#WrestleHammamet

African and Oceania Olympic Qualifier Entries

By Eric Olanowski

HAMMAMET, Tunisia (March 24) --- The fourth qualification event for the Tokyo Olympic Games, the African and Oceania OG Qualifier (April 2-4), kicks off next Friday. Over 150 athletes from 22 countries will attempt to finish top two in their respective weight classes and qualify their nations for the Olympic Games.

Freestyle
57kg

Abdelhak KHERBACHE (ALG)
Josh FAILAUGA (ASA)
Raoul Brillant NGANJI (BDI)
Gamal Abdelnaser Hanafy MOHAMED (EGY)
Junjun ASEBIAS (FSM)
Diamantino IUNA FAFE (GBS)
Mohamed Ismaele CAMARA (GUI)
Ethan Mikquin Tomapa AGUIGUI (GUM)
Chakir ANSARI( MAR)
Soufiane KABIL (MAR)
Ebikewenimo WELSON (NGR)
Jakobo Tanki TAU (RSA)
Saber DRIDI (TUN)
Kossai AJIMI (TUN)
Hachem HASNAOUI (TUN)

65kg
Amar LAISSAOUI (ALG)
Mostafa REZAEIFAR (AUS)
Fathi Tarek Fathi Attia ISMAIL (EGY)
Mbunde CUMBA MBALI (GBS)
Aime Mbolalalaina Joel RAKOTONIAINA (MAD)
Otmane EL BAHJA (MAR)
Abdelwahad BADRI (MAR)
Amas DANIEL (NGR)
Cristian Etpison NICOLESCU (PLW)
Reynhardt LOUW (RSA)
Adama DIATTA (SEN)
Farouk JELASSI (TUN)
Haithem DAKHLAOUI (TUN)

Reigning four-time African champion Ogbonna JOHN (NGR) will compete at 74kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

74kg
Ishak BOUKHORS (ALG)
Elias Lauofo VAOIFI (ASA)
Ethan James THOMAS (AUS)
Amr Reda Ramadan HUSSEN (EGY)
Augusto MIDANA (GBS)
Mathayo Matonya MAHABILA (KEN)
Rabii REGANI (MAR)
Ogbonna Emmanuel JOHN (NGR)
Guy Robert DE LUMEAU JR (PLW)
Jaundre VAN RIEL (RSA)
Foday KARGBO (SLE)
Ayoub BARRAJ (TUN)

86kg
Fateh BENFERDJALLAH (ALG)
Nolan Ili PULETASI (ASA)
Jayden Alexander LAWRENCE (AUS)
Khaled Masoud Ismail ELMOATAMADAWI (EGY)
Bedopassa Buassat DJONDE (GBS)
Ekerekeme AGIOMOR (NGR)
Zander GERINGER (RSA)
Maher GHANMI (TUN)
Imed KADDIDI (TUN)
Sabri MNASRIA (TUN)

97kg
Mohammed FARDJ (ALG)
Ariston Faamalosi BARTLEY (ASA)
Thomas John Mcglinchey BARNS (AUS)
Ulrich Elyse MANOUAN (CIV)
Hosam Mohamed Mostafa MERGHANY (EGY)
Anas LAMKABBER (MAR)
Soso TAMARAU (NGR)
Martin ERASMUS (RSA)
Kamel JAWEDI (TUN)
Chiheb Eddine CHIHI (TUN)
Mohamed SAADAOUI (TUN)

125kg
Djahid BERRAHAL (ALG)}
Tommy Dean JAMES (ASA)
Param Pal SINGH (AUS)
Diaaeldin Kamal Gouda ABDELMOTTALEB (EGY)
Ahmed SEREHALI (MAR)
Johannes Jacobus KRIEL (RSA)
Thiacka FAYE (SEN)
Abdelmoneim ADOULI (TUN)

Greco-Roman
60kg

Abdelkarim FERGAT (ALG)
Josh FAILAUGA (ASA)
Haithem Mahmoud Ahmed Fahmy MAHMOUD (EGY)
Fouad FAJARI (MAR)
Abderrazak ROUINB I(MAR)
Romio Ricardo GOLIATH (NAM)
Mohamed Yassine HKIRI (TUN)
Salim HAMDI (TUN)
Mehdi JOUINI (TUN)

67kg
Abdelmalek MERABET (ALG)
Bilal EL BAHJA (MAR)
Gert Cornelius Johannes COETZEE (RSA)
Souleymen NASR (TUN)
Mohamed Amine MALHI (TUN)
Radhwen TARHOUNI (TUN)

Zied AIT OUAGRAM (MAR), the ten-time African champion, will compete at 77kg. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

77kg
Abd Elkrim OUAKALI (ALG)
Sunil SHARMA (AUS)
Wael Hamdy Mohamed ABDELRAHMAN (EGY)
Zied AIT OUAGRAM (MAR)
Richard FERREIRA (RSA)
Lamjed MAAFI (TUN)
Mohamed Aziz LANDOLSI (TUN)

87kg
Bachir SID AZARA (ALG)
Ariston Faamalosi BARTLEY (ASA)
Mohamed Moustafa Ahmed Abdall METWALLY (EGY)
Aziz BOUALEM (MAR)
Khalid SAHLI (MAR)
Edward Louwis LESSING (RSA)
Hakim TRABELSI (TUN)
Mohamed Skander MISSAOUI (TUN)

97kg
Adem BOUDJEMLINE (ALG)
Tyler Talalemotu ILI (ASA)
Mohamed Ali Elsayed GABR (EGY)
Mohamed FAIQ (MAR)
Amadu O KAMARA (SLE)
Haikel ACHOURI (TUN)
Amir ALAWAD (UWW)

