#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)

#WrestleTirana

Ukraine Puts Four in Women's Finals at Europeans

By Vinay Siwach

TIRANA, Albania (April 22) -- Ukraine kicked off Women's Wrestling at the European Championships with four finalists in five weight classes, including two defending champions in Tirana.

Oksana LIVACH (UKR), defending champion at 50kg, and Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR), defending champion at 76kg, returned to the finals, while Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR) and Mariia VYNNYK (UKR) made it to the 55kg and 59kg gold-medal bouts.

At 68kg, the only weight class in which Ukraine did not get a finalist, a blockbuster final is set between U23 world champion Nesrin BAS (TUR) and defending champion Alina SHAUCHUK (UWW).

Livach used her aggressive style to score multiple stepouts in her 6-2 victory over Elizaveta SMIRNOVA (UWW), setting up a rematch of the 2025 European final against Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR), who was at her defensive best against Emilia GRIGORE VUC (ROU) and won 6-0.

Alpyeyeva reached the final after a clinical 4-0 victory over Martina KUENZ (AUT) in the semifinal. She will now face former European champion Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU), who moved past Enrica RINALDI (ITA), 3-1, in a low-scoring semifinal.

Malanchuk at 55kg came alive in the second period, scoring six points and securing a fall over U23 world silver medalist Tuba DEMIR (TUR). She led 1-1 on criteria at the break, then hit a double-leg attack and tried to hold Demir on the mat for a fall, but she survived.

Demir tried a leg attack, but Malanchuk countered and held her on the mat to secure the fall with 1:45 remaining.

She will now face former European champion Andreea ANA (ROU), who saw off Mihaela SAMOIL (MDA), 10-0, in the other semifinal.

Vynnyk, who was all but beaten in the semifinal against Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE), 6-2, tripped the Azerbaijan wrestler with less than 10 seconds remaining to claim a stunning victory and reach the 59kg final. After the trip, Vynnyk also scored exposure points.

She will now face Jowita WRZESIEN (POL), who defeated Svetlana LIPATOVA (UWW), 4-2, in a low-scoring bout. Wrzesien led 3-1 and was in danger of giving up a takedown when Lipatova attacked on a single leg. However, the Polish wrestler defended well and gave up only a stepout. Lipatova challenged but lost, conceding one more point to Wrzesien.

Bas vs Shauchuk

Defending champion at 68kg, Shauchuk defeated Kateryna ZELENYKH (ROU), 4-3, scoring two second-period takedowns. She had beaten the Romanian in last year’s final. For gold this year, Shauchuk will face Bas, a U23 world champion and returning silver medalist from 72kg.

Bas had no trouble completing a 12-1 technical superiority win over Alina SHEVCHENKO (UWW) in the other semifinal.

RESULTS

50kg
SF 1: Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) df. Emilia GRIGORE VUC (ROU), 6-0
SF 2: Oksana LIVACH (UKR) df. Elizaveta SMIRNOVA (UWW), 6-2

55kg
SF 1: Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR) df. Tuba DEMIR (TUR), via fall
SF 2: Andreea ANA (ROU) df. Mihaela SAMOIL (MDA), 10-0

59kg
SF 1: Mariia VYNNYK (UKR) df. Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE), 6-2
SF 2: Jowita WRZESIEN (POL) df. Svetlana LIPATOVA (UWW), 4-2

68kg
SF 1: Alina SHAUCHUK (UWW) df. Kateryna ZELENYKH (ROU), 4-3
SF 2: Nesrin BAS (TUR) df. Alina SHEVCHENKO (UWW), 12-1

76kg
SF 1: Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) df. Martina KUENZ (AUT), 4-0
SF 2: Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU) df. Enrica RINALDI (ITA), 3-1