African Championship Entries

Monday, January 27, 2020 - 18:22 By Eric Olanowski

ALGER, Algeria (January 27) ---The African Championships kick-off February 04-09 in Alger, Algeria, and 23 of last year’s 30 champions return to action looking to defend their crowns.

Second-ranked Odunayo ADEKUOROYE headlines a group of nine women’s wrestling returning champions.

Adama DIATTA (SEN), the man in search of African title number ten, highlights a list of freestyle stars that includes eight reigning gold-medal winners.

Egypt’s pair of top-five-ranked wrestlers Mohamed ELSAYED (EGY) and Abdellatif MOHAMED (EGY) are two of the six Greco-Roman wrestlers who are looking to win a second consecutive title.

The African Championships begin next Tuesday (February 4) at 10:30 local time and can be followed live on www.unitedworldwrestling.org.

Women's Wrestling

50kg
Ibtissem DOUDOU (ALG)
Nadine NDAYISHIMIYE (BDI)
Nde Caroline YAPI (CIV)
Nada Medani Ashour Abdalla MOHAMED (EGY)
Debora Valeria TURE (GBS)
Fatiha SAHMANI (MAR)
Miesinnei Mercy GENESIS (NGR)
Nahamie SAMBOU (SEN)
Sarra HAMDI (TUN)

53kg
Kheira Chaimaa YAHIAOUI (ALG)
Joseph Emilienne ESSOMBE TIAKO (CMR)
Kholod Ahmed Allam AHMED (EGY)
Elisa Emma Patricia RASOANANTENAINA NOMENJANAHARY (MAD)
Bose SAMUEL (NGR)
Chaima RAOUAFI (TUN)

55kg
Lamia CHEMLAL (ALG)
Faten Ramadan Shamndy AHMED (EGY)
Esther Omolayo KOLAWOLE (NGR)
Dorssaf GHARSSI (TUN)
Faten HAMMAMI (TUN)

57kg
Cheima CHEBILA (ALG)
Eman Essam Guda EBRAHIM (EGY)
Fatoumata Yarie CAMARA (GUI)
Odunayo Folasade ADEKUOROYE (NGR)
Siwar BOUSETTA (TUN)

59kg
Rayane HOUFAF (ALG)
Fatma Ramadan Gomaa Ahmed ELKELINY (EGY)
Bisola MAKANJUOLA (NGR)
Siwar LOUATI BEN ALI (TUN)
Khouloud EL OUNI (TUN)

62kg
Kenza ISMAIL (ALG)
Berthe Emilienne ETANE NGOLLE (CMR)
Amina Kamal Elsebaee IBRAHIM (EGY)
Winrose ALIVISA (KEN)
Aminat Oluwafunmilayo ADENIYI (NGR)
Marwa AMRI (TUN)

65kg
Amel HAMMICHE(ALG)
Donia Mohamed Abdelgawwad ABOUZEID(EGY)
Hannah Amuchechi RUEBEN(NGR)
Lilia MEJRI(TUN)

68kg
Drifa AREZKI (ALG)
Mona Reda Abdelkhalek AHMED (EGY)
Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR)
Anta SAMBOU (SEN)
Rihem AYARI (TUN)

72kg
Melissa SALHI (ALG)
Ornella Terancia Oswaldie SEREBOUSSO (CAF)
Eman Hany Hefny MOHAMED (EGY)
Sunmisola Idowu BALOGUN (NGR)
Zaineb SGHAIER (TUN)

76kg
Tassadit AMER (ALG)
Yvette ZIE (BUR)
Amy YOUIN (CIV)
Samar Amer Ibrahim HAMZA (EGY)
Blessing Joy ONYEBUCHI (NGR)
Nour JELJELI (TUN)

Adama DIATTA (SEN) is looking to win his tenth African title since 2007. (Photo: Max Rose-Fyne)

Freestyle

57kg
Abdelhak KHERBACHE (ALG)
Jean-Claude NDAYIZEYE (BDI)
Gamal Abdelnaser Hanafy MOHAMED (EGY)
Diamantino IUNA FAFE (GBS)
Mohamed Ismaele CAMARA (GUI)
Soufiane KABIL (MAR)
Ebikewenimo WELSON (NGR)
Jakobo Tanki TAU (RSA)
Fathi Mohammed Yagoub Nasir NASIR (SUD)

