Naveen Daries knows all too well that nothing can be taken for granted in life, and for this reason she remains firmly grounded as she reflects on a highly-successful 2025 National Gymnastics Championships in Pretoria, where she emerged as the standout performer, writes MARK LEMKE.
The 23-year-old has long been earmarked for big things. At the age of 15 she first represented South Africa in the 2017 World Championships and has since gone on to appear on the global stage at four more world champs’, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
She and her close friend, two-time Olympian Caitlin Rooskrantz, have become household names in the sport, a double act that has seen South Africa’s reputation for producing quality gymnasts soar.
Now however, Daries has taken the next step in her journey that is cementing her status as one of the country’s true stars of the sport. At the recent National Championships she won the Individual All-Around competition, after which she hopped on a plane and headed for Amsterdam, Netherlands, where she has embarked on the next stage of her career.
Daries is eager to be in contention for the 2028 Los Angeles Games, but is all too aware of the pitfalls that lie between now and then. “I want to take the road to LA step by step. Anything can happen in life. I was unable to qualify for the Paris Olympics last year because I became ill with pneumonia. I still attempted to (qualify) but I wasn’t able to be at my best.
“It was a huge disappointment, but out of my control. What it taught me is that I can only take things each day as it comes.”
The South African has dedicated herself to training in a new international environment, where she is currently working on adding a new move to her impressive gymnastic arsenal.
“Gymnastics is the most beautiful sport in the world because there is always something to learn. That is why I am currently perfecting a D-dismount to my bar routine. It is a move that scores highly with judges, and it would help me take a step up in my level,” he said from Amsterdam, where she goes every quarter for a two-week period.
She doesn’t know how long she will remain adopting that lifestyle, but is determined to embrace the new beginnings and see where it leads her. “I’m not permanently in Amsterdam, but fingers crossed I get to stay here for quite a long time. South Africa is still my home, but here I really have grown as a person and a gymnast. I do not have a personal coach here, so I am always adapting to and learning through the people I work with in the Netherlands.”
She remains motivated through the support of her friends and family, and her two personal coaches, Ilse Roets and Leeland Christian. While LA 2028 is the end of this next Olympic cycle, there’s plenty for her to aim for on the way there and she finds that setting goals that are closer on the horizon, such as the 2025 World Championships in Jakarta, and the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow are better for her mental health and help her to not get ahead of herself.
Along the way, she is looking to achieve goals set from professional and personal places. The down-to-earth South African has a younger sister, Zelmé (20), who is also on the rise in the sport. In fact, she finished second to her older sister in the All-Around event at the recent National Championships.
“I love seeing my sister climb the ranks. She is making me very proud. One of my biggest dreams is to compete at the Commonwealth Games with Zelmé. That moment would be special to us both as we have been by each other’s side for the entire gymnastic journey.
Daries is in a good space at the moment, physically and mentally, and the results reflect that. Long may that continue.
