#WrestleAlexandria

African Championships 2024 entry list

Monday, March 11, 2024 - 09:41 By United World Wrestling Press

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ALEXANDRIA, Egypt (March 11) — The fourth continental championships of the year, the African Championships, will be held in Alexandria, Egypt from March 14 to 19.

The tournament will see wrestlers from U17, U20 and Seniors and with the senior competition scheduled on March 19 and 20. The first day of the senior competition will see bouts in all 10 Greco-Roman and Women’s Wrestling and the second day will host 10 Freestyle weight classes.

Here the wrestlers registered for the senior Asian Championships.

Freestyle

57kg 
Salah Eddine KATEB (ALG)
Islam ZERROUGUI (ALG)
Roland TAMBI NFORSONG (CMR)
Alexander Joseph BUCKMAN (CPV)
Abdelrahman Elsayed Abdelrahman MAHMOUD (EGY)
Diamantino IUNA FAFE (GBS)
Younes LACHGAR (MAR)
John Kenneth Willbert LEOPOLD (MRI)
Omar FAYE (SEN)
KHALIL BARKOUTI (TUN)

61kg
Abdelhak KHERBACHE (ALG)
Hassan Mohamed  Elshahat Mohamed ELSAYED (EGY)
Thierno Sadou DIALLO (GUI)
Eugine Osale OMULULE (KEN)
Solomon Thato LOPENG (RSA)
Mika LEHMKUEHL (RSA)
Didier Awene DIATTA (SEN)

65kg
Zohier IFTENE (ALG)
Manaceu Nkunga NGONDA (ANG)
Samuel DOHYA KALE (CMR)
Anthony Sterling WESLEY (CPV)
Shehabeldin Emam Abdelraouf MOHAMED (EGY)
Gibriel CHOW (GAM)
Wotna Cana NDOC (GBS)
Rafael Nze NZE OYANA (GEQ)
Yassine JAA (MAR)
Stephen Simon IZOLO (NGR)
Sylvio Siyewoutima DIATTA (SEN)
Mohamed BEN HAFSIA (TUN)

70kg
Abderrahmane BENAISSA (ALG)
Ahmed Sadek Abdelfattah MOHAMED (EGY)
Brendin LOUW (RSA)
Ya Mouhamed NDONG (SEN)

 74kg
Saad BOUGUERRA (ALG)
Francisco de Deus KADIMA (ANG)
Israel NIYONKURU (BDI)
Baki TCHANI (BEN)
Honore Daniel ESSOMBA (CMR)
Joao  Paulo BARBOSA VICENTE JR (CPV)
Mohamed Tarek Abdou Khalil ABDELHADY (EGY)
Bacar NDUM (GBS)
Pedro Levi Ndong MESII NZANG (GEQ)
Mathayo Matonya MAHABILA (KEN)
Aime Mbolalalaina Joel RAKOTONIAINA (MAD)
Yassine SARDI (MAR)
Oyeinkeperemo BRAVEMAN (NGR)
Arno VAN ZIJL (RSA)
Mamadou DIOUF (SEN)
Jamal Spartan ABDUL (UGA)

79kg
Chems Eddine FETAIRIA (ALG)
Nasser Sayed Fares SAYED (EGY)
Benjamin RUBIO RONDA (GEQ)
Mohammed Amine BOUAZOUNI (MAR)
Linus Lucius VAN RENSBURG (RSA)
Mohamed Aziz BEN JAAFAR (TUN)
Jacob NTUYO (UGA)

86kg
Oussama ABDELLAOUI (ALG)
Cedric ABOSSOLO (CMR)
Matteo Alcidio Louis MONTEIRO FURTADO TRESSE (CPV)
Mohamed Ahmed Farghaly ABDELAAL (EGY)
Mohamed CAMARA (GUI)
Mark Omumasaba ONGUYESI (KEN)
Saad AMANDAR (MAR)
Oussama REGANI (MAR)
Jean David STE MARIE (MRI)
Harrison ONOVWIOMOGBOHWO (NGR)
Machiel Johannes GROBLER (RSA)
Siny SEMBENE (SEN)
Imed KADDIDI (TUN)
Ivan MASAKWE (UGA)