61kg
Abdelghani BENATALLAH (ALG)
Oussama LARIBI (ALG)
Rosian Ronald NGUIGAZA (CAF)
Christ Emmanuel NDRI (CIV)
Yousef Mohamed Yousef EISSA (EGY)
Fisayo KOLAWOLE (NGR)
Hermanus Nicolaas VAN DEN BERG (RSA)
Habib Mohamed El Tegani AHMED (SUD)
Dhia Eddine BAALOUCHI (TUN)

65kg
Amar LAISSAOUI (ALG)
Maxime Anicet Nazaire SIALO MAKAKE (CAF)
Fathi Tarek Fathi Attia ISMAIL (EGY)
Mbunde CUMBA MBALI (GBS)
Faly Hery Sedra RANDRIANANTOANDRO (MAD)
Otmane EL BAHJA (MAR)
Amas DANIEL (NGR)
Reynhardt LOUW (RSA)
Adama DIATTA (SEN)
Fakhireldin Antar Obaid SORIEN (SUD)
Farouk JELASSI (TUN)

70kg
Ibrahim MOKHTARI (ALG)
Lionel Patrick NGBO BAMBOU ASSANA (CAF)
Ahmed Mohamed Elsayed ELMADBOH (EGY)
Abubakar ALHASSAN (GHA)
Sampson CLACKSON (NGR)
Haithem DAKHLAOUI (TUN)

74kg
Ishak BOUKHORS (ALG)
Baki TCHANI (BEN)
Djibrine Garba NGAMBONGO (CAF)
Mahamad Mansour IDRISS (CAF)
Amr Reda Ramadan HUSSEN (EGY)
Augusto MIDANA (GBS)
Mathayo Matonya MAHABILA (KEN)
Mohamed CHAKIR (MAR)
Ogbonna Emmanuel JOHN (NGR)
Jaundre VAN RIEL (RSA)
Jean Bernard Diadia DIATTA (SEN)
Mohamed SESAY (SLE)
Maher GHANMI (TUN)

79kg
Mohammed BOUDRAA (ALG)
Saifeldin Shokry Mohamed Mahmoud ELKOUMY (EGY)
Foday KARGBO (SLE)
Ali Abdelwahab Osman BAKHET (SUD)
Ayoub BARRAJ (TUN)

86kg
Fateh BENFERDJALLAH (ALG)
Amoussou Nicolas CAKPO (BEN)
Nziga We Dieu Beni ZOZO (CAF)
Ulrich Elyse MANOUAN (CIV)
Khaled Masoud Ismail ELMOATAMADAWI (EGY)
Bedopassa BUASSAT DJONDE (GBS)
Roman MANITRA RAHARISON (MAD)
Oussama REGANI (MAR)
Ekerekeme AGIOMOR (NGR)
Zander GERINGER (RSA)
Blaise DIATTA (SEN)
Guma Babiker Adam BASHIR (SUD)
Sabri MNASRIYA (TUN)

92kg
Mohammed FARDJ (ALG)
Mohamed Abdalla Abdelmoneim ABDALLA (EGY)
Rachid OURIBI (MAR)
Mohamed Saifeldoula Mohamed MOHAMEDAIN (SUD)
Imed KADDIDI (TUN)

97kg
Oualid BOUAZIZI (ALG)
Hosam Mohamed Mostafa MERGHANY (EGY)
Fahd NAJI (MAR)
Angula Matheus SHIKONGO (NAM)
Soso TAMARAU (NGR)
Martin ERASMUS (RSA)
Mohamed SAADAOUI (TUN)
Amir ALAWAD (UWW)

125kg
Djahid BERRAHAL (ALG)
Diaaeldin Kamal Gouda ABDELMOTTALEB (EGY)
Anas LAMKABBER (MAR)
Johannes Jacobus KRIEL (RSA)
Thiacka FAYE (SEN)
Abdelmoneim ADOULI (TUN)

Two-time U23 world champion Mohamed ELSAYED (EGY) is the headline Greco-Roman athlete entered in the African Championships. He's ranked No. 5 in the world at 67kg. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

Greco-Roman

55kg
Abdelkarim FERGAT (ALG)
Youssef Mohamed Harbi THABET (EGY)
Romio Ricardo GOLIATH (NAM)
Dhia Eddine BAALOUCHI (TUN)

