Egypt rides on four golds to win African Championships title

Sunday, May 22, 2022 - 20:26 By Vinay Siwach

EL JADIDA, Morocco (May 22) -- For a second straight day, Egypt and Algeria were involved in a thrilling team title race at the African Championships.

Egypt, after winning the Greco-Roman team title Saturday by one point, pipped Algeria for the freestyle team title as the continental championships came to a close in El Jadida.

Egypt finished with 195 points to finish at the top while Algeria had 178 points. South Africa finished with 93 points to claim the third position.

The two nations were tied for gold medals at four apiece but wrestlers from Egypt reached the medal bout in all 10 weight classes while Algeria finished the opportunity at 57kg and had no entry in 125kg which hurt them the most.

Mostafa ELDERS (EGY) won the 97kg gold medal. (Photo: UWW / Bayrem Ben Mrad)

In a crucial gold medal bout, Mostafa ELDERS (EGY) defeated U20 world bronze medalist Nicolaas DE LANGE (RSA) 7-0 at 97kg despite starting as the underdog.

De Lange was expected to win his first gold at African Championships but Elders had different ideas. He began with a quick takedown and roll to lead 4-0. De Lange went for Elders' leg on multiple occasions but could not finish a single move. The Egypt wrestler led 5-0 at the break.

Elders shifted to defense in the second period and De Lange found it extremely difficult to score. He was for fleeing during a stepout which gave a tiring Elders two more points. He managed to play out the remaining time on the clock to seal the team title for Egypt.

In another high-stake final, Tokyo Olympian Amr Reda RAMADAN (EGY) clinched his second African title by winning the gold medal at 74kg. In a bout he was expected to win comfortably, Ramadan trailed junior African champion Adelkader IKKAL (ALG) 5-1 after two minutes.

Ikkal tried to shoot for Ramadan's legs numerous times in the second period but ended up giving up points which proved to be his undoing. Ramadan scored eight straight points on counters to win 9-5.

At 125kg, Youssif HEMIDA (EGY) made a mockery of his competition in the nordic bracket. With only three wrestlers entered, Hemida scored 11-0 wins over Anas LAMKABBER (MAR) and Hamza RAHMANI (TUN) to clinch the gold medal.

The former U23 World silver medalist, who trains in the USA, showed the gulf in the class in wrestling as Lamkabber and Rahmani looked out of sorts on the mat.

The fourth gold for Egypt came at 57kg as Gamal MOHAMED (EGY) held off Ebikewenimo WELSON (NGR), 5-0 in the final. In a controlled bout, Mohamed got the first point for Welson's passivity to lead 1-0 at the break.

He scored a takedown in the second period and wait for the clock to expire while fending off Welson's attacks. He got another takedown at the end off a desperate attack by Welson.

For Algeria, Tokyo Olympian Fateh BENFERDJALLAH (ALG) won his first senior African gold medal with a 6-2 win over Mahmoud BADAWI (EGY). He scored all of his six points in the first period while giving up two in the second.

The 21-year-old continues to improve at the senior level after qualifying Algeria for the Tokyo Olympics last year. The top seed in El Jadida began the tournament with an 11-0 win before pinning Edward LESSING (RSA) in the semifinal.

Mohammed FARDJ (ALG) defended his 92kg gold at the African Championships. (Photo: UWW / Bayrem Ben Mrad)

Another Olympian who won the gold for Algeria was Mohammed FARDJ (ALG). Unlike Benferdjallah, Fardj displayed a dominating performance in the 92kg final against Imed KADDIDI (TUN). He won 11-0 to defend his title.

He outscored his opponents 34-0 over three bouts in what was a stunning performance throughout the day.

The fourth gold medal for Algeria was won by Chems FETAIRIA (ALG) who defeated Youssef AIT BOULAHRI (MAR), 13-3 in the 79kg final to win his first African title.

A trip and gut wrench gave Fetairia four points but Boulahri also got two for holding Fetairia in danger in the same sequence as the score read 4-3. But Fetairia launched a suplex in the first period for four before a match ending four-pointer in the second period.

79kg was also the weight where Mauritius won their first freestyle medal in 20 years. Jean STE MARIE (MRI), who lost to Boulahri 14-12 in the semifinal, defeated Donald MABUSELA (RSA), 12-2 in the bronze medal bout to end his country's 22-year wait for a freestyle medal.