92kg
Yacine LAKROUT (ALG)
Aubin KAMGANG MOLOU (CMR)
Mohamed Mostafa Aly Elshamy SALAHELDIN (EGY)
Edward Louwis LESSING (RSA)
Issa RHIMI (TUN)

97kg
Fares YAHI (ALG)
Franck Lionel ANABA (CMR)
Abdelrahman Ibrahim Labib ABOUHEIBA (EGY)
Babacarr MBOGE (GAM)
Emmanuel OSEI SARFO (GHA)
Anas SAMIR (MAR)
Pape NDIAYE (SEN)
 

125kg
Djahid BERRAHAL (ALG)
Amoussou Nicolas CAKPO (BEN)
Georges TCHADIE (CMR)
Youssif Mohamed Badea HEMIDA (EGY)
Issah FUSEINI (GHA)
Ahmed SEREHALI (MAR)
Ashton Adeyemi Amin MUTUWA (NGR)
Justin VAN ZYL (RSA)
Nicolaas Johannes Steyn DE LANGE (RSA)
Modou FAYE (SEN)
Hamza RAHMANI (TUN)

Greco-Roman

55kg
Sefiane GUEZZANIA (ALG)
Bofenda David KALUWEKO (ANG)
Shaaban Safy Abdelrazek ABDELLATIF (EGY)
Virinao Cliff NGUATJITI (NAM)
Gift SIKHOSANA CHOCHI (RSA)

 60kg
Mohamed Yacine DRIDI (ALG)
Reginaldo Goncalves da SILVA (ANG)
Latuf MADI (COM)
Haithem Mahmoud Ahmed Fahmy MAHMOUD (EGY)
Fouad FAJARI (MAR)
Given SIKHOSANA (RSA)
Ibrahim BUNDUKA (SLE)

63kg
Abdennour LAOUNI (ALG)
Adham Ayman Gharib Abdou ELSAYED (EGY)
Mouad JAHID (MAR)
Romio Ricardo GOLIATH (NAM)
Kian DU TOIT (RSA)

67kg
Fayssal BENFREDJ (ALG)
Moustafa Hussein Fathy ALAMELDIN (EGY)
Souhaib KHDAR (MAR)
Sahid Tejan KARGBO (SLE)
Oussama NASR (TUN)

72kg
Abdelmalek MERABET (ALG)
Manuel Chaula BENZA (ANG)
Anthony Sterling WESLEY (CPV)
Emad Mohamed Ibrahim Mohamed Elemam GHALY (EGY)
Daniel Johannes DU TOIT (RSA)
Barend Jacobus BADENHORST (RSA)
Radhwen TARHOUNI (TUN)

 77kg
Chawki DOULACHE (ALG)
Francisco de Deus KADIMA (ANG)
Mohamed Ehab Mohamed Zahab KHALIL (EGY)
Shafaihuuna Devin BENHARD (NAM)
Dean VAN ZYL (RSA)
Slim MEJRI (TUN)

82kg
Amar MOUMENE (ALG)
Mahmoud Walid Abdelfattah IBRAHIM (EGY)
Aziz BOUALEM (MAR)
Belhasan AZAOUZI (TUN)
 
87kg
Haithem ISSAAD (ALG)
Roberto Mbaio NSANGUA (ANG)
Noureldin Hany Mohamed Gomaa HASSAN (EGY)
Wadii OUALAL (MAR)
Richard FERREIRA (RSA)
Hakim TRABELSI (TUN)
 
97kg
Amine BENDJELLOUL (ALG)
Emad Ashraf Mohamed ABOUELATTA (EGY)
Wissam KOUAINSO (MAR)
Christiaan BURGER (RSA)
Yassine BEN AICHA (TUN)
Mohamed Skander MISSAOUI (TUN)

