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Tunisia wins Cadet African Titles in Freestyle and Women's Wrestling, Egypt Wins in Greco-Roman

By Eric Olanowski

HAMMAMET, Tunisia (March 27) – Tunisia wrapped up the cadet portion of the African Championships with team titles in freestyle and women’s wrestling and had a wrestler reach the podium in all 19 weight classes. 

In freestyle, Tunisia won three golds, five silvers, and a bronze medal, finishing the African Championships with 190 points. Their nine medal performance was good enough to finish 39 points ahead of the runner-ups, Algeria, who had a pair of champions and 139 points. 

South Africa, who had a trio of champions, rounded out the top-three in freestyle with 107 points. 

In women’s wrestling, the host nation inserted nine of ten wrestlers into gold-medal matches and reached the top of the podium in four of those nine title matches. They also had a third-place finisher, bringing their overall women’s wrestling total medal bout to an impressive ten podium finishes. 

Tunisia finished the cadet women’s wrestling side of the competition with 215 points. Algeria and Morocco closed out the top-three with 134 and 95 points respectively. 

The Greco-Roman team title went to Egypt, who blew through the competition, winning seven of nine gold medals. 

Egypt’s seven gold medals helped them collect 175 points and the team title, 39 points ahead of second place Tunisia. Algeria, who had 110 points, rounded out the top-three cadet Greco-Roman teams. 

RESULTS

Obit

Habibi, Iran's first Olympic champion, dies aged 94

By United World Wrestling Press

TEHRAN, Iran (August 24) -- Emamali HABIBI (IRI), Iran's first-ever Olympic gold medalist and United World Wrestling Hall of Fame member, passed away Sunday aged 94.

Habibi was born Babol in 1931 and won the first Olympic gold medal for Iran in 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games. Facing Alimbeg BESTAEV in the final round to decide the gold medalist, Habibi secured a fall in the 67kg final and etched his name in history, became first Olympic champion for Iran.

It was a rare feat in those times as he had never wrestled at an international event before the Olympics. He would make his World Championships debut in 1959, winning gold medal at 73kg. He defended his title in 1961 and added a third gold medal in 1962 at 78kg.

Emamali HABIBI (IRI)Emamali HABIBI (IRI) with his World Championships gold medal.

He participated in the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome at 73kg and finished fourth. Habibi also has a gold medal at the 1958 Asian Games, held in Tokyo, Japan.

Habibi's legacy also includes his diverse wrestling techniques and speed on the mat which allowed him to win bouts with domination. He is widely considered one of the greatest freestyle wrestlers of his times. He was included in the UWW Hall of Fame in 2007 for his contribution to wrestling.

UWW offers its condolences to Iran Wrestling Federation and the Habibi family.