60kg
Abdennour LAOUNI (ALG)
Haithem Mahmoud Ahmed Fahmy MAHMOUD (EGY)
Abderrazak ROUINBI (MAR)
Ikechukwu Valentine ROBINSON (NGR)
Mehdi DHEKER (TUN)

63kg
Abdeldjebar DJEBBARI (ALG)
Mostafa Hassan Abdelaal MOHAMED (EGY)
Hamed Moustapha TCHOUFON (RSA)
Fakhireldin Antar Obaid SORIEN (SUD)

67kg
Ishak GHAIOU (ALG)
Abdelmalek MERABET (ALG)
Mohamed Ibrahim Elsayed Ibrahi ELSAYED (EGY)
Mouad LACHKAR (MAR)
Alfred Ebilade PARKISTAN (NGR)
Gert Cornelius Johannes COETZEE (RSA)
Radhwen TARHOUNI (TUN)

72kg
Tarek Aziz BENAISSA (ALG)
Abouhalima Mohamed Elsaid ABOUHALIMA (EGY)
Mohamed SESAY (SLE)
Lamjed MAAFI (TUN)

77kg
Abd Elkrim OUAKALI (ALG)
Wael Hamdy Mohamed ABDELRAHMAN (EGY)
Aziz BOUALEM (MAR)
Emmanuel Chinonso NWORIE (NGR)
Richard FERREIRA (RSA)
Foday KARGBO (SLE)
Ibrahim Mohamed Bashir AHMED (SUD)
Mohamed Aziz LANDOLSI (TUN)

82kg
Fadi ROUABAH (ALG)
Chawki DOULACHE (ALG)
Mohamed Mahmoud Elsayed Ahmed SELIM (EGY)
Ali Abdelwahab Osman BAKHET (SUD)
Ghaith HANNACHI (TUN)

87kg
Bachir SID AZARA (ALG)
Mohamed Moustafa Ahmed Abdall METWALLY (EGY)
Mohamed FAIQ (MAR)
Tochukwu Micheal OKEKE (NGR)
Edward Louwis LESSING (RSA)
Guma Babiker Adam BASHIR (SUD)
Mohamed Skander MISSAOUI (TUN)

97kg
Adem BOUDJEMLINE (ALG)
Noureldin Hany Mohamed Gomaa HASSAN (EGY)
Choucri ATAFI (MAR)
Mohamed Saifeldoula Mohamed MOHAMEDAIN (SUD)
Haikel ACHOURI (TUN)
Amir ALAWAD (UWW)

130kg
Hichem KOUCHIT (ALG)
Hemza HALOUI (ALG)
Abdellatif Mohamed Ahmed MOHAMED (EGY)
Soufiane RAMANI (MAR)
Amine GUENNICHI (TUN)

Please note that entries are subject to change and are not official until 24 hours before the start of competition.

#WrestleZagreb

Kusaka earns shot at world title; Iran puts 3 in final

Thursday, September 18, 2025 - 15:57 By Vinay Siwach

ZAGREB, Croatia (September 18) -- Olympic champion Nao KUSAKA (JPN) is a step away from winning his first world title.

After finishing with a bronze medal at the 2023 World Championships at 77kg, Kusaka went on to win the 2024 Paris Olympic Games at the same weight. The Olympic champion now wants the tag of world champion.

Returning for the first time since Paris, Kusaka wrestled like is the Olympic champion, beating Robert FRITSCH (HUN), 3-1, in the semifinals. He scored a takedown to open the scoring before getting the par terre advantage. He failed to score but led 3-0. Fritsch was in danger of giving up a four-pointer but he flung Kusaka on counter for a point to make it 3-1.

There was no action in the second period and Kusaka defended his lead till the time expired to earn his first trip to the finals at a World Championships.

"Like at the Olympics, you can't predict what will happen. But a year after the Olympics, I want to show my strength to the world again," Yoshida said after the win. " I always worked out with him, so we know each other well. But to me, it didn't matter if he had a strategy or not."

Earlier in the quarterfinals, he defeated Olympic silver medalist Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ), 4-2, in a rematch of the Olympic final. Kusaka had to come back as he was down 2-2 on criteria as Zhadrayev launched a counter throw for two points. But Kusaka added two stepouts in the second period to win 4-2.

