Wrestlers shine at Johnnie Reitz Big 5 Open in Pretoria
Wrestling
The tournament is considered the largest in the Southern Hemisphere, with more than 1,000 entries this year.
The Namibia Wrestling Federation (NWF) is proud to celebrate the remarkable success of its representatives at the 2025 Johnnie Reitz Big 5 Open Championships in Pretoria – the largest wrestling tournament in the Southern Hemisphere, which drew an astounding 1,008 entries this year.
Against this highly competitive backdrop, the NWF Senior Development Team Onghoshi, together with a large number of junior wrestler entries from Windhoek Wrestling Club and Roots Wrestling Club in Stampriet, delivered an outstanding performance, bringing home a total of 25 medals: 13 gold, 9 silver, and 5 bronze.
NamWrestling competed with a record amount of 48 wrestlers and 17 coaches, officials and team leaders. The Namibian wrestlers stood out for their tenacity, preparation, and technical prowess, consistently outperforming expectations.
Their success is a testament not only to the athletes’ talent and resilience but also to the exceptional efforts of the NWF coaching team, whose strategic guidance ensured every wrestler was competition ready.
A particularly heartening aspect of the success was the strong representation of wrestlers at primary school level – mainly from Windhoek Wrestling Club and Roots Wrestling Club.
These rising stars showed immense potential and maturity beyond their years and the NWF looks forward to what their futures may hold.
Participating in such a prestigious event and excelling on a platform of this magnitude is a major milestone for Namibian wrestling. It demonstrates that with commitment and vision, our athletes can compete with the best in the region—and win.
The referee officials that represented the NWF at the tournament were Mervin !Eixab, Erika Theron, Jackson Bundi and Alvaro !Eixab.
Namibia’s medallists:
Senior female (62.3 kg): Ester Abraham gold.
Junior female (43.1-46.9 kg): Rosalia Haibodi bronze.
U7 freestyle: Elle Hansen (girls) gold; Pieter van Niekerk gold.
President’s division Greco-Roman (29.7-32.2 kg): Granville Swartz gold.
President’s division Greco-Roman (37.9-41.7 kg): Werner Klein gold.
President’s division freestyle (44.6-46.3 kg): Hermanus Hanse bronze.
U17 boys freestyle (42.3-45.6 kg): Hermanus Hanse silver.
Girls U7 Greco-Roman: Elle Hansen gold.
Greco-Roman above 17 years (49.1-52.9 kg): Paulus Alweendo gold, Calvin Dreyer silver.
Greco-Roman above 17 years (77.7-81.5 kg): Devin Bernhard silver.
Greco-Roman above 17 years (54.7-60.2 kg): Virinao Cliff Nguatjiti gold, Joel Tangi Ipinge silver, Theo Seveleni bronze.
Boys U13 freestyle (26.4-27.7 kg): Caleb Grimbeeck silver.
Boys U13 freestyle (29.7-32.2 kg): Granville Swartz gold.
Boys U11 freestyle (28.7-31.6 kg): Francois le Roux bronze.
Boys U11 freestyle (39.0-42.7 kg): Werner Klein silver.
President’s division juniors Greco-Roman (52.2-57.3 kg): Theo Seveleni gold, Calvin Dreyer silver.
President’s division juniors Greco-Roman (57.7-63.3 kg): Lazarus Haimbodi gold, Darian Mouton silver.
Girls U15, 42.2-45.2 kg): Rosalia Haibodi bronze.
Against this highly competitive backdrop, the NWF Senior Development Team Onghoshi, together with a large number of junior wrestler entries from Windhoek Wrestling Club and Roots Wrestling Club in Stampriet, delivered an outstanding performance, bringing home a total of 25 medals: 13 gold, 9 silver, and 5 bronze.
NamWrestling competed with a record amount of 48 wrestlers and 17 coaches, officials and team leaders. The Namibian wrestlers stood out for their tenacity, preparation, and technical prowess, consistently outperforming expectations.
Their success is a testament not only to the athletes’ talent and resilience but also to the exceptional efforts of the NWF coaching team, whose strategic guidance ensured every wrestler was competition ready.
A particularly heartening aspect of the success was the strong representation of wrestlers at primary school level – mainly from Windhoek Wrestling Club and Roots Wrestling Club.
These rising stars showed immense potential and maturity beyond their years and the NWF looks forward to what their futures may hold.
Participating in such a prestigious event and excelling on a platform of this magnitude is a major milestone for Namibian wrestling. It demonstrates that with commitment and vision, our athletes can compete with the best in the region—and win.
The referee officials that represented the NWF at the tournament were Mervin !Eixab, Erika Theron, Jackson Bundi and Alvaro !Eixab.
Namibia’s medallists:
Senior female (62.3 kg): Ester Abraham gold.
Junior female (43.1-46.9 kg): Rosalia Haibodi bronze.
U7 freestyle: Elle Hansen (girls) gold; Pieter van Niekerk gold.
President’s division Greco-Roman (29.7-32.2 kg): Granville Swartz gold.
President’s division Greco-Roman (37.9-41.7 kg): Werner Klein gold.
President’s division freestyle (44.6-46.3 kg): Hermanus Hanse bronze.
U17 boys freestyle (42.3-45.6 kg): Hermanus Hanse silver.
Girls U7 Greco-Roman: Elle Hansen gold.
Greco-Roman above 17 years (49.1-52.9 kg): Paulus Alweendo gold, Calvin Dreyer silver.
Greco-Roman above 17 years (77.7-81.5 kg): Devin Bernhard silver.
Greco-Roman above 17 years (54.7-60.2 kg): Virinao Cliff Nguatjiti gold, Joel Tangi Ipinge silver, Theo Seveleni bronze.
Boys U13 freestyle (26.4-27.7 kg): Caleb Grimbeeck silver.
Boys U13 freestyle (29.7-32.2 kg): Granville Swartz gold.
Boys U11 freestyle (28.7-31.6 kg): Francois le Roux bronze.
Boys U11 freestyle (39.0-42.7 kg): Werner Klein silver.
President’s division juniors Greco-Roman (52.2-57.3 kg): Theo Seveleni gold, Calvin Dreyer silver.
President’s division juniors Greco-Roman (57.7-63.3 kg): Lazarus Haimbodi gold, Darian Mouton silver.
Girls U15, 42.2-45.2 kg): Rosalia Haibodi bronze.
Comments
Namibian Sun
No comments have been left on this article