Tuks wrestler bags gold for a 2nd time at African Champs
Arno van Zijl achieved something few South African wrestlers have been able to do, and that is to win gold two years consecutively at the African Championships.
Tuks’ Arno van Zijl achieved something few South African wrestlers have been able to do, and that is to win gold two years consecutively at the African Championships.
At the recent Junior and Cadet Championships held in Algeria, he won all four his fights to ensure he was crowned the junior (u.20) under-74kg champion.
During last year’s championships, he won gold as a cadet (u.18). In 2017, he won a bronze medal.
Photo: Reg Caldecott
There is a real chance that the Tuks wrestler could complete a “golden hat trick” next year, as he will again be competing as a junior. He is in all probability going to miss out on competing at the World Junior Championships due to being in matric.
The quest for absolute perfection was, according to Van Zijl, key to his consistency at the African Championships.
“I started to wrestle when I was four years old. It did not take long for me to realise that if I wanted to be a champion, I needed to be dedicated.
“For the last 10 years after every training session, I chose to stay behind to try and improve some specific technique which I believed would stand me to good stead. I guess all those extra five to 15 minutes are paying off,” said Van Zijl.
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According to Van Zijl it requires a strong mindset to become a champion.
“Often, before I compete internationally, I find myself doubting my abilities. You cannot have that. So I force myself to first win the fight in my mind before I step onto the wrestling mats,” he said.
“One of my most intimidating encounters was against a guy from Morocco. He had a really long beard which made him look older and more experienced. I had to convince myself that looks count for nothing. He also has only two arms and two legs. So it is a fair contest.
Photo: Reg Caldecott
“Apart from a positive mindset, you got to be physically strong as well as fit when you wrestle. Wrestling for a few minutes at a time might not sound like a challenge, but it should be remembered that you need to be focused every second you are on the mats. In your mind, you got to be able to think, actually strategise, as to how you are going to catch your opponent off-guard,” he concluded.
Rubin Jansen van Vuuren (bronze) and Kian du Toit (bronze) are the other Tuks wrestlers who medalled at the African Championships.
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