He will now face Olympic bronze medalist Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) for the gold medal after the Armenian defeated world U20 champion Alireza ABDEVALI (IRI) in a one-move semifinal.

Amoyan got the first chance in par terre and he loaded for a suplex on the edge. Abdevali was ready to land on his hands but Amoyan changed his throw and slammed the Iranian in a reverse throw for four and lead 5-0.

Abdevali failed to score from par terre in the second period and dropped the semifinal 5-1 against Amoyan.

Despite Abdevali's loss, Iran managed three other wrestlers in the finals with world champion Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) leading the way. Two World Championships debutants, Payam AHMADI (IRI) and Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) reached the finals at 55kg and 82kg, respectively.

At 130kg, world champion Mirzazadeh had no trouble reaching the final after he defeated Wenhao JIANG (CHN), 3-1, in the semifinals. He got a roll from par terre for two points and despite par terre position in the second period, he won 3-1.

He will face a surprise finalist Darius VITEK (HUN) who denied Pavel HLINCHUK (UWW), 1-1, as he got the criteria for the first point in a 1-1 finish.

Farokhi, who won the Zagreb Open this year, powered his way to the 82kg final after denying local star Karlo KODRIC (CRO), 7-1, in the semifinals. Farokhi led 3-1 at the break after a takedown. He scored another as soon as the second period began before adding two stepouts to win.

He will face Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO) for the gold medal after the Georgian denied Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN) yet another comeback as he had all day on Thursday. Yoshida began with two stepouts before getting the par terre. He failed to score any points but led 3-0 at the break.

It was all Bolkvadze in the second period as he scored three turns from par terre to take a 7-3 lead. Japan challenged the last turn saying that Yoshida's head was out of bounds before last turn. However, the review showed that it was inside and Bolkvadze got a point for the lost challenge to make it 8-3 with 1:10 remaining.

Yoshida used an arm drag to takedown and make it 8-5 but he did not have any another action and Georgia got its second finalist of the night.

Ahmadi upsets Azizli

Iran's gamble to switch Pouya DAD MARZ (IRI) with world U20 champion Payam AHMADI (IRI) a week before the World Championships paid off as he denied four-time world champion Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) a record fifth at 55kg.

Ahmadi was subjected to a selection bout against Dad Marz in Iran and he defeated the former world silver medalist with ease thus earning a trip to Zagreb a month after winning the gold at the U20 World Championships.

In the semifinals, Ahmadi got a takedown to put Azizli on the backfoot. He was awarded the par terre position as well but failed to score. However, he led 3-0 at the break. Azizli got his chance in the second period but Ahmadi brought out his top defense to not give up any points and keep his 3-1 lead, a score he went on to win with.

He will face another teenager for the gold medal, Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO), who defeated Emin CAKIR (TUR), 2-2, on last point criteria to earn a spot in the final.

Lolua, just 18 years of age, won a bronze medal at 55kg at the U20 World Championships in which Ahmadi was the champion. Lolua and Cakir traded passivity points with the latter holding first-point criteria. Lolua got a third passivity which is without points and only position, but he failed to score from that as well. Georgia challenged for a leg-foul but there was none.

Cakir got a point for lost challenge from Georgia which made it 2-1 with 40 seconds left. However, Lolua got a stepout soon after and got the 2-2 criteria for the last point scored to win.

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Payam AHMADI (IRI) vs. Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO)

SF 1: Payam AHMADI (IRI) df. Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE), 3-1
SF 2: Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO) df. Emin CAKIR (TUR), 2-2

77kg
GOLD: Nao KUSAKA (JPN) vs. Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM)

SF 1: Nao KUSAKA (JPN) df. Robert FRITSCH (HUN), 3-1
SF 2: Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) df. Alireza ABDEVALI (IRI), 5-1

82kg
GOLD: Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) vs. Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO)

BRONZE: Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO) df. Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN), 8-5
BRONZE: Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) df. Karlo KODRIC (CRO), 7-1

130kg
GOLD: Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) vs. Darius VITEK (HUN)

SF 1: Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) df. Wenhao JIANG (CHN), 3-1
SF 2: Darius VITEK (HUN) df. Pavel HLINCHUK (UWW), 1-1

African Championship Entries

Comments

Kusaka earns shot at world title; Iran puts 3 in final