Brakpan’s own claims world title
Local wrestler is one of only a few South Africans to have won the championship.
Brakpan Wrestling Club’s Ben van Rooyen recently saw the hard work he has put in the sport over 36 years paying off.
The local wrestler won the World Masters Championships in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. Van Rooyen became the 11th South African to win the title.
He saw off competition from Daniyar Yarmukhamedov of Kazakhstan in the round of 16 to kick-start his title challenge.
The Brakpan man then beat Ahmed Mohamadi (Egypt) and Serik Amanshiyev (Kazakhstan) in the quarter-finals and semi-finals respectively. The final saw him take on and win Yahia Abutabeekh, from Jordan to emerge as the world champion.
“I don’t think it has sunk in yet. Everybody has asked me the same question and I don’t think it has sunk in,” said
Van Rooyen when asked how he felt about the win.
“You work your whole life and then it happens – and then you’re not sure how.”
This was the fifth time the local man has been involved in the world championships and he says this was the most prepared he has ever been.
“The experience most definitely helped. The first time I participated was in 2017 and you go there not knowing what to expect.
“You are nervous because it’s quite a big scene and a big stage. You’re competing on facing all the big names you always read about and watch their videos,” he said.
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“So going there prepared, believing in your fitness and knowing what to expect with the whole scene like the light, the stage and all those things made me a little more calm than the first time around.”
To get to the level he’s at requires one to make sacrifices.
“We train seven days a week and it’s not always easy having to tell your friends that you can’t make it to a braai because you have training at 05:00 the next day,” said Van Rooyen.
“It’s telling yourself that you have an end goal. Believing in yourself and believing that anything is possible. This is what made the difference this year.
“I believed in my training and believed in my fitness. The quality of training that we did is what led to this.”
Van Rooyen also credits fellow Brakpan wrestler Jacques Meyer for his performances. Meyer also competed in Bulgaria but unfortunately had to pull out due to a shoulder injury.
“He was key to helping me win. He is my coach and has quite a bit of experience, performing well at previous world championships.
“All that paid off and helped get me to that end goal this year. I don’t think it would have been possible without him,” said the champion wrestler.