The remaining two gold medals were captured by Guinea-Bissau as Mbunde CUMBA MBALI (GBS) claimed the 65kg title while Bacar NDUM (GBS) won the gold at 70kg by defeated Algerian opponents.

In the 65kg final, defending champion Cumba Mbali scored three points in the first period against Chouaib SAHRAOUI (ALG) and went into a shell. He was warned for passivity but that only cost him one point. He hung on for a 3-1 win and his third straight African Championships title.

Ndum was more dominant as he defeated Rami BRINIS (ALG), 9-0 in the 70kg final to become a first-time African champion.

Ndum's run in El Jadida included two technical superiority wins in the quarterfinal and semifinal before he maintained the clean slate in the final as well.

Another star from the country, Tokyo Olympian Diamantino IUNA FAFE (GBS) suffered a heartbreaking 2-1 loss to Welson in the 57kg semifinal. But he bounced back to claim the bronze medal with a 10-0 win over Rabby KILANDI (COD).

Freestyle Results

57kg
GOLD: Gamal MOHAMED (EGY) df. Ebikewenimo WELSON (NGR), 5-0

BRONZE: Omar FAYE (SEN) df. Jakobo TAU (RSA), 18-11
BRONZE: Diamantino IUNA FAFE (GBS) df. Rabby KILANDI (COD), 10-0

61kg
GOLD: Abdelhak KHERBACHE (ALG) df. Shehabeldin MOHAMED (EGY), 3-0

BRONZE: Sofiane EL KHAMER (MAR) df. Jordan Ngalula KABONGO (COD), 10-0
BRONZE: Awene DIATTA (SEN) df. Kenneth KOECH (KEN), 10-0

65kg
GOLD: Mbunde CUMBA MBALI (GBS) df. Chouaib SAHRAOUI (ALG), 3-1

BRONZE: Yehia HAFEZ (EGY) df. Jason AFRIKANER (NAM), 4-3
BRONZE: Otmane EL BAHJA (MAR) df. Raby BAPELEKIA (CGO), 8-7

70kg
GOLD: Bacar NDUM (GBS) df. Rami BRINIS (ALG), 9-0

BRONZE: Mohamed ZORGUI (TUN) df. Anthony WESLEY (CPV), 11-0
BRONZE: Said ELGAHSH (EGY) df. Guy LAGO (CIV), 2-1

74kg
GOLD: Amr HUSSEN (EGY) df. Abdelkader IKKAL (ALG), 9-5

BRONZE: Arno VAN ZIJL (RSA) df. Mamadou DIOUF (SEN), 2-0
BRONZE: Ogbonna JOHN (NGR) df. Brian OLOO (KEN), 10-0

79kg
GOLD: Chems FETAIRIA (ALG) df. Youssef AIT BOULAHRI (MAR), 13-3

BRONZE: Jean STE MARIE (MRI) df. Donald MABUSELA (RSA), 12-2
BRONZE: Andy MUKENDI (COD) df. Karim ELDOBAY (EGY), 12-6

86kg
GOLD: Fateh BENFERDJALLAH (ALG) df. Mahmoud BADAWI (EGY), 6-2

BRONZE: Ekerekeme AGIOMOR (NGR) df. Sabri MNASRIA (TUN), 9-0
BRONZE: Edward LESSING (RSA) df. Barthelemy TSHOSHA (COD), 8-1

92kg
GOLD: Mohammed FARDJ (ALG) df. Imed KADDIDI (TUN), 11-0

BRONZE: Machiel GROBLER (RSA) df. Timothee TOE (BUR), via forfeit
BRONZE: Noureldin HASSAN (EGY) df. Ahmed SEREHALI (MAR) , 10-0

97kg
GOLD: Mostafa ELDERS (EGY) df. Nicolaas DE LANGE (RSA) , 7-0

BRONZE: Ulrich MANOUAN (CIV) df. John FOLANE (BUR), via forfeit
BRONZE: Mohamed SAADAOUI (TUN) df. Abderrahmane BENACHA (ALG), 10-0

125kg
GOLD: Youssif HEMIDA (EGY)
SILVER: Anas LAMKABBER (MAR)
BRONZE: Hamza RAHMANI (TUN)

Key match: Youssif HEMIDA (EGY) df. Anas LAMKABBER (MAR), 11-0 (Round 2)

#WrestleTirana

Assetuly wins Kazakhstan's first U23 world title

Saturday, October 28, 2023 - 23:07 By Vinay Siwach

TIRANA, Albania (October 28) -- This year keeps getting better for Kazakhstan wrestling. A month after the country got its first Freestyle senior world champion in Belgrade, Sultan ASSETULY (KAZ) on Saturday became the first wrestler from his country to win the U23 World Championships.