130kg
Hichem KOUCHIT (ALG)
Tommy Dean JAMES (ASA)
Abdellatif Mohamed Ahmed MOHAMED (EGY)
Choucri ATAFI (MAR)
Amine GUENNICHI (TUN)

Women's Wrestling
50kg

Ibtissem DOUDOU (ALG)
Nada Medani Ashour Abdalla MOHAMED (EGY)
Debora Valeria TURE (GBS)
Adijat Avorshai IDRIS (NGR)
Sarra HAMDI (TUN)

53kg
Lamia CHEMLAL (ALG)
Irene SYMEONIDIS (AUS)
Joseph Emilienne ESSOMBE TIAKO (CMR)
Rckaela Maree Ramos AQUINO (GUM)
Emma Nekesa WANGILA (KEN)
Elisa Emma Patricia RASOANANTENAINA NOMENJANAHARY (MAD)
Wissal EL GNAOUI (MAR)
Bose SAMUEL (NGR)
Lobna ICHAOUI (TUN)
Siwar LOUATI BEN ALI (TUN)
Nour El Houda RAOUAFI (TUN)

57kg
Rayane HOUFAF (ALG)|
Nadine NDAYISHIMIYE (BDI)
Eman Essam Guda EBRAHIM (EGY)
Fatoumata Yarie CAMARA (GUI)
Mia Lahnee Ramos AQUINO (GUM)
Atika EL ASLA (MAR)
Ikram BEN HAMMOUDA (TUN)
Faten HAMMAMI (TUN)
Siwar BOUSETA (TUN)

62kg
Amel HAMMICHE (ALG)
Berthe Emilienne ETANE NGOLLE (CMR)
Zineb HASSOUNE (MAR)
Aminat Oluwafunmilayo ADENIYI (NGR)
Fatma INOUBLI (TUN)
Khouloud EL OUNI (TUN)
Marwa AMRI (TUN)

68kg
Enas Mostafa Youssef Khourshed AHMED (EGY)
Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR)
Anta SAMBOU (SEN)
Lilia MEJRI (TUN)
Khadija JLASSI (TUN)
No. 2-ranked Samar HAMZA (EGY) highlights the entries at 76kg. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

76kg
Amy YOUIN (CIV)
Samar Amer Ibrahim HAMZA (EGY)
Nour JELJELI (TUN)
Zaineb SGHAIER (TUN)

Development

Argentina become first country in the Americas to host a Level 3 Coaches Course

By United World Wrestling Press

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (December 2) —Argentina has become the first country in the Americas to host a Level 3 Coaches Course, organized by United World Wrestling (UWW) and Olympic Solidarity (OS), with the organizational support of the Federación Argentina de Luchas Asociadas (FALA) and the Argentine Olympic Committee (COA). This historic course, held from November 25-29, also stands out as the first-ever Level 3 course conducted in Spanish globally, marking a significant milestone in the development of wrestling coaches in the region.

The course brought together 40 Argentine coaches--including seven women--to enhance their technical and pedagogical skills while embracing a high-performance vision. In addition, Ignacio D'Alessandro (ARG), an international 1S referee and UWW educator, conducted a refereeing clinic, which the participants highly appreciated.

CUBWorld champion and Olympic silver medalist Arsen JULFALAKYAN (ARG) walks through par terre strategy at the Level 3 Coaches Course in Argentina. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

One of the course's highlights was a technical and practical masterclass delivered by Arsen JULFALAKYAN (ARG), UWW Bureau member and Olympic medalist. Julfalakyan shared advanced strategies and innovative exercises that inspired participants to raise their training standards and adopt new perspectives in their daily coaching routines.

The program covered essential topics such as the profile of an excellent coach, tactical strategies, periodization theory and training methodology, and pedagogy for both grassroots and high-performance levels. This comprehensive approach not only strengthened the attendees' theoretical and practical knowledge but also fostered a sense of community and collaboration.

Raúl Trujillo and Filiberto Delgado, renowned Cuban coaches with a distinguished track record of training Pan-American, World, and Olympic champions, led the main sessions.

CUBLegendary coach Raúl TRUJILLO (CUB) walks through technique during a training session at the Level 3 Coaches Course in Argentina. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

"Argentina has tremendous potential. During this course, we focused on technical aspects and strategies to evolve and enhance the sport’s development in the country," said Trujillo, the celebrated coach of Mijaín López, a five-time Olympic champion. "The Americas are growing significantly; while Cuba, the United States, and Canada used to dominate, other nations are now achieving remarkable results at World Championships and the Olympic Games."

David Ochoa, Argentina's National Coach and newly accredited UWW Educator, supported the Cuban experts. Ochoa earned this distinction at the most recent Educators’ Course held in Guatemala just weeks prior, and his involvement exemplified Argentina’s commitment to nurturing local talent in wrestling education.

The course opened with an inauguration ceremony at the Argentine Olympic Committee, attended by key figures such as Fernando Rittner, president of FALA; Sebastián Pérez, Secretary General of FALA; Yuri Maier, UWW Sports and Development Officer; Arsen Julfalakyan, UWW Bureau member; and Cristian Roldán, head of administration and responsible for Olympic Solidarity. The practical and theoretical sessions took place at the National Center for High Performance Sports (CENARD), providing a professional and motivating environment for the coaches.

This course marks a significant step in the growth of wrestling across the continent, underscoring the importance of educational programs to elevate coaches’ technical and pedagogical levels. The certificates awarded, endorsed by UWW and Olympic Solidarity, symbolize not only recognition for the participants' efforts but also a commitment to developing the sport in Argentina and Latin America.

The success of this event opens the door to replicating this model in other countries across the continent, contributing to the global advancement of wrestling.