title: Daniel Bekker
text: # Daniel Bekker
  
  Daniel "Daan" Wepener Bekker (9 February 1932 – 22 October 2009) was a South African boxer, who won the bronze medal in the Heavyweight division (+ 91 kg) at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia. Four years later in Rome he captured the silver medal in the same category.
  
  ## Amateur career
  
  Bekker was the South African Heavyweight Champion from 1955–1959 and 1961.
  
  ### Amateur results
  
  * 1956 won the Heavyweight bronze medal at the Melbourne Olympics.
     * Defeated José Giorgetti (Argentina) KO-1
     * Lost to Pete Rademacher (USA) KO-3
  * 1958 won the Commonwealth Games in Cardiff, Wales.
     * Defeated S. Renaud (Canada) TKO-1
     * Defeated Gbadegesin Salawu (Nigeria) TKO-2
     * Defeated David Thomas (England) PTS
  * 1960 won the Heavyweight silver medal at the Rome Olympics.
     * Defeated Władysław Jędrzejewski (Poland) TKO-1
     * Defeated Obrad Sretenovic (Yugoslavia) KO-1
     * Defeated Günter Siegmund (United Team of Germany) PTS (4-1)
     * Lost to Franco De Piccoli (Italy) KO-2
  
  ## Death
  
  Bekker died on 18 October 2009 after a long struggle with Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases.
  
  