School learner, who is currently attending Framesby High School in Gqeberha to be closer to gymnastics coaches, was recently chosen to represent South Africa at the Federation for International Gymnastics (FIG) Trampoline Gymnastics World Championships in Bulgaria later this year.
This great honour however came with an equally big price tag. She had to raise almost R40 000 for a deposit to secure her spot for the trip before 10 August this year.
While finances are very tight for her family, her mother Helen Bezuidenhout, a longtime New Horizons resident, needed no more than a moment to come up with a plan to help her daughter realise her dream of competing at this prestigious competition.
She would offer her baking skills to raise the funds.
She immediately sent out a plea to the community asking for 415 people to each purchase a dozen Hertzoggies - a sweet pastry treat filled with apricot jam and a fluffy topping of coconut meringue - or a baby marrow loaf.
Bezuidenhout has become famous for knowing her way around these treats over the years and it wasn't long before the orders started pouring in. By the deadline she had sold enough to pay the deposit of R37 030 and she will continue to bake up a storm to cover the rest of the funds needed.
They still need to pay more than R12 900 by 12 October.
"I would just like to thank every single person who ordered the goods from me and for every donation that has been made. This means my daughter's dreams are coming true," Bezuidenhout said.
Olympic dreams
She said Leolin also qualified to participate at the Gymnastics South Africa National Championships in Gauteng starting on 30 September this year.
"It will be two birds with one stone as we will also be applying for her visum for Bulgaria during the same period as applications are done in Pretoria."
Bezuidenhout said her daughter has been dreaming of becoming a world-class gymnast from the age of three.
"We soon realised she had a God-given talent and she has been putting in the effort to hone her skills ever since. It is because of this dedication that so many people support her efforts."
Participating in Bulgaria is one step closer to her 2024 Olympic Games dreams.
She is no stranger to the international stage. She was selected and competed at the same competition in 2019 in Japan.
This was her first time competing internationally and she secured the 11th spot among 30 in her age category at the time.
Due to Covid, that was also the last major competition she has competed in.
This time around, Leolin's goal is the podium.
She has since been trained by renowned gymnastics coaches Mandy Zoonekynd and Lee Budler of Mandy's School of Tumbling and Trampoline.
On local soil she has also proved her mettle over the years, winning many medals competing in South Africa.
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