Olympic dreams for Alberton wrestler

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Alberton’s very own Olympic candidate, Edward Lessing, will be taking on his Olympic qualifying tournament on March 13 in Morocco.

The 19-year-old wrestler, who is a member of the Alberton Wrestling Club, expressed his excitement at the prospect of competing in the Olympics, made more impressive by his youth.

Lessing has been wrestling for 10 years out of Alberton and Elsburg at different times.

For him, the road to the Olympics started last year after he recovered a knee operation.

At his age, Lessing would compete at the junior level, but has decided he would rather take on the challenge of competing at senior level.

Mid-2019, he was awarded his South African colours and joined the team wrestling in the Africa Championships which was a bit of a surprise for the young athlete, with the prospect to potentially qualify for the Olympic games.

“It is now a dream of mine to win the Olympic Games,” said Lessing.

Lessing flies to Morocco on March 8 to compete in the 82kg to 87kg events on March 13.

He describes his style of wrestling as adaptive, seeking to understand where he can overcome his opponent, adding that his training style has stayed largely the same over the years, despite the added pressure of competing at a higher level.

The unique nature of the sport is something he says draws him to the sport.

“You have to do things on your own, and this requires a lot of discipline,” he said. “At this level you have to be constantly aware so that you don’t lose on the mat.”

To have the opportunity to represent South Africa, and potentially even on the highest level of the sport, is something Lessing is very thankful for.

“It is amazing to think that I am one out a million,” he said.

“It is my dream that one day we would be as recognized on the streets as the Springboks, as we are competing at the same level for our country.”