#WrestleCasablanca

Nigeria perfect in Women's Wrestling; Egypt wins Freestyle title

Monday, May 5, 2025 - 09:08 By Vinay Siwach

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CASABLANCA, Morocco (May 4) -- Nigeria entered nine wrestlers in Women's Wrestling at the 2025 African Championships and all nine are going back home with gold medals.

The country emerged as the top nation in Women's Wrestling and by some distance. It had had 225 points, 109 points more than second-placed Algeria which won one gold -- at 57kg, a weight class that did not feature a Nigerian wrestler. Egypt finished third with 115 points. Hosts Morocco finished a close fourth with 113 points.

After Nigeria won four gold medals on Saturday through Christianah OGUNSANYA (NGR) at 53kg, Esther KOLAWOLE (NGR) at 62kg, Hannah RUEBEN (NGR) at 68kg and Damola OJO (NGR) at 76kg, it added five more on Sunday.

Mercy GENESIS (NGR) defended her 50kg gold medal with a clean 11-0 win over Cheima CHEBILA (ALG) in the final. That was her fourth victory via technical superiority.

Soon after, defending champion Adijat IDRIS (NGR) dominated Achouak TEKOUK (ALG) in the 55kg final, winning the gold 11-1, her fifth technical superiority win similar to Genesis.

Jumoke ADEKOYE (NGR), who won gold medal at 55kg in 2022 and 2023, returned after two years and showed no signs of rust due to the break. She also won five bouts, three via fall and two via superiority. In the final, she defeated Rahma BEDIWY (EGY) via fall after building a 10-0 win.

Ebipatei MUGHENBOFA (NGR) too defended her 65kg gold medal but needed some effort as Cara DU PLESSIS (RSA) posed a threat in the final. But Mughenbofa secured a fall over Du Plessis, denying the South African a historic gold.

South Africa was searching for its first Women's Wrestling gold at the African Championships since 2000 and Du Plessis fell short. However, she became the first South African wrestler to reach the final since 2015.

In a round-robin bracket, Ebi BIOGOS (NGR) clinched the 72kg gold medal to maintain a perfect record for Nigeria which had nine wrestlers participating in the tournament and all nine won gold medals.

Omar MOURAD (EGY)Omar MOURAD (EGY) won the 74kg gold medal at the African Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Egypt maintain Freestyle dominance

After clinching the Greco-Roman team title, Egypt won the Freestyle team title as well. It scored 182 points to finish at the top followed by Morocco with 110 points and Algeria was third with 105 points.

Egypt won four gold medals, two silvers and two bronzes. Two wrestlers did not win any medals but added 12 points to the total to help the country to the title.

The young pair of Omar MOURAD (EGY) and Aabdelrahman SHEYATAN (EGY) won gold medals at 74kg and 97kg respectively. Hassan ELSAYED (EGY) upgraded his bronze to gold at 61kg while Ahmed MAHMOUD (EGY) returned to the African Championships after two years to win the 86kg gold medal.

Cedric ABOSSOLO (CMR)Cedric ABOSSOLO (CMR) celebrates after winning the 92kg gold medal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

But the story of the tournament was Cedric ABOSSOLO (CMR), who won the 92kg gold medal after a stunning performance with four wins, all without giving up a point. The gold medal was Cameroon's first in Freestyle at the African Championships since 1998.

Abossolo, who had not won a medal at the African Championships in his past three attempts, defeated Ebikeme NEWLIFE (NGR) via fall in the final after building a 9-0 lead.

The 25-year-old Abossolo scored  takedown and turn while Newlife was on activity clock to lead 5-0. He hit an arm throw for four points and then held Newlife on the mat for a fall with 2 minutes remaining on the clock.

In other weight classes, Oussama ASSAD (MAR) gave hosts Morocco the lone gold medal in Freestyle at 125kg. His win ended Egypt's 11-year golden streak at the African Championships as the last time a non-Egyptian wrestler won gold at 125kg was in 2014 when Slim TRABELSI (TUN) won gold.

Paris Olympian Diamantino IUNA FAFE (GBS) completed a hat-trick of gold medals at 57kg after he sneaked through a thrilling 10-8 win over Salah KATEB (ALG) in the final. 

Kateb opened the scoring with a arm-throw for four points but Iuna Fafe recovered to block Kateb for a pin which he survived and scored a reversal for a 5-2 lead. A point was awarded to Kateb as Iuna Fafe headbutted, a reaction to open hand hitting from Kateb. A second into the restart, Kateb was docked a point for open hands.

Iuna Fafe got going soon after and scored two step outs to reduce Kateb's lead to 6-5 with 1:25 remaining on the clock. But Kateb made it 10-5 as he countered a forward pressure from Iuna Fafe with a underhook sidethrow for four points.

