#WrestleHammamet

LIVE BLOG: African and Oceania Olympic Qualifier, Day Three

Sunday, April 4, 2021 - 06:01 By United World Wrestling Press

Share this article

HAMMAMET, Tunisia (April 4) -- Six countries claimed the 12 Olympic berths that were available on Sunday.

2000 hrs: Diaaeldin Kamal Gouda ABDELMOTTALEB (EGY) and Djahid BERRAHAL (ALG) qualify Egypt and Algeria for the Tokyo Games at 125kg 

1940 hrs: Down goes Rio Olympian Soso TAMARAU (NGR). Former African champion at 97kg, Mohammed FARDJ (ALG) gets a 6-2 win over the Nigerian and qualifies Algeria for Tokyo Olympics

1927 hrs: Another Olympic quota for Tunisia! Mohamed SAADAOUI (TUN) beats Hosam Mohamed Mostafa MERGHANY (EGY) 6-1 to win the ticket for his country 

1915 hrs: Fateh BENFERDJALLAH (ALG) and Ekerekeme AGIOMOR (NGR) earn the Tokyo berths for their respective countries. The Algerian defeated Khaled Masoud Ismail ELMOATAMADAWI (EGY) 3-1 while the Nigerian won 12-2 against Jayden Alexander LAWRENCE (AUS)

1856 hrs: Three-time Olympian Augusto MIDANA (GBS) defeats African champion Ishak BOUKHORS (ALG) 4-1 to win the ticket to Tokyo. 

1845 hrs: American Samoa have to wait for their third freestyle wrestler at Olympics. Amr Reda Ramadan HUSSEN (EGY) shatters the dreams of Elias Lauofo VAOIFI (ASA) with a 10-0 win at 74kg semifinal 

1842 hrs: Local boy Haithem DAKHLAOUI (TUN) steps up in style. He qualifies Tunisia for Tokyo by beating Fathi Tarek Fathi Attia ISMAIL (EGY) 6-3

1830 hrs: Adama DIATTA (SEN) qualifies Senegal for the Tokyo Olympics. What a stunning performance from the Rio Olympian as he beats Aime Mbolalalaina Joel RAKOTONIAINA (MAD) 10-0 in the 65kg semifinal 

1825 hrs: Three takedowns and a point for stepout. It's 10-0 win for Diamantino IUNA FAFE (GBS) as he qualifies his country for the Games.

1820 hrs: Diamantino IUNA FAFE (GBS) with a point for activity and a takedown to lead Chakir ANSARI (MAR) 3-0 at the break in the second semifinal at 57kg. 

1813 hrs: Algeria with the first Olympic berth of the night! Abdelhak KHERBACHE (ALG) mounts a strong comeback to beat Junjun ASEBIAS (FSM) 15-8 to qualify his nation for the Tokyo Games

1805 hrs: Asebias with a takedown and a gut to lead 6-1 against two-time African champion Kherbache. He gets another takedown but Kherbache with a four! Asebias 8-5 at the break

1800 hrs: We're back! Abdelhak KHERBACHE (ALG) is wrestling Junjun ASEBIAS (FSM) for a place in the 57kg final. The winner also earns a ticket to Tokyo 

1745 hrs: We are 15 minutes away from the second session in Hammamet. Mat B will see all the action of the qualifiers

1245 hrs: We have are semifinalists! 24 wrestlers are now locked in and will wrestle for the 12 Olympic spots on offer in Hammamet

At 74kg, Amr Reda Ramadan HUSSEN (EGY) vs Elias Lauofo VAOIFI (ASA) and Augusto MIDANA (GBS) vs Ishak BOUKHORS (ALG) are the two semifinals

At 97kg, Mohamed SAADAOUI (TUN) will wrestle Hosam Mohamed Mostafa MERGHANY (EGY) in the first semifinal while Soso TAMARAU (NGR) will be wrestling Mohammed FARDJ (ALG) in the second semifinal

Diaaeldin Kamal Gouda ABDELMOTTALEB (EGY) at 125kg sets up a semifinal against Johannes Jacobus KRIEL (RSA) while Djahid BERRAHAL (ALG) will take on Abdelmoneim ADOULI (TUN)

1230 hrs: Two more semifinals set. At 57kg,  Chakir ANSARI (MAD) will take on Diamantino IUNA FAFE (GBS) while in semifinal two, Abdelhak KHERBACHE (ALG) will be up against  Junjun ASEBIAS (FSM).

