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

#WrestleNoviSad

U23 Worlds 2025: Forrest wins epic final to hand U.S. team title

Tuesday, October 28, 2025 - 00:40 By Vinay Siwach

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NOVI SAD, Serbia (October 27) — For a second time this year, the United States and Iran were involved in a thrilling team title race in Freestyle at a World Championships with the U.S. eventually winning the title.

After being tied at 102 points each at the U23 World Championships in Novi Sad, the U.S. needed one win and Iran needed to win all three bouts on the final day of the competition.

The U.S. sealed the team title as soon as Jaxen FORREST (USA) won the 61kg final, giving his country an unassailable lead of 137 points over Iran, which finished second with 127 points. Japan was third with 85 points.

With the team title, U.S. won the top spot in Freestyle in all age-group World Championships while Iran won the title in senior Worlds.

Three gold medals already in pocket, the U.S. won a fourth one on Monday through Forrest who had an unforgettable bout against Omurbek ASAN UULU (KGZ).

Both teenagers, U20 world bronze medalist Forrest and U17 world champion Asan Uulu put on a match that will be remembered for ages. Both wrestlers settled in, Forrest came up with an over-underhook for four but Asan Uulu soon fired back with two takedown to make it 4-4. After a back-and-forth scramble, Asan Uulu managed to score a push out for a 5-4 lead.

But Forrest took a big lead when he threw Asan Uulu from quad pod position for four points. Kyrgyzstan’s lost challenge added one more point to make it 9-5.

Jaxen FORREST (USA)Jaxen FORREST (USA) scores a takedown against Umurbek ASAN UULU (KGZ). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

The two were not done yet. As soon as the second period began, Asan Uulu scored a stepout, Forrest got a takedown to make it 11-6. Asan Uulu managed to get a takedown and score via exposure. He took a 12-11 lead with a takedown on edge with 1:30 left.

There was more left in the match as Forrest got on a low single to get a takedown and as the wrestlers returned to standing, he threw Asan Uulu for a big four, the third of the match to make it 17-12. He was happy to give one takedown to Asan Uulu in the final 10 seconds and win the gold medal 17-14, in what was perhaps the match of the year.

SUJEET (IND)SUJEET (IND) scores the match-winning takedown against Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

At 65kg, SUJEET (IND) upgraded his bronze from last year to gold this year after he blanked world bronze medalist Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) in the final, his third 10-0 technical superiority over Jalolov this year.

Sujeet began like favorite underhook and snapdowns and Jalolov was put on the clock. Sujeet scored a takedown during that period to lead 3-0 before a stepout made it 4-0, a lead which Sujeet carried into the break.

The second period was no different as Sujeet did not let Jalolov settle down. He scored using a counter takedown to lead 6-0 with 1:52 remaining. Jalolov tried to hit a far reaching leg attack but Sujeet throws thew himself backward before scoring a takedown. A double leg takedown to make it 10-0 with 1:06 remaining.

Arash YOSHIDA (JPN)Arash YOSHIDA (JPN) celebrates after beating Merab SULEIMANISHVILI (GEO) in the 97kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Japan went past Turkiye in the team race by one point, all thanks to Arash YOSHIDA (JPN) winning the gold medal at 97kg by beating Merab SULEIMANISHVILI (GEO), 12-2, in the final.

For a split second Suleimaniashvili was about to pin Yoshida but apart from that, Yoshida never looked in any kind of trouble. His body frame and power were too much for the Georgian who just folded in the battle.

Yoshida managed to score from various position and used the underhook to perfection to earn his first world title.

One of the most dominant wrestlers in this tournament, Arsen BALAIAN (UWW), capped off his incredible run with a 10-0 victory over Eugeniu MIHALCEAN (MDA), 10-0.

RESULTS

61kg
GOLD: Jaxen FORREST (USA) df. Omurbek ASAN UULU (KGZ), 17-14

BRONZE: Akito MUKAIDA (JPN) df. Mykyta ABRAMOV (UKR), 10-0
BRONZE: Tolga OZBEK (TUR) df. Erdal GALIP (BUL), 11-1

65kg
GOLD: SUJEET (IND) df. Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB), 10-0

BRONZE: Bilol SHARIP UULU (KGZ) df. Aykhan ABDULLAZADA (AZE), 10-0
BRONZE: Bashir MAGOMEDOV (UWW) df. Yuto NISHIUCHI (JPN), 7-5

86kg
GOLD: Arsen BALAIAN (UWW) df. Eugeniu MIHALCEAN (MDA), 10-0

BRONZE: Ali TCOKAEV (AZE) df. Tornike SAMKHARADZE (GEO), 13-2
BRONZE: Abolfazl RAHMANI (IRI) df. Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA), 7-5

97kg
GOLD: Arash YOSHIDA (JPN) df. Merab SULEIMANISHVILI (GEO), 12-2

BRONZE: Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) df. Abolfazl BABALOO (IRI), 7-1
BRONZE: Soslan DZHAGAEV (UWW) df. David MCHEDLIDZE (UKR), 4-2