He is a Grade Nine pupil from Hoërskool Hugenote and attended several wrestling training camps in Leipzig.
He was part of a team of 21 young wrestlers from South Africa, who competed in the 20th Internationale Philip-Seitz-Gedächtnisturnier in Kleinostheim tournament.
The SA team finished third overall and also enjoyed a three day practice camp with the German national wrestling team, while they were in Leipzig.
Fernando was the only SA wrestler who qualified for the final of the tournament.
He took first place at the in Kleinostheim and at Sparkassenpokal-Turnier in Jena, in the 42kg weight classes.
Read: Fernando stoei goud los
Students from Germany, Poland, Switzerland, Ukraine, Hungary, Bulgaria, Russia and the Netherlands competed in the two tournaments.
“In Jena, I fought against Mike Sell from Germany and managed to score 2-0,” says Fernando.
He claims the competition is getting tougher, but he persevered and tries to stay at the top of the game.
His father Dirk Booysen says Fernando was a privileged to win the gold medal in Kleinostheim, where he fought against nine other wrestlers in the 42kg weight class.
Read: Video: Fernando spog met 15 stoei titels
While the rest of the SA team returned home on November 17, Fernando stayed behind as an exchange student at the Landesgymnasium für Sport Leipzig School, where he attended several training camps and went to school.
Dirk says his son went to school every day and practiced at the school’s sport facilities twice a day.
“He has made a few new friends,” says Dirk.
Fernando boasts that he is able to speak and understand the German language better, after each visit to the country.
He is the current South African President’s Greco Roman Champion, South African President’s Freestyle Champion in the 33 to 36kg weight class – and also the South African Youth Greco Roman Champion, plus the South African Youth Freestyle Champion u-15 in the 36 to 39kg weight class.