130kg
Hichem KOUCHIT (ALG)
Abdellatif Mohamed Ahmed MOHAMED (EGY)
Ahmed SEREHALI (MAR)
Brahim MELKI (TUN)

Women’s Wrestling

50kg
Ibtissem DOUDOU (ALG)
Rosine NTSA ASSOUGA (CMR)
Malak Ahmed Mohamed Hassan Mohamed AHMED (EGY)
Debora Valeria TURE (GBS)
Emma Nekesa WANGILA (KEN)
Victorine RASOARIMALALA (MAD)
Miesinnei Mercy GENESIS (NGR)
Matilda KOKERA (RSA)
Nourhene HEDHLI (TUN)
 
53kg
Chahinez RABAH (ALG)
Mbuka Madalena CAROLINA (ANG)
Nogona Celine Josee BAKAYOKO (CIV)
Hadir Wael Imbabi AHMED (EGY)
Elisa Emma Patricia RASOANANTENAINA NOMENJANAHARY (MAD)
Zineb ECH CHABKI (MAR)
Christianah Tolulope OGUNSANYA (NGR)
Kyla MEYER (RSA)
Chahrazed AYACHI (TUN)

55kg
Aya Eid Gomaa SOLIMAN
Adijat Avorshai IDRIS
Lobna ICHAOUI

57kg
Chaimaa Fouzia AOUISSI (ALG)
Lassaleth Esperanca David ANTONIO (ANG)
Natacha Veronique NABAINA (CMR)
Shaimaa Khalifa Hussein ABDELZAHER (EGY)
Malala SOLONIAINA (MAD)
Zineb HASSOUNE (MAR)
Odunayo Folasade ADEKUOROYE (NGR)
Kara Ronelle LE ROUX (RSA)
Faten HAMMAMI (TUN)
Veronica AYO (UGA)

59kg
Hana Ali Hamada Mohamed HUSSEIN (EGY)
Ester ABRAHAM (NAM)
Mercy Bolafunoluwa ADEKUOROYE (NGR)
Chahd JELJELI (TUN)

62kg
Mastoura SOUDANI (ALG)
Gloria Lynca NIYONKURU (BDI)
Grace Nervine ABONA NKOUMOUDIE (CMR)
Angelina RODRIGUES MIRANDA (CPV)
Farah Ali Hamada Mohamed HUSSEIN (EGY)
Fatoumata Yarie CAMARA (GUI)
Eunice Wathira MBURU (KEN)
Esther Omolayo KOLAWOLE (NGR)
Minette KRUGER (RSA)

65kg
Ikome VIOLETTE NAMONDO (CMR)
Mouda Badawi Hamed Ahmed HAMDOUN (EGY)
Ebipatei MUGHENBOFA (NGR)

68kg
Yasmine BOUREGBA (ALG)
Kawiyatou ISSIFOU (BEN)
Blandine Nyeh NGIRI (CMR)
Menatalla Ahmed Osman Mostafa BADRAN (EGY)
Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR)
Bea MEIRING (RSA)
Patricia Saifeldin Elhah ELNOUR (SUD)
Nour JELJELI (TUN)
Khadija JLASSI (TUN)

72kg
Aimelda NDIFFO (CMR)
Heba Sapry Mohamed Abdelnaby IBRAHIM (EGY)
Ebi BIOGOS (NGR)
AYA ICHAOUI (TUN)

76kg
Amy YOUIN (CIV)
Pelagie WILITA (CMR)
Arianna  Olympia XAVIER (CPV)
Jana Emad Sayed Abdelrazek SAYED (EGY)
Jemima NYARKO OFORI (GHA)
Marie Celeste Andrea VILBRUN (MRI)
Hannah Amuchechi RUEBEN (NGR)
Zaineb SGHAIER (TUN)

#WrestleUlaanbaatar, #OffTheMat

Purevdorj reignites Olympic quest with Ulaanbaatar Open gold

Friday, June 20, 2025 - 09:31 By Vinay Siwach

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ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (June 18) -- The last time Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL) wrestled in front of home crowd in Ulaanbaatar, she was one of the top wrestlers in the world at 62kg.

She was the 2017 world champion and a year before that, she had ended Kaori ICHO's (JPN) 13-year long unbeaten streak at the Ivan Yaryguin Grand Prix. Then in 2018, she won the Asian Championships in Bishkek and the Mongolian Open gold medal in Ulaanbaatar.

Few months later, she failed a dope test at the Asian Games, where she had won the gold medal in 62kg. Her rise turned into a fatal fall and Purevdorj was left to serve the four-year ban. During her long hiatus, Purevdorj focused on personal life.

“I was very sad but I decided to just live and raised my son. I kept myself busy with him,” Purevdorj says. “The most important thing is my mind. It's important to be strong.”

Purevdorj, who still remains Mongolia last world champion in wrestling, made her comeback in 2022 and was part of the Mongolian team to the World Cup. She won silver medal at the Asian Championships in 2023 and qualified for the Paris Olympics in 2024.

Seven years since the ban and now in the twilight of her wrestling career, Purevdorj is hoping to reignite the fire to wrestle. She took the first step by winning a gold medal at hte Ulaanbaatar Open. The 31-year-old won in 62kg in front of her family and local fans to once again stamp herself as the best wrestler in Mongolia and even Asia.

"I am wrestling for the second time [first time internationally] this year but it's hard," she says after her gold-medal bout against compatriot and rival Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL) who she defeated 11-2 to win the gold medal.

At the Buyant Ukhaa Sport Palace in Ulaanbaatar, Purevdorj is joined by her husband, son and even parents as they watch her wrestle live after a long time. It's not an ideal start for her as she gets hammered 10-0 by Alina KASABIEVA (UWW), a wrestler she has defeated multiple times in her career before.

That's not what Purevdorj or her family expected in the first bout itself. But she runs back to the warm-up hall and prepares for the second bout, this time against Asian champion MANISHA (IND). And Purevdorj looked in form against the Indian, winning via fall. [The 62kg bracket at the Ulaanbaatar Open was a round-robin bracket, hence giving Purevdorj the second chance].

The fall helps Purevdorj get five classification points and a place in the semifinal over Manisha. She will wrestle Ekaterina KOSHKINA (UWW) for a spot in the final. Her son, six years old, keeps cheering every time he sees his mother on the mat.

Koshkina takes Purevdorj to the limits scoring via counters. Still, Purevdorj led 9-7 at the break and both resumed their dynamic wrestling. Purevdorj managed to defend some of the attacks from Koshkina and ultimately won 15-11.

In a high-affair all-Mongolian final at 62kg, Purevdorj put on a defensive masterclass to beat Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL), 11-2, and capture the gold medal.

"I was able to win because I played calmly," she said after the final. "In the first match, I was not good mental state and was not ready. But next match I was better."

Purevdorj celebrated with a few photos with her family and coaches. She looked visibly tired after the four bouts and could use some rest days.

"As I said, it's hard. I am not sure about anything," said Purevdorj, who was wrestling a UWW tournament for the first time since the Paris Games.

Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL)Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL) celebrating after becoming a world champion in 2017. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Martin Gabor)

When she began wrestling 17 years ago in Ulaanbaatar after her cousins introduced her to the sport, Purevdorj did not think she will reach this level. So being a world champion makes her feel happy and she is proud that she choose this sport.

“I'm seventh child in my family and only I am a wrestler. My cousins were wrestlers but they stopped soon but I never stopped. I really loved it."

But she regrets not having an Olympic medal. She has been on that stage twice but fell short. In Rio 2016, she lost in the repechage while in Paris, she lost to her long-time rival Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) in the bronze-medal bout.

Now, the only motivation to be at the 2028 Los Angeles is to get an Olympic medal which may complete her journey. A medal will make her the third Mongolian wrestler to win a medal in Women's Wresting.

“I'm not sure about wrestling till Los Angeles. But I'm just trying,” she said. “The last Olympics were so hard for me in my career. I'm trying again, and I've started this year. There are many wrestlers in 62kg who are better but I have to train more.”