Namibian wrestlers shine with 11 medals in SA

Wrestling
Brian Munango
  • 23 Hours Ago
Namibian Wrestling Federation has hailed its athletes for an outstanding showing at the Senior South African National Wrestling Championships, recently concluded in Pretoria, where the national team brought home an impressive 11 medals.

This marked the country’s first appearance at the championships in 14 years, following successful negotiations between the presidents of the Namibian and South African Wrestling Federations. Competing against top regional talent, the Namibian wrestlers delivered a performance that signals the country’s growing stature on the continental wrestling scene.

A team of just 11 athletes returned with a total of six gold, three silver and two bronze medals, underlining the effectiveness of the country’s focused training and development programmes.

“We are incredibly proud of the team as they keep exceeding expectations and delivering incredible results,” said Namibia wrestling's secretary general, Anke Erasmus. “This achievement reflects their dedication, talent and the hard work they’ve put in.”



Medal winners

Among the standout performances were Teo Seveleni (Junior, 55kg), Lazarus Haimbodi (Junior, 60kg) and Darian Mouton (Junior, 63kg), who each clinched gold medals in their respective Greco-Roman divisions.

In the senior category, Joel Iipinge (55kg), Virinao Cliff Nguatjiti (60kg) and Ester Abraham (62kg, Women’s Wrestling) all secured gold for Namibia, while Henrico Durand bagged two silver medals in both Greco-Roman and freestyle styles in the U17 55kg division.



Other medallists included:

Calvin Kelly Dreyer (Junior, 55kg) – Silver

Petrus Haimbodi (U17, 60kg) – Bronze

Stefanus Stefanovic (Junior, 60kg) – Bronze

Wrestler Lukas Salom (Senior, 67kg) narrowly missed the podium, finishing fifth in a competitive field.



Coach Recognised

National head coach Luis Forcelledo Paz was named Coach of the Day at the tournament, an honour that further cements the progress of the country's wrestling under his guidance.

The federation has emphasised that the performance is a direct result of its strategic athlete development initiatives and the support of key stakeholders.

“Our heartfelt thanks go to the ministry of sport, Namibia Sport Commission and the Namibian National Olympic Committee for their continued encouragement,” Erasmus added.

With continental and global events on the horizon, the Namibian Wrestling Federation is confident that its athletes will continue to rise and represent the country with pride.