The former Asian champion won the gold medal at 63kg by beating Mustafa YILDIRIM (TUR) 2-1 in the 67kg gold medal bout in Tirana, Albania.

Yildirim got the first par terre advantage which Assetuly managed to defend well. When Assetuly got the activity point in the second period, he lifted Yildirim and tried a throw. Though he did not get a correct throw, Assetuly got Yildirim to stepout of the zone and get one point.

Assetuly's 2-1 lead after that exchange remained the final score of the bout as he clinched the historic title.

"I am very happy to be the first champion from Kazakhstan," Assetuly said. "I am not going to stop here, I will work hard and win the senior world title. I got this medal in a very tough way."

Sultan ASSETULY (KAZ) celebrates after winning the 67kg gold medal. (Photo: UWW / Ulug Bugra Han Degirmenci)

Out of his five wins for the gold medal, Assetuly's two wins were 1-1. His opening bout against Oleg KHALILOV (UKR) almost ended his run as he survived a close stepout but the match took a toll on him.

"Every single match, every single minute and second were really tough," he said. "The first match was the hardest. I won 1-1, but at the end of the match, I almost stepped out. After that match, I couldn't even walk for 30 minutes."

That win was followed by a 9-0 thrashing of Steve MOMILIA (ITA) to set up a quarterfinal against former U17 world champion Muslim IMADAEV (AIN). Assetuly once again struggled but managed to beat Imadaev 1-1. He humbled Hasan MAMMADLI (AZE) 11-0 in the semifinal.

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Despite his golden run, Assetuly did rue the fact that a champion belt is not awarded at the U23 level.

"I want the champion belt, they don't give us belts here though."

Assetuly, a Taraz native, has idolized 1980 Olympic champion Zhaksylyk USHKEMPIROV. He will now look to make it to the Olympics himself as one of the contenders for the 67kg spot on the Kazakhstan team along with Meirzhan SHERMAKHANBET (KAZ) who recently won the 67kg silver at the Asian Games.

"I still have a chance to qualify for the Olympics," he said. "I will compete at national championships. If I win there, I will get the chance to go to the qualifying event [in Bishkek next April]. If I get the Olympic spot there, I can go. Although, even if I get the Olympic quota, I will have to keep working hard, because the coaches still have the right to change the athlete."

Aues GONIBOV (AIN) defeated Alperen BERBER (TUR) 4-0. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

There was more frustration in store for Turkiye as U20 world champion Alperen BERBER (TUR) fell to senior world bronze medalist Aues GONIBOV (AIN) in the 82kg final.

The strength difference between the two wrestlers was visible as Berber could never actually cement himself against Gonibov who got two passivity points and a takedown to score a 4-0 win.

Berber, just 18 years of age, already has U17 and U20 world titles to his name to go along the multiple European medals.

Pavel HLINCHUK (AIN) defends from par terre against Mustafa OLGUN (TUR). (Photo: UWW / Ulug Bugra Han Degirmenci)

If that was not enough, Pavel HLINCHUK (AIN) denied Mustafa OLGUN (TUR) the gold medal at 97kg in a thrilling final. Hlinkchuk won the gold-medal bout 4-3.

The 2021 U20 world champion was making a return to international competition after two years and showed no signs of rust, dominating his opponents till the final.

After getting the par terre point, Olgun scored a stepout to lead 2-0 but Hlinchuk scored a turn from par terre to claim a 3-2 lead. The Turkish wrestler scored a stepout with eight seconds left but that only made it a 3-3 criteria lead for Hlinchuk. Turkiye challenged, asking for a takedown but was only given a stepout on review. The lost challenge added another point to Hlinchuk's score.

Anvar ALLAKHIAROV (AIN) scores a four-pointer against Romeo BERIDZE (GEO) in the 60kg final. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Another U20 world champion from 2021 made it to the top of the podium as Anvar ALLAKHIAROV (AIN) put behind the disappointment of the senior World Championships to beat Romeo BERIDZE (GEO), 10-0, and win the 60kg gold medal in Tirana.

The 2021 U230 world champion got the par terre advantage and as he was lifting Beridze, he dropped the Georgian on his back with control to score four points. Georgia challenged the call but saw the original ruling stand. One point was added to Allakhiarov's score for the lost challenge before he finished the bout in two minutes and 37 seconds with a powerful duck-under for another four points.