Iuna Fafe challenged the four-point call and on review it was scored only two points as his knees were still on the mat when he got thrown. He had 31 seconds to recover from 8-5 to win the final.

A moment of brilliance from Iuna Fafe with 20 seconds on the clock saw him score a takedown and then a turn using figure 4 to win 10-8. He broke out into a dance celebration making his hands as tiger claws, symbolizing a hunt on the mat.

Algeria did win a gold medal through Abdelkader IKKAL (ALG) who blanked Mohammed BOUAZOUNI (MAR), 10-0, in the 79kg final.

At 65kg, Stephen IZOLO (NGR) defeated Farouk JELASSI (TUN), 5-1, to give Nigeria a gold medal, the country's first in Freestyle at African Championships in five years.

The 70kg gold medal went to Tunisia after Khairiddine BEN TLILI (TUN) defeated Mohamed AHMED (EGY), 10-0, in the final, his third technical superiority win in three bouts.

Photo

RESULTS

Women's Wrestling

50kg
GOLD: Mercy GENESIS (NGR) df. Cheima CHEBILA (ALG), 11-0

BRONZE: Malak AHMED (EGY) df. Chloe BREWIS (RSA), via inj. def.

55kg
GOLD: Adijat IDRIS (NGR) df. Achouak TEKOUK (ALG), 11-1

BRONZE: Lobna ICHAOUI (TUN) df. Sara ETTAKI (MAR), 3-1

59kg
GOLD: Jumoke ADEKOYE (NGR) df. Rahma BEDIWY (EGY), via fall (10-0)

BRONZE: Chahd JELJELI (TUN) df. Rayane HOUFAF (ALG), via fall (10-0)

65kg
GOLD: Ebipatei MUGHENBOFA (NGR) df. Cara DU PLESSIS (RSA), via fall (8-2)

BRONZE: Mouda HAMDOUN (EGY) df. Kawiyatou ISSIFOU (BEN), 12-2
BRONZE: Lec ANDE (CAF) df. Vihanshy KANAPETRADU (MRI), 8-2

72kg
GOLD: Ebi BIOGOS (NGR)
SILVER: Yasmine BOUREGBA (ALG)
BRONZE: Rosie TABORA (COD)

Freestyle

57kg
GOLD: Diamantino IUNA FAFE (GBS) df. Salah KATEB (ALG), 10-8

BRONZE: Roland TAMBI NFORSONG (CMR) df. Lenerd VAN SCHALKWYK (RSA), 7-2
BRONZE: Omar FAYE (SEN) df. Ben TARIK (MAR), 10-7

61kg
GOLD: Hassan ELSAYED (EGY) df. Didier DIATTA (SEN), 8-6

BRONZE: Radouane SISSAOUI (ALG) df. Rabby KILANDI (COD), 9-8
BRONZE: Khalil BARKOUTI (TUN) df. Ndjidda BOUBA (CMR), via fall (10-0)

65kg
GOLD: Stephen IZOLO (NGR) df. Farouk JELASSI (TUN), 5-1

BRONZE: Wotna NDOC (GBS) df. Godefroid KALUBI (COD), 13-1
BRONZE: Said ELGAHSH (EGY) df. Rida DJEFFAL (ALG), 15-4

70kg
GOLD: Khairiddine BEN TLILI (TUN) df. Mohamed AHMED (EGY), 10-0

BRONZE: Gabriel MUANDA (COD) df. Anthony WESLEY (CPV), via fall (13-4)
BRONZE: Tope ADEBAYO (NGR) df. Otmane EL BAHJA (MAR), 6-1

74kg
GOLD: Omar MOURAD (EGY) df. Saad BOUGUERRA (ALG), 10-0

BRONZE: Ebierelayefa ANDREW (NGR) df. Jesse VAN BAALEN (RSA), 11-0
BRONZE: Caetano ANTONIO SA (GBS) df. Joao BARBOSA (CPV), 10-4

79kg
GOLD: Abdelkader IKKAL (ALG) df. Mohammed BOUAZOUNI (MAR), 10-0

BRONZE: Mbaye DIOP (SEN) df. Mathayo MAHABILA (KEN), 5-2
BRONZE: Andy MUKENDI (COD) df. Alfred DANIEL (SLE), 10-0

86kg
GOLD: Ahmed MAHMOUD (EGY) df. Siny SEMBENE (SEN), via fall (2-1)

BRONZE: Matteo MONTEIRO (CPV) df. Iliassou BONI (BEN), 12-1
BRONZE: Houssem OUCIF (ALG) df. Walid CHEIKH LAHLOU (MAR), 10-0

92kg
GOLD: Cedric ABOSSOLO (CMR) df. Ebikeme NEWLIFE (NGR), via fall (9-0)

BRONZE: Mohamed AHMED (EGY) df. Mamadou DIOUF (SEN), 8-4

97kg
GOLD: Aabdelrahman SHEYATAN (EGY) df. Gino INTCHALA (GBS), 14-3

BRONZE: Barthelemy TSHOSHA (COD) df. Ayoub NASSR ELLAH (MAR), 11-1

125kg
GOLD: Oussama ASSAD (MAR)
SILVER: Youssef ABOUDAWABA (EGY)
BRONZE: Issah FUSEINI (GHA)

#WrestleNoviSad

Farokhi, Hedayati lead Iran's golden charge at U23 Worlds

Tuesday, October 21, 2025 - 15:58 By Vinay Siwach

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NOVI SAD, Serbia (October 21) -- Iran’s Greco-Roman dominance shows no signs of slowing down. After winning team titles at the U17 World Championships in Athens, the U20 Worlds in Samokov, and the senior event in Zagreb, Iran looks poised to complete a clean sweep in Novi Sad as Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) and Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) claimed gold medals at the U23 World Wrestling Championships 2025 on Tuesday.

World champion Farokhi and defending champion Hedayati, who celebrated his birthday as well on Tuesday, won gold medals in dominant fashion at 87kg and 130kg respectively.

"I was able to win two back-to-back tough matches at the World Championships and bring home two gold medals," Farokhi said. "These were high-level competitions."

Farokhi, a gold medalist at 82kg in Zagreb, moved up to 87kg for Novi Sad but had no troubles in switching weights. As he did in Zagreb, Farokhi brought his best game in par terre and rolled to his second gold in one month after a 9-0 victory in the final against Ivan CHMYR (UKR), his fifth technical superiority victory.

After being put on top in par terre, Farokhi launched a trap-arm gut and turned Chmyr four times for the win. Ukraine threw one of those ever increasing challenges for no reason but lost it to add one more point to Farokhi's score.

"When you move up a weight class, the opponents are definitely stronger and tougher," Farokhi said. "It was a good experience, and it gave me a better sense of how I can perform at 87 kg -- an Olympic weight class"

Hedayati, who has not lost an international bout since his 2022 U20 World Championships finals loss, showed why he will dominate the 130kg weight class for years to come.

Up against Razmik KURDYAN (ARM) in the final, Hedayati began with takedown on the edge for two points. Kurdyan was put in par terre and from there Hedayati turned him twice to extend his lead to 7-0. With just 23 seconds left before the break, Hedayati scored a stepout to finish the final 8-0 and claim his second straight U23 world title.

At 63kg, Ziya BABASHOV (AZE) upended returning 63kg U23 world champion Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA), 6-3, in the final using a four-point suplex from par terre to score his points.

Eriomenco, who had defeated Babashov in the U23 European finals, looked very dominant in run up to the final while Babashov had some tough bouts on Monday. But the Azerbaijan wrestler began aggressively and managed to earn first par terre advantage.

He performed a suplex for four points to make his lead 5-0 and take huge step towards winning his first ever world title. He further consolidated his position when he defended from par terre in the second period and gave up only stepout to Eriomenco as the score changed to 5-2.

Babashov then countered an attack from the Moldova wrestler and forced him to stepout outside to extend his lead to 6-2. He gave up one more stepout but held on to the 6-3 lead to win the gold medal.

With the win, he now leads the head-to-head against Eriomenco 2-1 as both have traded victories at 2024 U23 European Championships and its 2025 edition with the Moldovan one being the more recent winner.

Irfan MIRZOIEV (UKR)Irfan MIRZOIEV (UKR) holds off Temuri ORJONIKIDZE (GEO) in the 77kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

A silver medalist from 2023 at the U23 Worlds, Irfan MIRZOIEV (UKR) managed to win gold at 77kg as he defeated Temuri ORJONIKIDZE (GEO), 4-1, in the final.

Orjonikidze was himself to blame for the loss as he committed a defensive leg foul in the first period when Mirzoiev got the par terre position and as he was trying to lift, Orjonikidze blocked him with his leg, giving a 3-0 lead to the Ukrainian.

Georgia challenged the decision but on review, it was confirmed that a leg foul was indeed committed. The lost challenge gave one more point to Mirzoiev.

Orjonikidze got the par terre position in the second period but he failed to score any points and Mirzoiev easily defended his 4-1 lead to eventually claimed the gold medal.

Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR)Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR) defeated Richard KARELSON (EST) in the 97kg semifinal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Yakushenko closer to U23 title

U20 world champion Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR) is a win away from winning his second world tittle three months after he reached the 97kg final at U23 World Championships. He defeated European Championships silver medalist Richard KARELSON (EST) 6-3 in the semifinals.

Karelson tried to make a match of it but Yakushenko scored a four-pointer from par terre to lead 5-0 before Karelson scored a takedown. But Yakushenko got a stepout to lead 6-2. He defended his lead despite Karelson getting par terre in the second period.

He will face Asian U23 champion Iussuf MATSIYEV (KAZ) who rolled to a 9-1 win over Maksim AVERIN (UWW), scoring four turns from par terre in the second period.

At 55kg, U23 European champion Alibek AMIROV (UWW) will face Elmir ALIYEV (AZE) in the final after he defeated Yerassyl MAMYRBEKOV (KAZ) in the semifinal. Amirov was down 2-1 when he got the 

Aliyev hit a beautiful headlock for four against 2024 U17 world champion Armin SHAMSIPOUR (IRI) before securing the fall in the semifinal.

Anri KHOZREVANIDZE (GEO) will take on Hassan ABDELREHIM (EGY) for the gold medal at 67kg after he defeated Hleb MAKARANKA (UWW), 1-1, having the criteria from the first point score in a 1-1 finish.

Andelrehim led 4-1 when his opponent in the semifinal, Attila JOZSA (HUN), injury default for a leg injury.

Seven years after winning the U17 World Championships gold medal, Abror ATABAEV (UZB) will have a chance to win a second world title after he reached the 72kg final. After getting the first par terre and 1-1 lead against Merey MAULITKANOV (KAZ), Atabaev defended his par terre position and kept the 1-1 criteria lead.

Maulitkanov threw everything at Atabaev in the final two minutes but the Uzbekistan defended all the attacks. Atabaev was close to giving up a takedown in the final 15 seconds but he managed to keep himself up and then score a pushout to lead 2-1. Kazakhstan challenged the call but it was a clear stepout and the lost challenge made it 3-1 for Atabaev.

He will face former Asian champion Iman MOHAMMADI (IRI) for gold after the Iranian defended his 1-1 criteria lead against Gaspar TERTERYAN (ARM). The final will be battle of two Asian champion as Atabaev won that title in 2023.

RESULTS

63kg
GOLD: Ziya BABASHOV (AZE) df. Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA), 6-3

BRONZE: Dordzhi SHUNGURTSIKOV (UWW) df. Servet ANGI (TUR), 6-1
BRONZE: Adham ELSAYED (EGY) df. Kuttubek ABDURAZAKOV (KGZ), 3-2

77kg
GOLD: Irfan MIRZOIEV (UKR) df. Temuri ORJONIKIDZE (GEO), 4-1

BRONZE: Alexandru SOLOVEI (MDA) df. Doniyorkhon NAKIBOV (UZB), 3-3
BRONZE: Levente LEVAI (HUN) df. Jonni SARKKINEN (FIN), 4-2

87kg
GOLD: Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) df. Ivan CHMYR (UKR), 10-0

BRONZE: Payton JACOBSON (USA) df. Lachin VALIYEV (AZE), 5-3
BRONZE: Achiko BOLKVADZE (GEO) df. Yassine BEN LABED (POL), 5-1

130kg
GOLD: Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) df. Razmik KURDYAN (ARM), 8-0

BRONZE: Laszlo DARABOS (HUN) df. Saba CHILASHVILI (GEO), via fall (4-0)
BRONZE: Aleksandr MELEKHOV (UWW) df. Artur SARKISJAN (CZE), 9-1

Semifinals

55kg
GOLD: Elmir ALIYEV (AZE)  vs. Alibek AMIROV (UWW)

SF 1: Elmir ALIYEV (AZE) df. Armin SHAMSIPOUR (IRI), via fall (5-1)
SF 2: Alibek AMIROV (UWW) df. Yerassyl MAMYRBEKOV (KAZ), via fall (7-2)

67kg
GOLD: Anri KHOZREVANIDZE (GEO) vs. Hassan ABDELREHIM (EGY)

SF 1: Anri KHOZREVANIDZE (GEO) df. Hleb MAKARANKA (UWW), 1-1
SF 2: Hassan ABDELREHIM (EGY) df. Attila JOZSA (HUN), via inj. def. (4-1)

72kg
GOLD: Iman MOHAMMADI (IRI) vs. Abror ATABAEV (UZB)

SF 1: Iman MOHAMMADI (IRI) df. Gaspar TERTERYAN (ARM), 1-1
SF 2: Abror ATABAEV (UZB) df. Merey MAULITKANOV (KAZ), 3-1

97kg
GOLD: Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR) vs. Iussuf MATSIYEV (KAZ)

SF 1: Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR) df. Richard KARELSON (EST), 6-3 
SF 2: Iussuf MATSIYEV (KAZ) df. Maksim AVERIN (UWW), 9-1