#development

South Africa Advances National Wrestling System with DNSS Phase 2

Thursday, April 9, 2026 - 07:25 By United World Wrestling Press

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PRETORIA, South Africa (April 8) -- South Africa has reached a decisive milestone in its long-term wrestling development strategy with the successful implementation of Phase 2 of the Development of National Sport System (DNSS) programme, delivered in collaboration with United World Wrestling (UWW) and supported by Olympic Solidarity.

Following the diagnostic and mapping phase conducted earlier, Phase 2 marks a clear transition from analysis to structured implementation, laying the foundation for a sustainable and internationally aligned wrestling system.

Led by UWW Development Officer Vincent AKA, in close cooperation with the South African Wrestling Federation (SAWF), the National Head Coach, Markus DEKKER and Provincial Coordinators, the programme was deployed across multiple provinces through a structured 10-day intervention from March 2 to 13. 

Activities were conducted in key locations including:

· LPWA (Ion Bachu)
· CGWA (Ruiter)
· NGWA (Menlo Park Hall)
· Frank Joubert Tournament (Menlo Park Hall)

This nationwide approach ensured direct engagement with provincial structures, strengthening alignment between national leadership and local associations while promoting inclusive development across the country.

From Talent Identification to System Building

Unlike traditional training camps, DNSS Phase 2 focused on identifying talent and building long-term development systems. Wrestlers and coaches from all age categories -- U13, U15, U17, U20, and Senior -- were actively involved, ensuring a complete pathway approach.

Provincial visits and stakeholder meetings played a key role in assessing facilities and operational structures, strengthening coordination between SAWF and provinces, and identifying emerging wrestlers.

Building Athlete Pipeline

A training camp for different provinces brought together wrestler to consolidate talent identified during Phase 1 and introduce standardized training methodologies.

The training camp included technical sessions, physical conditioning, match simulations and wrestling. The initiative contributed to the creation of an updated national prospect and the foundation of a structured athlete monitoring system.

South Africa

Beach Wrestling Gains Momentum

As part of the DNSS activities, a Beach Wrestling training session in Roodepoort highlighted the programme’s expanding impact.

During the visit, Aka led a specialized session, sharing advanced technical insights adapted to beach wrestling. It included stance and balance adjustments, grip and control techniques, and movement adaptation on sand.

The training programme comes at a crucial time, as South African athletes prepare for African Beach Wrestling Championships in Alexandria, Egypt and other international tournaments.

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Road to Dakar 2026 Continues with Successful Central Africa Programme in Brazzaville

Monday, June 22, 2026 - 08:50 By United World Wrestling Press

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BRAZZAVILLE, Republic of Congo (June 21) -- The second stop of the United World Wrestling (UWW) Africa Regional Educational Development Programme, Road to Dakar 2026, concluded successfully in Brazzaville after a week combining athlete preparation, education, technical development and competition in Olympic and Beach Wrestling.

Held from June 8 to 14 in the Republic of Congo, the Central Africa phase brought together National Olympic Committees and National Federations from across the region under a unified objective: strengthening wrestling ecosystems and creating more accessible pathways toward the Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026.

As the second of four regional tournaments scheduled within the continental Road to Dakar programme, the event represented another important milestone on the road to the first Olympic event to be hosted on African soil.

Africa REDT

The UWW Africa Regional Educational Development Programme was designed as a comprehensive and sustainable model that extends beyond competition. The initiative combines athlete development camps, coach and referee education, and practical competition opportunities.

By decentralising activities across regions and consolidating training and competition into one structure, the programme aims to reduce financial barriers for national federations and increase opportunities for athletes and technical officials.

Throughout the week, athletes participated in intensive daily training sessions, as coaches attended the UWW Technical Course - Level 2, focused on improving technical knowledge, athlete development methodologies and long-term performance planning.

Africa REDT

Simultaneously, referees took part in dedicated education sessions covering Beach Wrestling and introductory officiating pathways, preparing them for selection to undertake the International Category III referee examination in the future.

The programme concluded with the Regional Tournament, followed by the Beach Wrestling Regional Tournament, giving participants the opportunity to apply lessons learned during the educational phase directly into competition conditions.

The programme specifically prioritised youth development, with participating athletes largely drawn from the U17 age group and encouraging the involvement of emerging coaches across Central Africa. Support mechanisms jointly delivered by UWW and Olympic Solidarity helped facilitate participation through travel, accommodation, training access and tournament organisation.

Africa REDT

More than just a standalone event, Brazzaville demonstrated the long-term vision behind Road to Dakar 2026 by building stronger national structures, expanding participation and creating sustainable development opportunities well before the final qualification stages for the Youth Olympic Games.