Buys represents in Serbia
Brakpan Wrestling Club’s JP Buys shot onto the wrestling scene like a rocket in the sky, and the world has taken notice of his skills on the wrestling mat.

He only started wrestling at the age of 15, yet he has accomplished more than most South African wresters his age, of which most have been wrestling since they were eight years old.
Last year Buys was chosen for his first tour where he represented the country on the mat and did not disappoint.
He managed to walk away from the All African Cadet Championships, which was hosted in Madagascar, as the African u-46kg Cadet Greco Roman Champion.
This title made him even more determined for success, and he returned to South Africa and worked even harder.
The Grade 11 student from Hoërskool Dr EG Jansen in Boksburg, made it his aim to go even further in wrestling in 2013.
Not only did he start the year off with the SA Cadet u-50kg Greco-Roman title in May this year, he also achieved a South African silver medal as a junior in the same weight and category.
Buys then went on to win the coveted SA u-50kg Presidents Champion title for 2013 in freestyle, by beating the best of South Africa’s juniors in this weight category.
The South African Wrestling Federation took note of his success and included him in the cadet and junior tour to the US, where once again he wiped out his opposition by winning all of his matches.
This performance secured him a spot in the South African team that traveled to Serbia to take part in the 2013 Word Cadet Championships.
This dream had eluded him in 2012, but all the long hours, sweat and hard work finally paid off.
Come weigh in day, Buys had to work hard to make his weight, but beat the scale and weighed in at exactly 50kg, one of 20 wrestlers to take part in his category.
With the first hurdle concurred and behind him, he prepared himself mentally for the next day’s wrestling.
His draw was tough, as he drew the defending champion, Amiraslanov Mahir from Azerbaijan, in the first round.
He did very well by winning his first round, but his opponent came back in the second round and beat him on points, taking the match 12-4.
The Brakpan Wrestling Club wrestler had done enough to go through to wrestle for the bronze medal, where once again his opponent, this time from Georgia, got the upper-hand, after Buys managed to score first, but was pinned by the Georgian.
The match ended with a final score of 3-2.
Buys placed 12th in his category and division, and all of his supporters at Brakpan Wrestling Club could not have been prouder.
JP will now prepare for the South African Junior Championships, which will take place at the end of September, in Bloemfontein.