Dmitrii ADAMOV (AIN) won the 72kg final over Irfan MIRZOIEV (UKR). (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

At 72kg, Dmitrii ADAMOV (AIN) won the gold medal as he defeated Irfan MIRZOIEV (UKR), 9-3, in the final. Mirzoiev was in exceptional form on Friday but could not repeat it against Adamov in the final.

Mirzoiev did start off on a strong note, scoring a counter stepout with caution against Adamov for fleeing. Down 2-0, Adamov was going to get a passivity call but he scored a takedown as the referee signaled for passivity.

That completely changed the final as Adamov got three turns from that takedown to lead 8-2. He scored a stepout in the second period to make it 9-2 and despite a late stepout from Mirzoiev in the final seconds, Adamov won the gold comfortably.

RESULTS

60kg
GOLD: Anvar ALLAKHIAROV (AIN) df. Romeo BERIDZE (GEO), 10-0

BRONZE: SUMIT (UWW) df. Yonaiker MARTINEZ (VEN), 4-3
BRONZE: Mert ILBARS (TUR) df. Aibek SABYRBEKOV (KAZ), 9-1

67kg
GOLD: Sultan ASSETULY (KAZ) df. Mustafa YILDIRIM (TUR), 2-1

BRONZE: Muslim IMADAEV (AIN) df. Hasan MAMMADLI (AZE), 12-10
BRONZE: HARUTO YABE (JPN) df. Artur JEREMEJEV (EST), 8-0

72kg
GOLD: Dmitrii ADAMOV (AIN) df. Irfan MIRZOIEV (UKR), 9-3

BRONZE: Ruslan NURULLAYEV (AZE) df. Michael PORTMANN (SUI), 3-1
BRONZE: Shant KHACHATRYAN (ARM) df. Adilkhan NURLANBEKOV (KGZ), via fall (9-0)

82kg
GOLD: Aues GONIBOV (AIN) df. Alperen BERBER (TUR), 4-0

BRONZE: Karlo KODRIC (CRO) df. Ruslan ABDIIEV (UKR), 3-0
BRONZE: Emad ABOUELATTA (EGY) df. Karen KHACHATRYAN (ARM), 3-2

97kg
GOLD: Pavel HLINCHUK (AIN) df. Mustafa OLGUN (TUR), 4-3

BRONZE: Lucas LAZOGIANIS (GER) df. Hayk KHLOYAN (ARM), 5-3
BRONZE: Yuri NAKAZATO (JPN) df. Murad AHMADIYEV (AZE), 3-1

Semifinals

55kg
GOLD: Iskhar KURBAYEV (KAZ) vs. Giorgi TOKHADZE (GEO)

SF 1: Giorgi TOKHADZE (GEO) df. Farid SADIKHLI (AZE), 10-0
SF 2: Iskhar KURBAYEV (KAZ) df. Adem UZUN (TUR), 9-1

63kg
GOLD: Rakhman TAVMURZAEV (AIN) vs. Hleb MAKARANKA (AIN)

SF 1: Hleb MAKARANKA (AIN) df. Chiezo MARUYAMA (JPN), 3-3
SF 2:Rakhman TAVMURZAEV (AIN) df. Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA), 7-5

77kg
GOLD: Khasay HASANLI (AZE) vs. Alexandrin GUTU (MDA)

SF 1: Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) df. Yryskeldi MAKSATBEK UULU (KGZ), 12-2
SF 2: Khasay HASANLI (AZE) df. Khvicha ANANIDZE (GEO), 9-0

87kg
GOLD: Matej MANDIC (CRO) vs. Magomed MURTAZALIEV (AIN)

SF 1: Magomed MURTAZALIEV (AIN) df. Exauce MUKUBU (NOR), 7-2
SF 2: Matej MANDIC (CRO) df. Waltteri LATVALA (FIN), 11-0

130kg
GOLD: Muhammet BAKIR (TUR) vs. Mykhailo VYSHNYVETSKYI (UKR)

SF 1: Mykhailo VYSHNYVETSKYI (UKR) df. Sarkhan MAMMADOV (AZE), 1-1
SF 2: Muhammet BAKIR (TUR) df. Razmik KURDYAN (ARM), 4-2

Egypt rides on four golds to win African Championships title

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Assetuly wins Kazakhstan's first U23 world title