News Bulletin of 8 March 2026, 8am

Twelve-year-old Gabriella Da Silva from Wanderers Club gymnastics proudly represented South Africa in Serbia. She earned herself a bronze medal despite competing on only one apparatus due to a knee injury. Gabriella said her goal was simply to reach the finals, making her third-place finish even more meaningful. Inspired by legendary gymnast Simone Biles, she joined gymnastics at the age of four and is now looking forward to competing at the national championships in August. Fellow Wanderers gymnast Kadin Chester also represented South Africa internationally, finishing 39th at a competition in the Philippines. The 18-year-old is now focused on preparing for trials early next year, which mark the first step toward qualifying for the Olympic Games.

A robotics team from Cape Town has claimed their sixth consecutive national championship and is heading to Texas. Ignite’s Autonova is representing South Africa at the global FIRST Tech Challenge in Texas next month. The team also won the prestigious Innovate Award and qualified for the World Championship. Team member Matthew Greenwood said the results are especially impressive given this year’s complex “Decode” challenge. The challenge involved robots collecting and launching coloured balls into goals, creating patterns, and navigating the field alone.

The quiet English village of Holmes Chapel, where Harry Styles grew up, has become a year-round pilgrimage site for fans. Visitors from around the world stop at places tied to the singer’s early life, including the local train station—where the ticket office has turned into a fan shrine—and the bakery where he once worked. The village has seen an extra surge in visitors following the success of Styles’ solo career after One Direction and renewed excitement around his music.