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Four repeat as African champs; Egypt wins title

Saturday, May 20, 2023 - 20:39 By Vinay Siwach

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HAMMAMET, Tunisia (May 20) -- Egypt had an exceptional end to the African Championships, with all 10 of its freestyle wrestlers winning medals on the tournament's final day.

With five gold, three silver, and two bronze medals, Egypt accumulated 215 points, securing the team title. Hosts Tunisia finished second with 173 points, while Algeria took third place with 129 points.

This performance marked an improvement from last year when Egypt only won four gold medals and finished with a total of 195 points. Notably, two of the gold medalists from 2022 successfully defended their titles on Saturday.

Amr HUSSEN (EGY) triumphed at 74kg, securing his third African title and second consecutive win by defeating Bacar NDUM (GBS) with a fall in the final match.

Starting the day with an 11-0 victory over Oyeinkeperemo BRAVEMAN (NGR), Hussen continued his winning streak by defeating last year's silver medalist, Abdelkader IKKAL (ALG), with a convincing 10-0 victory in the semifinals. He then secured the gold medal with the fall over Ndum, who was the 70kg gold medalist last year.

The second wrestler to repeat as champion was Mostafa ELDERS (EGY) who secured a narrow 3-2 victory over Mohamed SAADAOUI (TUN) in the 97kg gold medal match.

Saadaoui, who won the bronze in 2022, received support from the home fans against Elders. After Saadaoui took a 1-0 lead due to Elders being called passive in the first period, Elders managed to regain the criteria lead of 1-1 when Saadaoui stepped out of the zone while evading an attack. However, Elders' lead was short-lived as he was called passive again, allowing Saadaoui to take a 2-1 lead with 50 seconds remaining.

Elders executed a double leg attack when Saadaoui was close to the zone, resulting in a pushout that put Elders back in the lead with a criteria score of 2-2. Saadaoui challenged the call for a headbutt, but the reviews confirmed it was clean, and Elders held on to secure a 3-2 victory.

Feeling disappointed by the close defeat, Saadaoui made an aggressive push on Elders after the bout, particularly since he had defeated Elders 9-5 in the morning session.

At 70kg, two bronze medalists from 2022, Said ELGAHSH (EGY) and Mohamed ZORGUI (TUN) faced off in the gold medal bout this year with the former emerging victorious with a score of 8-2.

Elgahsh began his day with an 8-4 win over Pieter ROETS (RSA) in the quarterfinals and followed it up with a 12-2 victory against Anthony WESLEY (CPV) in the semifinals.

Zorgui, on the other hand, began in the qualifications and secured a fall against Brian OLOO (KEN), followed by another fall in the quarterfinals against Rodgers MUKYEDA (UGA). He faced his first challenge in the semifinals but managed to narrowly defeat Sylvio DIATTA (SEN) with a score of 5-4.

Elgahsh gave little chance to Zorgui in the final and captured the gold with a resounding 8-2 win.

Ahmed MAHMOUD (EGY) won the gold medal at 79kg by stunning the defending champion Chems FETAIRIA (ALG) with a remarkable 11-0 win in the final.

Although Mahmoud easily overcame Fetaira, he was in deep trouble against Sofiane PADIOU BELMIR (MAR), eventually winning by a slim margin of 6-5.

At 125kg, two-time Olympian Diaaeldin ABDELMOTTALEB (EGY) defeated Hamza RAHMANI (TUN) twice on Saturday to win the gold medal, his fourth at the senior continental level. Abdelmottaleb posted a 10-0 win over Rahmani in the morning session and secured a fall in the gold medal bout at 125kg in the evening.

Tunisia, Algeria win two golds

The host nation, Tunisia, also had a reason to celebrate as it clinched two gold medals through Farouk JELASSI (TUN) and Imed KADDIDI (TUN).

Jelassi, who had never previously won a medal at the African Championships, surprised many by claiming gold in the 65kg category.

After achieving technical superiority in his first two bouts, Jelassi faced resistance from Frederik NORTJE (RSA), but it wasn't enough to prevent Jelassi from securing a 10-3 victory in the gold medal bout.

For Kaddidi, it was a significant breakthrough as he finally claimed the gold medal after two previous silver finishes, including one in 2022.

Competing in a Nelson bracket, Kaddidi wrestled four times and left no opportunity for his opponents to threaten him. He began with a fall over Dan CHEPTAI (KEN) in Round 1, followed by a dominant 10-0 win over Mahmoud IBRAHIM (EGY) in Round 2, a 9-1 victory over Machiel GROBLER (RSA) in Round 3, and an 11-0 thrashing of Wadii OUALAL (MAR) in Round 4.

Ibrahim emerged with the silver medal over Grobler after an astonishing 34-point bout. At the end of the six minutes, Ibrahim emerged victorious with a score of 22-12.

His two matches before the final also followed a similar script as Benferdjallah scored an 11-0 and a 13-3 win before entering the final against Elkoumy who won both his bouts via fall.

Benferdjallah did face resistance from Elkoumy but did not flinch under pressure and came out on top with an 8-4 scoreline.

Algeria also celebrated two gold medals as Abdelhak KHERBACHE (ALG) and Fateh BENFERDJALLAH (ALG) successfully defended their titles as African champions.

Kherbache made an impressive start in the 61kg category, securing a 14-3 victory over Yanisse MADI (COM) in the qualifications, followed by an 8-1 win against Shehabeldin MOHAMED (EGY) in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, Kherbache continued his dominance with a commanding 14-2 triumph over Seitonkumo RICHARD (NGR).

In the gold medal bout, Kherbache faced Firas KHALIFA (TUN), who had shown exceptional form by winning his previous two matches via falls. However, Kherbache proved unstoppable, defeating Khalifa with a 6-3 scoreline to secure his fourth consecutive African gold medal. Kherbache's achievement also includes three silver medals and a bronze from previous tournaments dating back to 2015.

Tokyo Olympian Benferdjallah added another African gold medal to his career with a controlled 8-4 victory over Saifeldin ELKOUMY (EGY) in the 86kg weight class.

Leading up to the final, Benferdjallah's path followed a similar pattern, as he secured convincing wins with scores of 11-0 and 13-3. Elkoumy, his opponent in the final, had moved into the final by winning both of his previous bouts via fall.

Although Elkoumy provided strong resistance, Benferdjallah remained composed under pressure and emerged victorious with a final score of 8-4. This victory marked Benferdjallah's second African gold medal.

At 57kg, Diamantino IUNA FAFE (GBS) won the gold medal after a thrilling final against defending champion Gamal MOHAMED (EGY) with a scoreline of 8-8.

Mohamed got the first advantage as Iuna Fafe was called passive in the first period and Mohamed got the 1-0 lead. But from that point on, he only chased Iuna Fafe. The lead switched hands when Iuna Fafe scored six minutes before the break to lead 6-1.

Iuna Fafe did give up penalty towards the end of the bout but he still led on criteria due to the big move in the first period and he held on for an 8-8 win.

This marked Iuna Fafe's first gold medal at the African Championships after the previous two occasions.

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RESULTS

57kg
GOLD: Diamantino IUNA FAFE (GBS) df. Gamal MOHAMED (EGY), 8-8

BRONZE: KHALIL BARKOUTI (TUN) df. John LEOPOLD (MRI), 13-3
BRONZE: Roland TAMBI NFORSONG (CMR) df. Younes LACHGAR (MAR), 11-0

61kg
GOLD: Abdelhak KHERBACHE (ALG) df. Firas KHALIFA (TUN), 6-3

BRONZE: Yassine JAA (MAR) df. Kenneth KOECH (KEN), via fall
BRONZE: Shehabeldin MOHAMED (EGY) df. Seitonkumo RICHARD (NGR), 5-0

65kg
GOLD: Farouk JELASSI (TUN) df. Frederik NORTJE (RSA), 10-3

BRONZE: Omar MOURAD (EGY) df. Reginaldo da SILVA (ANG), 12-2
BRONZE: Zohier IFTENE (ALG) df. Derrick AJONGASAP (CMR), 10-0

70kg
GOLD: Said ELGAHSH (EGY) df. Mohamed ZORGUI (TUN), 8-2

BRONZE: Sylvio DIATTA (SEN) df. Brian OLOO (KEN), 13-2
BRONZE: Pieter ROETS (RSA) df. Anthony WESLEY (CPV), via fall

74kg
GOLD: Amr HUSSEN (EGY) df. Bacar NDUM (GBS), via fall

BRONZE: Abdelkader IKKAL (ALG) df. Oyeinkeperemo BRAVEMAN (NGR), 11-1
BRONZE: Yassine FARAJ (MAR) df. Arno VAN ZIJL (RSA), via inj. def. 

79kg
GOLD: Ahmed MAHMOUD (EGY) df. Chems FETAIRIA (ALG), 11-0

BRONZE: Ebikeme NEWLIFE (NGR) df. Kaireddine BEN TELILI (TUN), 11-3
BRONZE: Francisco KADIMA (ANG) df. Sofiane PADIOU BELMIR (MAR), 11-2 

86kg
GOLD: Fateh BENFERDJALLAH (ALG) df. Saifeldin ELKOUMY (EGY), 8-4

BRONZE: Edward LESSING (RSA) df. Sabri MNASRIA (TUN), 10-0
BRONZE: Harrison ONOVWIOMOGBOHWO (NGR) df. Roman MANITRA RAHARISON (MAD), 13-12 

92kg
GOLD: Imed KADDIDI (TUN)
SILVER: Mahmoud IBRAHIM (EGY)
BRONZE: Machiel GROBLER (RSA)  

97kg
GOLD: Mostafa ELDERS (EGY) df. Mohamed SAADAOUI (TUN), 3-2

BRONZE: Nicolaas DE LANGE (RSA) vs. Oussama ASSAD (MAR), 10-0

125kg
GOLD: Diaaeldin ABDELMOTTALEB (EGY) df. Hamza RAHMANI (TUN), via fall

BRONZE: Anas LAMKABBER (MAR) vs. Progress BENSON (NGR), 5-1

Obituary

Japanese legend and Olympic champ Obara passes away aged 44

Saturday, July 19, 2025 - 11:00 By Ken Marantz

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TOKYO (July 19) — Legendary Japanese wrestler Hitomi OBARA, the 2012 London Olympic gold medalist at women's 48kg and an eight-time world champion, passed away on Friday, the Japanese media reported on Saturday. She was 44.

The Japan Self-Defense Force Physical Training School, where Obara was a women's coach, said it was withholding the cause of death "out of consideration for the privacy and emotions of the bereaved family," according to The Yomiuri Shimbun.

Obara, the mother of two elementary school-aged children, was a director in the Japan Wrestling Federation, and had just been appointed in June as a coach of the women's national team for the run-up to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics along with fellow former Olympic champion Kaori ICHO.

Obara, who won six of her world titles at 51kg under her maiden name of SAKAMOTO, became a model case for the ups and downs of high-level sports and the ability to overcome grave disappointment. Her victory at the London Olympics, at age 31, came after being denied spots on Japan's team at both of the two previous Olympics by fellow legend Saori YOSHIDA.

Born in 1981 in the wrestling hotbed of Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture, in northern Japan, Obara went on to attend Chukyo University (now Shigakkan), which she helped turn into a national powerhouse along with Yoshida and fellow Hachinohe native Icho.

"It's hard, it's hard, I can't keep from crying," former Shigakkan and national team coach Kazuhito SAKAE was quoted as telling the Japanese media. "She was a wrestling prodigy. At the least, she was a hard worker with a strong sense of responsibility. She was wrestling's heaven-sent child. I still can't believe it." 

Obara won back-to-back world 51kg titles in 1999 and 2000. A serious knee injury would keep her from returning to the world championships until 2005, from which she won four in a row.

In between, she attempted to make the Japanese's squad to the 2004 Athens Olympics, but that dream ended with a loss by fall to Yoshida in the 55kg final at the All-Japan Championships in December 2002. She would only compete once in 2003 before returning in earnest in 2004 and beginning her streak of world titles the following year.

But more disappointment came her way in the qualifying process for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Again it was Yoshida who squashed her dreams, beating her 2-0 (2-0, 4-0) in the 2006 All-Japan final. After the match, Obara sat for hours sobbing in a corner of the warm-up room, a towel draped over her head.

Obara managed to rebound from the defeat to win a playoff for the 51kg spot at the 2007 World Championships, where she won gold No. 5. After adding No. 6 a year later with a run to the gold that included a victory over future Olympic champ Helen MAROULIS (USA), she decided to retire.

But despite all of her success, the lack of a Olympic gold -- or even an appearance, for that matter -- still left a sting that would not abate. That, and the decision of her younger sister Makiko to retire, led her to attempt the difficult path of cutting down to 48kg to make it to London.

Makiko was a world bronze medalist at 48kg in 2005 and 2008, but decided to end her career after placing eighth in 2009. Hitomi had never wanted to displace her sister from the national team, but now the door to 48kg was open.

Her biggest battle may have been with the scale. On the mat, she was as unbeatable as ever, storming to world golds in 2010 and 2011 -- now as Obara after getting married in 2010.

There was one slip-up along the way -- a semifinal loss to So Sim HYANG (PRK) at the 2010 Asian Games that ended her 70-match winning streak in international matches. But she regained her confidence with a decisive win at the All-Japan, and it was with a full head of steam that she headed to the London Olympics, which she had announced would be her swan song.

In London, Obara knocked off defending Olympic champion Carol HUYNH (CAN) in the semifinals before coming from behind in the final to defeat Mariya STADNIK (AZE) 2-1 (0-4, 1-0, 2-0) -- a replay of the gold-medal match at the 2011 worlds.

"If you keep doing what you love and never give up, you can achieve your dream," Obara told students at the junior high school she attended during a visit in January last year.

Upon retiring, Obara joined the staff at the Self-Defense Force Physical Training School, where she was also an officer. Among the members she coached were Haruna MURAYAMA OKUNO, Himeka TOKUHARA and Masako FURUICHI, who all made Japan's team to this year's World Championships.

In 2022, Obara was inducted into UWW's Hall of Fame along with Yoshida and Icho.