Namibian wrestlers shine at Johnnie Reitz Big 5 open championships 

By: Petrus Amutenya

Namibian wrestlers achieved success at the 2025 Johnnie Reitz Big 5 Open championships in Pretoria, South Africa, the largest wrestling tournament in the Southern Hemisphere.

In a media release issued by the Namibian Wrestling Federation (NWF) the event drew 1008 entries this year.

Against this competitive backdrop, the NWF Senior Development Team Onghoshi, together with a large number of junior wrestler entries from the Windhoek Wrestling Club and Roots Wrestling Club in Stampriet, brought home 25 medals: 13 Gold, 9 Silver, and 5 Bronze.

NWF says NamWrestling competed with a record number of 48 wrestlers and 17 coaches, officials and team leaders, and that the Namibian wrestlers stood out for their tenacity, preparation, and technical prowess, consistently outperforming expectations.

Their success is a testament not only to the athletes’ talent and resilience but also to the exceptional efforts of the NWF coaching team, whose strategic guidance ensured every wrestler was competition ready.