SWAKOPMUND – Namibia hosted its first official beach wrestling competition on Saturday at the Mole beach in Swakopmund.
The competition, organised by the Swakop Wrestling Academy, drew close to 50 wrestlers from across the country, with wrestlers travelling from as far as Rundu, Stampriet and Otjiwarongo to take part in the inaugural competition.
Beach wrestling is one of the simplest forms of sport. Two wrestlers compete on sand inside a seven-metre circle. Points are earned by pushing an opponent out of the ring or forcing them to touch the ground with anything other than their feet. Matches are short, fast and easy for spectators to follow. The discipline was officially recognised in 2004 by United World Wrestling and has featured in youth international events. It is not yet part of the main Olympic Games.
Founder of the Swakop Wrestling Academy, Gabriel Gurirab, on Saturday told New Era that hosting the competition on the actual beach is an important achievement for the academy and the Erongo region.
He says he started his academy in 2019 to provide young people with a positive environment and promote discipline through sport.
“Our community faces different social challenges, and sport is one way to guide young people,” Gurirab said. “Wrestling has brought athletes from all corners of Namibia together, and taking the sport outdoors helps expose it to even more people. Hence, adding beach wrestling in our programme is also another aspect that will keep our children away from the streets,” he said.
He added that Namibia’s coastline also offers good potential for the format and confirmed that the academy hopes to host two to three beach wrestling events every year.
President of the Namibia Wrestling Federation, Colin Steytler, said the event is a major step forward for local wrestling. Although a sand court is available in Windhoek, he said hosting a tournament next to the ocean offers a different experience for both athletes and spectators.
“This is the first time Namibia has hosted a wrestling event on a real beach. It is a milestone for us,” Steytler said.
Steytler noted that the competition ran well for a first-time event, with minor logistical challenges. Each wrestler is scheduled to participate in at least three to five matches to ensure sufficient time on the sand.
He encouraged young people who want to take up the sport to join a local wrestling club, where beach wrestling is now included in weekly training sessions.
“Beach wrestling will continue to grow. It is simple, exciting and easy for the public to enjoy,” he said.