SA teen wrestler shines on global stage after African title win

JOHANNESBURG - From boosting his rugby skills as a schoolboy to becoming one of South Africa’s brightest wrestling prospects, 17-year-old Juan Groenewald says his international debut taught him resilience, discipline, and the value of chasing big dreams.

Juan Groenewald represented South Africa at the U17 World Championships in Athens in August and won the 2025 African Championship in Casablanca in April. He spoke to Eyewitness News about his journey, the lessons he’s learnt, and what’s next for him.

“Initially, I was disappointed to be eliminated from the U17 World Championships in Athens, but reflecting on it, I’m really proud of finishing 11th out of 26 countries in my weight class. Competing on such a global stage was an incredible experience, and I’m motivated to build on that performance moving forward,” said Groenewald.

The 17-year-old freestyle wrestler, who competes in the 60kg weight class, says wrestling has been part of his life since Grade R, when he first tried it to boost his rugby skills. By Grade 1, after joining the Tuks Wrestling Club, he realised wrestling was his true passion.

“The competition exposed me to a range of innovative moves and techniques from top international athletes. I’ve been training hard to incorporate these into my skill set. Observing and learning from such a high level of competition has inspired me to elevate my game,” he said.

Balancing academics with wrestling is one of his biggest challenges, but he says the sport’s discipline keeps him grounded.

“Wrestling practice keeps me disciplined, so I apply that same focus to my academics. Support from my teachers and coaches also helps me stay organised. It’s challenging, but I love how wrestling pushes me to be disciplined in all areas of my life.”

He also highlighted how different the South African wrestling scene is compared to overseas.

“For example, a US state championship in my age and weight class might have 128 wrestlers, while our SA championships typically have a maximum of 8 in my group. In Europe, it’s easy to compete across borders, but for us in South Africa, international travel is costly and often means time away from school. Despite these challenges, our tight-knit wrestling community and dedicated coaches push us to maximise every opportunity, and competing overseas, like at the U17 World Championships in Athens, showed me how much we can achieve with the right mindset.”

Groenewald has already ticked off many of his 2025 goals, including winning the African Championship in Morocco.

“With my competitive season mostly wrapped up, I’m now focusing on rest and recovery. I’m also preparing for a big transition to the U20 age group in 2026 by refining my techniques and building strength, so I can hit the ground running next year.”