Bartlett impresses at Cadet Africa Championships
Matthew Bartlett, a member of the Brakpan Wrestling Club and a Grade Nine pupil at Hoërskool Stoffberg, recently returned home from Alexandria, in Egypt, where he participated in the Cadet Africa Championships.
He wrestled extremely well and won a silver medal in the 54kg to 58kg category, in a Youth Olympic qualifying year.
By doing so Bartlett has achieved one of his dreams of becoming the youngest wrestler from Brakpan Wrestling Club to qualify to participate in a world championship.
Brakpan’s cadet team, as a whole, also did extremely well.
The club’s Greco-Roman Team placed second overall in the Greco-Roman division and claimed three silver medals, four bronze medals and a fourth place.
The Freestyle Team managed to beat all the African teams, including Egypt, in their backyard.
The team finished in first place and brought home three gold medals, six silver medals and a bronze medal.
In this group, Brakpan Wrestling Club had two wrestlers who qualified for the Youth Olympic Games, that will be held in Singapore.
Two female wrestlers also accompanied the team to Egypt, and participated in the woman’s freestyle division, winning one gold and one silver medal.
In total, the club had 20 wrestlers qualify for the world championships, in July, this year.
