They’re only 14, but the In’t Veld twins from Kempton Park, near Johannesburg, are looking to end South Africa’s lengthy drought in Olympic boxing medals.
Danny and Connor both won gold medals at a recent international age-group tournament in Nadym, Siberia and, perhaps more importantly, they impressed seasoned international coaches and officials there.
Connor, in the 50-52kg class, beat the Asian champion from Uzbekistan, while Danny, in the 52-54kg division, defeated the Russian champion in the final.
Danny was also named Boxer of the Tournament.
“We were told so many times by so many people, ‘you — good coach, good boxers, good students’,” said coach Peter Armstrong, who has been training amateurs since 1977.
They’re always fit
Making their achievement even more impressive was that they received the invitation a week before the tournament started, but — ensuring they’re always fit — they were able to accept.
Danny had his first fight the day after they landed in Siberia.
The twins got into the sport through their father, a boxing fan, and they discovered the same passion for fisticuffs. “We liked it a lot,” said Connor. “I liked the feeling of the thrill in the ring … trying to outclass the other guy.”
A lot of South African boxing is more on the fighting side, coming forward, but we don’t have one style. We studied the Soviet style, we studied the American style, we studied the Cuban style, and we mixed [them]
— Peter Armstrong, coach
But their younger brother, Logan, eight, prefers golf.
The duo do homeschooling in the morning, with Armstrong training them at their home gym in the early afternoon and again at his Kempton Park club in the evening. “They are scientific,” he said.
“A lot of South African boxing is more on the fighting side, coming forward, but we don’t have one style. We studied the Soviet style, we studied the American style, we studied the Cuban style, and we mixed [them].”
Built-in sparring partner
One would assume they have a built-in sparring partner in each other, but Armstrong explained the competitiveness between them made that difficult. “They’re terrible against each other,” said the coach. “They’re really, really competitive. The one must always prove that he’s better than the other one…
“You decide to make it a light sparring session, but by the end of the round they’re just about punching each other out the ring.”
Danny is the older twin, but only by default, insisted Connor. “We did C-section, so if we’d done [a] normal birth, I’d have come out first.”
Born premature, the In’t Veld twins were incubated early on, but the tubes were placed awkwardly on Danny’s ears, causing them to stick out a little.
“Ma always said it was a blessing when we were young because that was the only way you could recognise who was who,” Danny said with a laugh.
Turning professional
Danny is a three-time South African champion, while Connor has won the national crown twice, but on both occasions he was voted Boxer of the Tournament.
Both would like to study business after school and turn professional eventually. But before that they want to reach the highest levels of open boxing, as the amateur game is known these days.
Boxing used to be South Africa’s richest source of Olympic medals, with a haul of 19 up until Rome 1960, but the sport has stagnated since then.
Armstrong believes the twins could become the country’s top amateurs — as long as they remain dedicated and motivated. “You can earmark them for the 2032 [Brisbane] Olympic Games.”
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