#WrestleElJadida

#WrestleElJadida African Championships entry list

By Vinay Siwach

EL JADIDA, Morocco (May 12) -- When the African Championships begin in El Jadida, Morocco next week, all eyes will be on Nigeria's Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) and Marwa AMRI (TUN). They are the only Olympic medalist in the field of more than 200 wrestlers that will compete for the 30 gold medals on offer.

Oborududu, who won the silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics, will be eyeing her 11th straight African Championships gold. She is undefeated in the tournament since 2010. 

Other stars entered in the competition include world silver medalist and five-time African champion Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR), Olympians Diamantino IUNA FAFE (GBS) and Fateh BENFERDJALLAH (ALG) and junior world bronze medalist Nicolaas DE LANGE (RSA).

In Greco-Roman, former U23 World bronze medalist Abdellatif MOHAMED (EGY) will be competing for the first time since wrestling at the Tokyo Olympics. More Olympians will be eyeing medals in El Jadida as Abdelkarim FERGAT (ALG), Lamjed MAAFI (TUN), Bachir SID AZARA (ALG), Adem BOUDJEMLINE (ALG) and Amine GUENNICHI (TUN) are registered.

Oborududu and Adekuoroye will be responsible for a new-look Nigerian team running for the women's team title. But they will be challenged by Tunisia which is bringing five Olympians to the competition.

Apart from Amri, Sarra HAMDI (TUN), Siwar BOUSETA (TUN) and Zaineb SGHAIER (TUN) are entered for the tournament. Khadija JLASSI (TUN), the young star from the country, will try to win her first senior African title.

Egypt's first-ever senior world medalist Samar HAMZA (EGY) will be looking for her fourth African title at 76kg.

Tokyo Olympian Fatoumata CAMARA (GUI) will wrestle a weight up at 59kg.

The African Championships for seniors begins May 21 with women's wrestling and Greco-Roman bouts on Saturday and freestyle on Sunday. All the live actions and highlights will be available on uww.org.

Diamantino IUNA FAFE (GBS)Diamantino IUNA FAFE (GBS), left, is a junior African champion and Olympian. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Freestyle

57kg
Salah KATEB (ALG)
Rabby KILANDI (COD)
Gamal MOHAMED (EGY)
Diamantino IUNA FAFE (GBS)
Simon WAINAINA (KEN)
Younes LACHGAR 
Romio GOLIATH (NAM)
Ebikewenimo WELSON (MGR)
Jakobo TAU (RSA)
Omar FAYE (SEN)
Fathi NASIR (SUD)

61kg
Abdelhak KHERBACHE (ALG)
Mdraman BILE (CIV)
Jordan KABONGO (COD)
Shehabeldin MOHAMED (EGY)
Kenneth KOECH (KEN)
Sofiane EL KHAMER (MAR)
Didier DIATTA (SEN)
Jafar FASHER (SUD)

65kg
Chouaib SAHRAOUI (ALG)
Rosian NGUIGAZA (CAF)
Christ NDRI (CIV)
Yehia HAFEZ (EGY)
Mbunde CUMBA MBALI (GBS)
Otmane EL BAHJA (MAR)
Jean BANDOU (MRI)
Jason AFRIKANER (NAM)
Reynhardt LOUW (RSA)
Saya KOKO (SUD)

70kg
Rami BRINIS (ALG)
Armando NTOYA (ANG)
Guy LAGO (CIV)
Anthony WESLEY (CPV)
Said ELGAHSH (EGY)
Bacar NDUM (GBS)
Abdelwahad BADRI (MAR)
Sampson CLACKSON (MGR)
Gaston DIATTA (SEN)
Fakhireldin SORIEN (SUD)
Mohamed ZORGUI (TUN)

