Great Brak armwrestling club wins nine medals at national champs

GREAT BRAK NEWS - A Great Brak club excelled at the South African National Armwrestling Championships from 3 to 5 April, winning nine medals - four gold, four silver and one bronze.

The WellneZone Armwrestling Club participated in the nationals after its successful qualification at the South Africa Armwrestling Federation (SAAF) Western Cape Provincials.

The club fielded a team of five athletes, each competing in both left and right arm categories at the championships in Boksburg.

From a total of 12 entries, it achieved the nine medals.

See a gallery here: Armwrestling club from Great Brak River, near Mossel Bay, earns nine medals at SA Champs

The participating provinces were: Western Cape, Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, Free State, North West and KwaZulu-Natal.

The five club members who took part in the championships were Archille Elizabeth, Willem Otto, Louis de Klerk, Tihan Labuschagne and Monique Maritz.

The club's left arm results:

1st Place: Tihan Labuschagne - Junior Boys U60kg, Louis de Klerk - Senior Men U75kg, Monique Maritz - Senior Women Open Weight.

2nd Place: Willem Otto - Youth Boys U65kg.

3rd Place: Willem Otto - Senior Men U65kg.

Right arm results:

1st Place: Tihan Labuschagne - Junior Boys U60kg.

2nd Place: Willem Otto - Youth Boys U65kg, Willem Otto - Senior Men U65kg, Monique Maritz - Senior Women Open Weight.

4th Place: Louis de Klerk - Senior Men U75kg.

5th Place: Archille Elizabeth - Senior Men U110kg.

All athletes who secured first and second places have been chosen to represent South Africa at the 2025 World Armwrestling Championships in Albena, Bulgaria, from 10 to 22 September.

The WellneZone Armwrestling Club is owned by Louis de Klerk and Monique Maritz.

De Klerk is the head trainer and Maritz is also a trainer.

Maritz said: "The display of talent, commitment and sportsmanship at the championships was genuinely inspiring."