The Elsburg Wrestling Club recently showcased their talent at the National Youth Championship held at Stellenbosch University.
Following a strong performance at the Ekurhuleni Medal Championships in August, several of the club’s wrestlers were selected to compete in the national competition in September.
Despite facing stiff competition, the team delivered commendable performances.
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“We knew it was going to be a tough challenge, especially since many of our wrestlers have less than two years of experience. It takes time and training to reach the top, but they gave their best,” said club chairman Edward Brewis.
Over the three-day event, the wrestlers achieved notable results.
On day one, Raymond Alberts and Brendon Lambrecht placed fifth. On day two, Latoya Mabena claimed second place, while Alberts secured another fifth-place finish.
The final day saw Mabena win gold in the U15 female category, with Alberts also taking gold in the U13 Greco-Roman event.
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Other results included Brendon Lambrecht placing fourth in the U15 Greco-Roman, Jayden Crawford coming fourth in U9 freestyle, Dylan Lambrecht securing fifth in U15 Greco-Roman, and Bonginkosi Xaba earning bronze in U15 Greco-Roman.
Head coach Derick Brewis, along with assistant head coach Tobie Alberts Jnr and instructor Tobie Alberts Snr, acknowledged the challenges of the competition.
“Day one was tough, and that can demotivate wrestlers. But understanding their strengths and pushing them to do their best helped us turn things around,” said Alberts Snr.
Reflecting on the championship, Edward Brewis expressed pride in his team.
“This is the biggest youth championship, with nearly 1,000 entries. It was a great learning opportunity, and we now know where to improve. We’ll focus on strength and conditioning training to come back even stronger next year,” he said.