74kg
Abdelkader IKKAL (ALG)
Francisco KADIMA (ANG)
Amr HUSSEN (EGY)
Caetano ANTONIO (GBS)
Abubakar ALHASSAN (GHA)
Brian OLOO (KEN)
Aime RAKOTONIAINA (MAD)
Mohammed MOUFRIJ (MAR)
Ogbonna JOHN (NGR)
Arno VAN ZIJL (RSA)
Mamadou DIOUF (SEN)
Mohamed SESAY (SLE)
Nasir OCBI (SUD)
Jacob NTUYO (UGA)

79kg
Chems FETAIRIA (ALG)
Kieto ACHECO (ANG)
Nziga ZOZO (CAF)
Assane BALLO (CIV)
Andy MUKENDI (COD)
Nasser SAYED (EGY)
Mathayo MAHABILA (KEN)
Totiana RAZAFINJATO (MAD)
Youssef AIT BOULAHRI (MAR)
Jean STE MARIE (MRI)
Donald MABUSELA (RSA)
Lamjed MAAFI (TUN)
Jamal ABDUL (UGA)

86kg
Fateh BENFERDJALLAH (ALG)
Donald BENSANH (BEN)
Drissa ZON (BUR)
Cedric ABOSSOLO (CMR)
Barthelemy TSHOSHA (COD)
Mohamed ABDELAAL (EGY)
Arices DJIAMO (GBS)
Mark ONGUYESI (KEN)
Eric BORKUAH (LBR)
Mohamed EDDAOUAHIRI (MAR)
Jean MARIANNE (MRI)
Ekerekeme AGIOMOR (NGR)
Edward LESSING (RSA)
Guma BASHIR (SUD)
Sabri MNASRIA (TUN)
Ivan MASAKWE (UGA)

92kg
Mohammed FARDJ (ALG)
Timothee TOE (BUR)
Noureldin HASSAN (EGY)
Maxwell AMEKUDZI (GHA)
John OMONDI (KEN)
Fandresena RAMALANJAONA RALITERASOLO (MAD)
Ahmed SEREHALI (MAR)
Machiel GROBLER (RSA)
Imed KADDIDI (TUN)

97kg
Abderrahmane BENACHA (ALG)
Amoussou CAKPO (BEN)
John FOLANE (BUR)
Ulrich MANOUAN (CIV)
Aron MBO (COD)
Mostafa ELDERS (EGY)
Dan CHEPTAI (KEN)
Moussa SALIH (MAR)
Nicolaas DE LANGE (RSA)
Mohamed SAADAOUI (TUN)

125kg
Youssif HEMIDA (EGY)
Anas LAMKABBER (MAR)
Hamza RAHMANI (TUN)

Abdellatif MOHAMED (EGY)Abdellatif MOHAMED (EGY) is a U23 world medalist and the defending champion at 130kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

Greco-Roman

55kg
Mohamed DRIDI (ALG)
Rabby KILANDI (COD)
Abdalla SHAABAN (EGY)
Kamal BENABBOU (MAR)
Romio GOLIATH (NAM)

60kg
Abdeldjebar DJEBBARI (ALG)
Ahmed BAGHDOUDA (EGY)
Simon WAINAINA (KEN)
Aymane LAKHFIF (MAR)
Jakobo TAU (RSA)
Salim HAMDI (TUN)

63kg
Abdelkarim FERGAT (ALG)
Jordan KABONGO (COD)
Moustafa ALAMELDIN (EGY)
Kenneth KOECH (KEN)
Fouad FAJARI (MAR)
Hamed TCHOUFON (RSA)

67kg
Ishak GHAIOU (ALG)
Ivu KISUNGU (ANG)
Abdelrahman OMAR (EGY)
Bilal EL BAHJA (MAR)
Jason AFRIKANER (NAM)

72kg
Walid GHAIOU (ALG)
Armando NTOYA (ANG)
Mohamed KHALIL (EGY)
Yassine FARAJ (MAR)
Shafaihuuna BENHARD (NAM)
Daniel DU TOIT (RSA)
Radhwen TARHOUNI (TUN)

77kg
Tarek BENAISSA (ALG)
Francisco de Deus KADIMA (ANG)
Emad ABOUELATTA (EGY)
Brian OLOO (KEN)
Aziz BOUALEM (MAR)
Johannes HATTINGH (RSA)
Sheku KASSEGBAMA (SLE)
Lamjed MAAFI (TUN)

82kg
Abd OUAKALI (ALG)
Jones MABUNGU (ANG)
Andy MUKENDI (COD)
Fares GHALY (EGY)
Mathayo MAHABILA (KEN)
Mohamed FAIQ (MAR)
Abdul TCHOUFON (RSA)
Hakim TRABELSI (TUN)

87kg
Bachir SID AZARA (ALG)
Barthelemy TSHOSHA (COD)
Noureldin HASSAN (EGY)
Mark ONGUYESI (KEN)
Reda MOUENISS (MAR)
Edward LESSING (RSA)
Guma BASHIR (SUD)
Mohamed MISSAOUI (TUN)

97kg
Adem BOUDJEMLINE (ALG)
Aron MBO (COD)
Mohamed GABR (EGY)
Dan CHEPTAI (KEN)
Hamza BOUMADIENE (MAR)
Pieter SWART (RSA)

130kg
Hichem KOUCHIT (ALG)
Abdellatif MOHAMED (EGY)
Anas LAMKABBER (MAR)
Amine GUENNICHI (TUN)

Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR)Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) is a silver medalist from Tokyo Olympics. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Women's Wrestling

50kg
Ibtissem DOUDOU (ALG)
Nde YAPI (CIV)
Nada MEDANI (EGY)
Imane BOUJNANE (MAR)
Christianah OGUNSANYA (NGR)
Sarra HAMDI (TUN)

53kg
Lamia CHEMLAL (ALG)
Nogona BAKAYOKO (CIV)
Shaimaa BARAKAT (EGY)
Emma WANGILA (KEN)
Wissal EL GNAOUI (MAR)
Mercy ADEKUOROYE (NGR)
Lobna ICHAOUI (TUN)

55kg
Louji YASSIN (EGY)
Zineb HASSOUNE (MAR)
Jumoke ADEKOYE (NGR)
Faten HAMMAMI (TUN)

57kg
Farah HUSSEIN (EGY)
Peruce OKOBA (KEN)
Nisrine HAMMAS (MAR)
Esther KOLAWOLE (NGR)
Helena VAN AS (RSA)
Francine DIATTA (SEN)
Zainab BARRIE (SLE)
Siwar LOUATI BEN ALI (TUN)
Veronica AYO (UGA)

59kg
Rayane HOUFAF (ALG)
Fatoumata CAMARA (GUI)
Atika EL ASLA (MAR)
Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR)
Siwar BOUSETA (TUN)

62kg
Mastoura SOUDANI (ALG)
Françoise RASOARIMALALA (MAD)
Safietou GOUDIABY (SEN)
Marwa AMRI (TUN)

65kg
Berthe ETANE NGOLLE (CMR)
Sophia AYIETA (KEN)
Sunmisola BALOGUN (NGR)
Francine DIATTA (SEN)
Khadija JLASSI (TUN)

68kg
Houria BOUKRIF (ALG)
Blandine NGIRI (CMR)
Rosie TABORA (COD
Menatalla BADRAN (EGY)
Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR)
Patricia ELNOUR (SUD)
Ranim SAIDI (TUN)

72kg
Ebi BIOGOS (NGR)
Anta SAMBOU (SEN)
Zaineb SGHAIER (TUN)

76kg
Yvette ZIE (BUR)
Amy YOUIN (CIV)
Samar HAMZA (EGY)
Jemima NYARKO OFORI (GHA)
Hannah RUEBEN (NGR)
Nour JELJELI (TUN)

2026 World Championships

Yazdani Returns to World Championships After Beating Azarpira

By Vinay Siwach

KEMRAN, Iran (July 19) -- Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) made his World Championships debut at 70kg in 2015. The Olympic champion will be at 97kg for his eighth World Championships, 11 years later.

