Share

Botha claims SA's first Gold Coast wrestling medal

Cape Town - Johannes Botha claimed South Africa's first wrestling medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games when he took silver on Thursday.

READ: Visually impaired SA athletes blitz to gold, silver

Participating in the men's freestyle 74kg, Botha reached the semi-finals when he defeated Abdulai Salam, of Sierra Leone, on technical superiority, 12 points to 2.

Botha continued his strong form in the quarter-final with an impressive technical superiority win, which saw him 10-0 ahead over Wales' Curtis Dodge.

In the semi-final, the South African reached the final with a fall victory over Nigeria's Ebiniemfaghe Assizecourt, after having an 11-8 technical points lead at the time.

In the final, India's Kumar Sushil was far too good on the night and raced into a 10-0 lead in the first period which meant the contest was halted.

South Africa are currently fifth on the overall medal standings with a total of 32 medals - winning 11 gold, 9 silver and 12 bronze.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
25% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1473 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2252 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE