African C'Ships

Diatta Snags Eighth African Crown

Saturday, February 10, 2018 - 20:52 By Eric Olanowski

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PORT HARCOURT, Nigeria (February 10) - Adama DIATTA (SEN) ventured to Port Harcourt with aspirations of capturing his eighth African title. The two-time Olympian outscored his opponents 21-3 on his way to his ninth finals.

In the 61kg finals, Diatta controlled Chedli METHLOUTHI (TUN) for the entire match, sealing his 5-2 victory late in the second period with an underhook throw by to a single leg.

At 57kg, three of the top-four placers from a year ago returned to this year’s African Championships. Ebikewenimo WELSON (NGR), the fourth-place finisher from a year ago and Jan Louwrens COMBRINCK (RSA) stopped Chakir ANSARI (MAR) and Abdelhak KHERBACHE (ALG) from making back-to-back finals.

In the finals, Combrinck found himself down 4-0 after giving up two early takedowns. He narrowed Welson’s lead to 4-2 after picking up a takedown of his own. Shortly after his first takedown, Combrinck picked up a throw and eventually stuck Welson late in the first period.

Amas DANIEL (NGR), Nigeria’s world team representative in 2010 snagged the 7-2 win over Haithem DAKHLAOUI (TUN), the 2017 African Championships fifth-place finisher after securing three takedowns and a point for a lost challenge in the 65kg finals. 

Reigning 70kg champion Ogbonna Emmanuel JOHN (NGR) thought his hopes for back-to-back titles were derailed after six minutes of wrestling. The scoreboard showed Amr HUSSEN’s (EGY) named underlined after a 2-2 battle, but that was incorrect. John scored a two-point move, and Hussen scored two one-point moves, which gave John the lead on criteria and his second African gold medal.

Ayoub BARRAJ (TUN), the African junior champion from a year ago picked up two one-point scores on the way to defeating Sami Hamdi AMINE (EGY) for the 74kg title. 

Moving to 79kg, Ekerekeme AGIOMOR (NGR) dominated the match from the first whistle. He took a 7-0 lead into the second period before picking up a pair of takedowns to defeat Fredylan George MARAIS (RSA), 11-0.

Melvin BIBO (NGR) improved on his 2017 African Championships third-place finish by not only making it to the finals but by picking up a 10-0 technical superiority victory over Hein Jakobus JANSE VAN RENSBURG (RSA) in the 86kg gold medal bout. 

Hosam Mohamed Mostafa MERGHANY (EGY) picked up the 3-0 win over Robert DAUFA’s (NGR) in the 92kg finals by snagging a shot clock point and picking up a takedown late in the second period.


Martin ERASMUS (RSA) did something that not a lot of people expected. He defeated the man who had ownership over the 97kg weight class for the last several years, Soso TAMARAU (NGR). In winning his first African gold medal, Erasmus denied the reigning champion from winning his third African championship. 

Concluding with 125kg, Khaled ABDALLA (EGY), African junior champion from a year ago held off two late flurries from Olympian and three-time African Champion, Sinivie BOLTIC (NGR) to win 2-1.

FINAL RESULTS

Men's Freestyle 

57kg
GOLD -  Jan Louwrens COMBRINCK (RSA) df. Ebikewenimo WELSON (NGR), via fall
BRONZE - Gamal Abdelnaser Hanafy MOHAMED (EGY) df. Chakir ANSARI (MAR) via dsq
BRONZE - Abdelhak KHERBACHE (ALG) df. Omar FAYE (SEN), 11-9

61kg
GOLD - Adama DIATTA (SEN) df. Chedli METHLOUTHI (TUN), 5-2
BRONZE - Firstman VICTOR (NGR) df. Gert Cornelius Johannes COETZEE (RSA), 7-5
 
65kg
GOLD - Amas DANIEL (NGR) df. Haithem DAKHLAOUI (TUN), 7-2
BRONZE - Reynhardt LOUW (RSA) df. Mbunde CUMBA MBALI (GBS), 12-10
BRONZE - Fares LAKEL (ALG) df. Sofiane EL KHAMER (MAR), vin
 
70kg
GOLD - Ogbonna Emmanuel JOHN (NGR) df. Amr Reda Ramadan HUSSEN (EGY), 2-2
BRONZE - Jean Bernard Diadia DIATTA (SEN) df. Tchani BAKI (BEN), 6-0
BRONZE - Chems Eddine BOUCHAIB (ALG) df. John Mburu KARIUKI (KEN), 10-0
 
74kg
GOLD - Ayoub BARRAJ (TUN) df. Sami Hamdi AMINE (EGY), 2-0
BRONZE - ALI Mustafa (SUD) df.. Chakir MOHAMED (MAR), 14-2

79kg
GOLD - Ekerekeme AGIOMOR (NGR) df. Fredylan George MARAIS (RSA), 11-0.
BRONZE - Francisco de Deus KADIMA (ANG) df. Augustine P Flomo (LBR), 10-0
BRONZE - Oussema RIGANI (MAR) df. Mark Omumasaba INGUYESI (KEN), 12-1

86kg
GOLD - Melvin BIBO (NGR) df. Hein Jakobus JANSE VAN RENSBURG (RSA), 10-0  
BRONZE - Imed KADDIDI (TUN) df. Assanti FRIDOUSSE (BEN), 10-0
BRONZE - BASHER Guma (SUD) df. Abdou LOUALI (NIG), vfo

92kg
GOLD - Hosam Mohamed Mostafa MERGHANY (EGY) df. Robert DAUFA (NGR), 3-0
BRONZE - John Odhiambo OMONDI (KEN) df. Eric W BORKUAH (LBR), 15-4
 
97kg
GOLD - Martin ERASMUS (RSA) df. Soso TAMARAU (NGR), 1-1.
BRONZE - Yvan Cedric NYAMSI TCHOUGA (CMR) df. Mohammed FARDJ (ALG), 1-1

125kg
GOLD - Khaled Omr Zaki Mohamed ABDALLA (EGY) df. Sinivie BOLTIC (NGR), 2-1
BRONZE - Clauds KOUAMEN MBIANGA (CMR) df. Adama TANGARA (CIV), 9-2

#WrestleSamokov

U20 World Championships 2025 Day 7 Highlights

Saturday, August 23, 2025 - 06:52 By Vinay Siwach

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SAMOKOV, Bulgaria (August 23) -- With four Greco-Roman weight classes, the U20 World Championships come towards the end. 63kg, 77kg, 87kg and 130kg wrestlers will be in action in Samokov, Bulgaria.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 6 RESULTS

13:55: In the final match of the morning session, former world U17 champion Yusuf BAKIR (TUR) needed a stepout with 40 seconds remaining to beat Mazaim MARDANOV (AZE), 4-3 at 130kg. Bakir with a 3-0 lead after he scored a turn from par terre, Mardanov takes criteria lead with a exposure from par terre and he tries to defend his criteria lead. However, Bakir manages a pushout to win 4-3.

13:45: Abolfazl FATHITAZANGI (IRI), the returning silver medalist, is not troubled by a Hungarian wrestler as he beats Koppany LASZLO (HUN) in the 130kg semifinal. Fathitazangi scored three stepouts while Laszlo had two as the Iranian wins 4-2.

13:25: Elias LYYSKI (FIN) stops world U17 champion Amirsam MOHAMMADI (IRI) in the 87kg quarterfinal with a 6-4 win. After he led 6-0 in the first period, Lyyski holds on to it and only gives four points in the second period.

13:15: Senior Asian champion Aytjan KHALMAKHANOV (UZB) lets out a huge scream as he down European U20 champion Igor PUNCHENKO (UWW) in the 63kg quarterfinal. Khalmakhanov got his defense in the second period and defended his lead to win 6-4.  

13:05: Damir IBRASHOV (KAZ) needed a challenge to beat Tural AHMADOV (AZE), 1-1, at 63kg. Ibrashov had the criteria from first par terre but was cautioned for fleeing but Kazakhstan challenged the call and won it to win 1-1.

12:50: Returning world champion from 72kg Zaur BESLEKOEV (UWW), who is now at 77kg, has no trouble in seeing off Petro SHAFRANSKYI (UKR), 8-0. Beslekoev is looking to win his second straight title.

12:40: Abdurakhman ABDULKADYROV (UWW), the European silver medalist at U20s, pins Orkhan HAJIYEV (AZE) and advance at 87kg.

12:32: Anri PUTKARADZE (GEO), European U20 champion and former world U17 champion, enters the 77kg quarterfinals with a 5-3 win over Asian U23 champion Akzhan YKYLASSOV (KAZ)

12:30: Martin LJOSAAK (NOR) will be ruing the chances he missed as he drops his 87kg bout 11-9 against world U17 champion Amirsam MOHAMMADI (IRI). was down 10-7 but Mohammadi was cautioned for blocking but Ljosaak can't finish the match

12:20: Ilias LAAOUINA (NED) is on a hot run here in Samokov. He now beats European U20 bronze medalist Bende OLASZ (HUN) at 63kg and into the quarterfinals.

12:17: Igor PUNCHENKO (UWW) with a technical superiority 9-0 victory over Al Bara CHOPALAEV (EST) and reach the 63kg quarterfinals. Punchenko looking to complete the world and continental double.

12:15: Tural AHMADOV (AZE) with a first par terre advantage and he keeps it until the end of the bout to win 1-1 against GAURAV (IND) at 63kg and advance to the quarterfinals.

12:10: Senior Asian champion AYTJAN KHALMAKHANOV (UZB) with a first-period fall over Manato NAKAMURA (JPN) at 63kg and wins his opening bout. Khalmakhanov is a 2022 world U17 champion

11:45: No problems for returning silver medalist at 130kg Abolfazl FATHITAZANGI (IRI) as he pins Saba PURTSELADZE (GEO), a former world U17 champion.

11:35: Big match between European U20 silver medalist Davud MAMMADOV (AZE) and bronze medalist Samvel TERTERYAN (ARM) at 77kg. Both wrestlers can't turn from par terre but Terteryan got the first point and he holds on to his criteria lead to win win 1-1.

11:20: Luka KOCHALIDZE (GEO), European U20 champion at 87kg, with a close 2-1 victory over Branko DUKIC (SRB).

11:12: Amirsam MOHAMMADI (IRI), who was recently crowned world U17 champion in Greece, is tested by Antonio LUKAC (CRO) in his first 87kg bout but Mohammadi wins 3-1. Perhaps he is feeling the difference in strength in the upper age-group.

10:55: Returning world U20 bronze medalist at 87kg Temirlan TURDAKYN (KAZ) looked a little rusty but manages to see off Wojciech IWANOWSKI (POL), 3-2.

10:40: Ilias LAAOUINA (NED) with an upset win over Asian U20 champion Emirlan DUISHENALIEV (KGZ). He manages to score 8 points from par terre and win 9-0 at 63kg.

10:30: European U20 champion Igor PUNCHENKO (UWW) faces William EKEROT (SWE), a European U20 bronze medalist. After a slow start Punchenko finishes the match in the second period with a fall and advance at 63kg.