Yazdani, a three-time world champion, booked his spot on Iran's team for the 2026 World Championships after beating world silver medalist Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) in two straight matches in Kemran on Friday.

Azarpira needed to win only one bout to earn his spot as he was a returning world medalist but Yazdani secured two wins, 4-2 and 5-3, to end Azarpira's hopes. 

According to selection criteria set by Iran, a returning world medalist needed to win only one bout while the opponent needed two straight wins to claim the spot.

Hassan YAZDANI (IRI)Hassan YAZDANI (IRI), blue, shakes hands with Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) after beating him in the second bout. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

In the first bout, Yazdani scored three stepouts and a point for passivity while Azarpira managed a takedown to the lead but he could not find another takedown or two one-point scoring actions needed to win.

An hour later, the two wrestlers returned for their second bout. Azapira, needed just a win to secure his place, led 3-3 on criteria in the second period. After Yazdani led 3-0, Azarpira fired back a takedown and stepout to earn the criteria.

In the final minute, Azarpira pressured Yazdani towards the zone and just went it seemed that he has scored a stepout, Yazdani circled back and scored a takedown to take a 5-3 lead. A shocked Azarpira protested the decision but he had no challenge left as he had used and lost the challenge in the first period.

Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI)Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) tries to score on Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) during the 97kg bout. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Yazdani, with all his experience, managed to hold on to his two point lead and confirm that he will return to the World Championships three years later. The Iranian will be chasing his eighth medal as he already has medals from every edition he has participated in.

The 31-year-old began with a silver medal at 70kg in 2015, won gold at 86kg in 2017, 2019 and 2021, and won bronze in 2018. At the 2022 and 2023 World Championships, he finished silver medals, losing those finals to David TAYLOR (USA).

This, however, won't be Yazdani's debut at 97kg. He wrestled at the Zagreb Open Ranking Series in February and reached the final before Stephen BUCHANAN (USA) defeated him, 13-3.

Yazdani's next challenge will be to win a medal at the October 24-November 1 World Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan. The 97kg weight class will most likely have returning world champion Kyle SNYDER (USA), Paris Olympic champion and world bronze medalist Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) and world bronze medalist Arash YOSHIDA (JPN).

Former Olympic and world champion Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) will also be in the mix if he makes the Russian team. Olympic silver medalist Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO), former world champion Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ), will also be challenging for the three-time Olympic medalist Iranian.

Yazdani, Firouzpour Win

Two other weight classes, 74kg and 97kg, were also contested to confirm the Iran Freestyle team for the World Championships.

Former world silver medalist Amirmohammad YAZDANI (IRI) defeated Yones EMAMI (IRI) in two straight bouts to clinch the spot at 74kg, a weight class that Emami has ruled in Iran for quite a few years now.

In two high-scoring bouts, Yazdani won 10-6 and 11-7, mostly using his counters in the zone to book his spot.

At 92kg, world bronze medalist Amirhossein FIROUZPOUR (IRI) defeated Mobin AZIMI (IRI), 2-1, in the second bout of the series to claim the spot. As he was the returning world medalist, Firouzpour needed only one win to qualify.

Azimi won the first bout 2-2 on criteria, scoring a late stepout after three points were awarded for passivity. However, there was no such comeback in the second bout as Firouzpour kept his lead.

On Tuesday, a wrestle-off was held in Greco-Roman in which Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) defeated world champion Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI), 5-1, at 130kg to secure his spot for the World Championships.

Iran's Freestyle Team for 2026 World Championships

57kg: Milad VALIZADEH (IRI)
61kg: Ahmad JAVAN (IRI)
65kg: Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI)
70kg: Sina KHALILI (IRI)
74kg: Amirmohammad YAZDANI (IRI)
79kg: Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI)
86kg: Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI)
92kg: Amirhossein FIROUZPOUR (IRI)
97kg: Hassan YAZDANI (IRI)
125kg: Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI)