Hometown Cape Town Years on national team 2000-2011 Home town Cape Town Discipline Rhythmic gymnastics | Residence Stellenbosch Height 1.72 m Retired 2011 Country represented South Africa | |
Born 9 October 1987 (age 29)
Cape Town ( 1987-10-09 ) Level Senior International Elite | ||
Stephanie Molly Emma Sandler (born 9 October 1987) is a South African individual rhythmic gymnast. She represented her nation at various international competitions. She was the first South African rhythmic gymnast to participate at an Olympic Games.
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Career
She participated at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.
She is a 3 times silver medalist from the Commonwealth Youth Games, in Bendigo, Australia. She finished 7th all around in the 2004 ribbon apparatus final, at the Julietta Shishmanova Grand Prix in Bulgaria.
She has won various National Championships and African Championship titles. She also competed at the world championships, including at the 2003, 2005 and 2007 World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships.
She was unable to attend the 2009 or 2010 World Championships, due to injuries, for which she eventually needed operations. Stephanie is currently one of two South African rhythmic gymnasts who have received "world class status" from the FIG.
She officially retired after the 2011 World Universiades.
Stephanie's favourite apparatus is the rope. In competition, her rope, ribbon and clubs produced some of her best results. Stephanie's father, is a Russian Jew (Ashkenazi) and her mother is South African born, of Swedish descent.
Family
Stephanie has one brother, David Aaron Ray Sandler, (born 12 June 1989) who is a former fencer for the South African national team, as well as half and step siblings.