Death of a medallist
Thursday October 22, 2009
Olympic boxing medallist Daan Bekker has died in Pretoria, aged 78.
Bekker died after a long struggle against Parkinson and Alzheimer’s disease.
He came from an outstanding sporting family with all his brothers and sisters representing South Africa in one or other form of sport.
Bekker, who received Springbok colours, boxed for the police force.
At the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne, Australia he won bronze in the heavyweight division and then returned to the next Olympics in Rome, Italy for another crack at glory.
This time he went one better and won the silver medal in the same category.
Born Daniel Wepener Bekker in Dordrecht in the Eastern Cape, he was South African heavyweight champion in 1962.
October 22nd, 2009 at 9:40 am
When a hero has fallen it is important that upcoming boxers take over. The Country have lost a great leader, a role model and inpirational person, who lived his live very well and contributed to the development of Boxing to the Country, I hope and trust that his name would not die and that it would continue to be among our thought,
Rest in Peace and thank you for the contribution that you have played in this country and for making sure that the yooung boxers out there sees a person thay they can look up to… as South Africa we are still yet to recieve medals from Boxing…..
Hamba Khanle Qabane..