Edrich’s wrestling prowess stuns grip and grapple world

Dundee’s teenage wrestling star, Edrich Nortje, has returned from an adventure of a lifetime in Georgia where he competed in the United World Wrestling Cadet World Championships in Tsibilisi.

Edrich’s adventure started with a nine-hour flight to Istanbul, Turkey, and after another three hours, the team arrived in Tsibilisi, the capital of Georgia. Team South Africa consisted of eight freestyle wrestlers, one Greco-Roman wrestler and one female wrestler. There was also a sport psychologist, two coaches and a team manager.

After a week of adjusting to the climate and losing the last grams needed to participate in the correct weight class, Edrich met his opponent from Kyrgyzstan. After a good start, Edrich led by six points to zero, but unfortunately lost the match on points. The match was selected by the United World Wrestling as the best match of day six of the tournament. Edrich is ranked 12th in the world in the 50-54 kg u/17 division, and placed above the talented Iranian and Russian wrestlers.

After the championship, the South African team toured to Bonjormi for the ‘More than Medals’ training camp, where they were instructed by coaches from the USA, Russia and Georgia and received pointers from Olympic gold medalist, Vladimer Khinchegashvili.

Edrich thanked his sponsors, without whom this experience would not have been possible: The South African Wrestling Federation, Auto House Vryheid, Sinethemba Construction, Hugo and Laurette Van Zyl, as well as his family for their encouragement and support, especially his father for his coaching, advice and for accompanying him to Tsibilisi, and above all, our Heavenly Father for the talent and this amazing opportunity.