1215 hrs: Senegal's Rio Olympian Adama Diatta will be looking to qualify for the Games again as he makes his way to the semifinals at 65kg. He will take on Aime Mbolalalaina Joel RAKOTONIAINA (MAD) 

1200 hrs: We have our first set of semifinals for the night. The two winners will get a ticket to Tokyo Olympics. At 86kg, Jayden Alexander LAWRENCE (AUS) vs Ekerekeme AGIOMOR (NGR) and Khaled Masoud Ismail ELMOATAMADAWI (EGY) vs Fateh BENFERDJALLAH (ALG) will wrestle for the two spots in the final

1137 hrs: Senior Africa Championships bronze medalist at 125kg Johannes Jacobus KRIEL (RSA) if knocked out in a thriller. Djahid BERRAHAL (ALG), who was a silver medalist at the same tournament, 8-8 

1134 hrs: Did you see that? Ishak BOUKHORS (ALG), the silver medalist in Africa, with a 10-0 mauling of Guy Robert DE LUMEAU JR (PLW)

1130 hrs: Junior African champion Fathi Tarek Fathi Attia ISMAIL (EGY) holds off Amas DANIEL (NGR) 4-3 to advance in the 65kg qualifications

1128 hrs: What a show from local boy Haitem DAKHLAOUI (TUN). The African champion at 70kg starts his qualifying tournament at 65kg with a 14-3 tech victory over Mostafa REZAEIFAR (AUS). Six guts to finish it off

1110 hrs: Former African Youth Games champion Diamantino IUNA FAFE (GBS) gets going with a 6-1 win over Gamal Abdelnaser Hanafy MOHAMED (EGY). Good start for the youngster

1100 hrs: Hammamet is ready for the final day of wrestling at the African and Oceania Olympic qualifiers.

#WrestleBratislava

On 14th attempt, Prevolaraki wins historic European gold for Greece

Friday, April 11, 2025 - 22:47 By Vinay Siwach

Share this article

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (April 11) -- Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) made her first trip to the European Championships in 2011 when she was 19 years old. She competed in 14 European Championships and returned home with eight medals -- four silvers and four bronzes -- over the last 13 years.

Now 33 and competing at her 14th European Championships, Prevolaraki won her first gold medal with a thrilling win over Andreea ANA (ROU), ending a 24-year wait for Greece to have a champion in Women's Wrestling at the continental event. Former world champion Sofia POUMPOURIDOU (GRE) was the last and only other European champion for Greece in Women's Wrestling.

"I am very happy that I managed to earn the gold medal," Prevolaraki said. "I was waiting so many years to be the European champion and I am 33 years old but I managed to do it."

Over the years, Prevolaraki has lost four finals, all to different opponents. But Friday, she managed to keep her composure in a close bout for the win.

"This time I am more experienced and I did not feel any pressure," she said.  I played freely and good things happen when you have no pressure."

Wrestling in Bratislava in the 53kg weight class, Prevolaraki was hit with passivity first and put on the 30-second clock which expired without Prevolaraki scoring to give Ana 1-0 lead.

Ana extended her lead to 3-0 when Prevolaraki tried to hit a cut-back but was unsuccessful in the move. With more than two minutes remaining, Ana tried defending her 3-0 lead but was put on the activity clock when 1:10 were left.

During the 30-second period, Prevolaraki went for the leg-attack but Ana moved and tried getting behind Prevolaraki which she almost did and tried throwing the Greek with a cradle. But Prevolaraki was alerted and did not land in danger and scored a takedown. The activity clock against Ana expired which added another point for Prevolaraki, making the score 3-3 with the Greece wrestler leading on criteria of last point scored.

Romania decided to challenge, a strategic one. Even a lost challenge would need Ana to score a point to win from 4-3 with Prevolaraki lead and 3-3 with criteria to Prevolaraki.

On review, Romania lost the challenge and Prevolaraki led 4-3. Ana hit a sweep single and tried forcing Prevolaraki out of bounds but the Greece wrestler turned it around to get Ana's head out first and get another point to lead 5-3 which she defended and won the gold medal.

Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE)Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) at the medal ceremony of the European Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

"I think I have had a good career," she said. "I am sad that I don't have an Olympic medal but I have many European medals and world Championships medals."

Prevolaraki, a four-time Olympian, a rare feat in wrestling, paid tribute to three-time Olympic champion Buvaisar SAITIEV, by wearing a shirt with his photo and message. Saitiev had passed away in March at the age of 49 years.

"The legend [Saitiev] is for all wrestler all over the world and his legend has no bounds. I wanted to pay a tribute to this legend," she said.