A bronze for Christian Warner and silver for Stephan van der Westhuizen headline day one of the African Championships, with several U17 wrestlers gaining key continental experience.
Egypt (28 April 2026) – South Africa’s U17 wrestlers have opened their campaign at the African Wrestling Championships 2026 on Day 1 of the championship.
Leading the way was Christian Warner, who secured a bronze medal in the Greco-Roman 60kg division after a strong run through the draw. Warner showed control and attacking intent in his early bouts, recording dominant victories before fighting his way back to the podium with a convincing win in the bronze medal match.
There was also a silver medal for Stephan van der Westhuizen in the 110kg category. Competing in a straight final, he finished second overall after facing a strong Egyptian opponent, adding another medal to South Africa’s tally.
Several South African wrestlers gained valuable mat time against tough continental opposition. In the 48kg division, Stefan Roberts finished fourth, picking up a win by forfeit alongside a series of hard-fought bouts. Liam Carstens also placed fourth in the 51kg category, managing a win while facing strong competitors from across the region.
At 55kg, Ntando Matsoso competed in a challenging pool, finishing fourth, while Sebastian Fourie (65kg) placed sixth after two difficult matches.
In the heavier divisions, Jaden Christiaan Deysel (71kg) and Joshua Bothma (80kg) both faced tough opposition, finishing fifth in their respective categories.
On the women’s side, Tanique Jansen van Rensburg showed promise in the 57kg division, winning her quarterfinal bout before narrowly missing out on a medal, finishing fifth overall after a closely contested bronze medal match.
Attention now shifts to the remaining U17 women’s categories and the men’s freestyle events, where Team South Africa will look to build on its early medal success.
Sources: South African Wrestling Federation
Don’t ever miss the Good Things. Download the Good Things Guy App now on Apple or Google.
Do you have something to add to this story? Please share it in the comments or follow GoodThingsGuy on Facebook and Twitter to keep up to date with good news as it happens, or share your good news with us by clicking here or click the link below to listen to the Good Things Guy Podcast with Brent Lindeque – South Africa’s very own Good Things Guy. He’s on a mission to change what the world pays attention to, and he truly believes there’s good news around us. In the Good Things Guy podcast, you’ll meet these everyday heroes and hear their incredible stories:
Or catch an episode of Good Things with Brent Lindeque or our Weekly Top 5 below. The videos here are always changing, updated with the latest episodes from these two shows. Both are part of Good Things TV, created to bring South Africans balance at a time when the news can feel overwhelmingly negative. Our goal is simple: to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in our country – and to leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.
by 