#WrestleHammamet

African Championships: Battle for continental supremacy heats up

By Vinay Siwach

HAMMAMET, Tunisia (May 15) -- With fresh memories from last year's African Championships, Tunisia will hope to win the women's wrestling team title, this year at home.

The African Championships got underway in Hammamet on Monday but the senior competition will be held on Friday and Saturday with Greco-Roman and women's wrestling on the first day and freestyle on the second.

Tunisia will have a chance to claim a team title in front of the home if it can repeat the performance from El Jadida. They won the title with 179 points over Nigeria which finished with 170 points.

Rio Olympics bronze medalist Marwa AMRI (TUN) will lead the charge with youngsters Zaineb SGHAIER (TUN) at 72kg and Khadija JLASSI (TUN) at 65kg. Siwar BOUSETA (TUN) at 59kg will also be a big medal hope. The absence of defending champ at 50kg Sarra HAMDI (TUN) may hurt the hosts but they will back the younger wrestlers in the squad.

Nigeria will be led by Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) who is going for a record 13th African title. She won unstoppable last year but has not competed since the 2022 World Championships in which she failed to win a medal.

Defending champion at 55kg Jumoke ADEKOYE (NGR) is back in the competition but 59kg champ and three-time world medalist Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR) is missing from the list as she continues to sit off the competition since winning the Islamic Solidarity Games in August 2022.

Jumping up to 57kg Mercy ADEKUOROYE (NGR) would be hoping for back-to-back gold medals as she won the 53kg weight class last year. Esther KOLAWOLE (NGR) at 62kg, Ebipatei MUGHENBOFA (NGR) at 65kg and Hannah RUEBEN (NGR) at 72kg will try to be among the medals to push Nigeria to the top.

At 76kg, world silver medalist Samar HAMZA (EGY) will be eyeing another African title and she is the favorite in the weight class which has seen only four entries. Arianna XAVIER (CPV), Anta SAMBOU (SEN) and Ranim SAIDI (TUN) will be the challengers for Hamza.

Egypt pipped Algeria for both freestyle and Greco-Roman team titles despite the latter's spirited performances to win four golds in freestyle and five in Greco-Roman. In women's wrestling, Tunisia scored past Nigeria to win the team title.

But with the entry list finalized for the senior competition for the African Championships, it is clear that the contest will once again be between Egypt and Algeria.

Mohamed ELSAYED (EGY)Mohamed ELSAYED (EGY) is a bronze medalist from Tokyo Olympics. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Egypt, Algeria favorites

In Greco-Roman, Egypt can take confidence from the fact that Olympic bronze medalist Mohamed ELSAYED (EGY) is back in the line-up as he prepares for the 2024 Paris Olympics. He will be competing at 67kg with the hope of leading his country to the team title.

Others on the team include 130kg defending champion Abdellatif MOHAMED (EGY), Haithem MAHMOUD (EGY) at 60kg, Yehia ABDELKADER (EGY) at 72kg and Mohamed KHALIL (EGY) at 77kg among others.

These wrestlers will be challenged by Mohamed DRIDI (ALG) at 55kg, 60kg champion Abdeldjebar DJEBBARI (ALG) who has moved to 63kg, silver medalist from 2022 Ishak GHAIOU (ALG) at 67kg and three other defending champs -- Abd OUAKALI (ALG) at 82kg, Bachir SID AZARA (ALG) at 87kg and Adem BOUDJEMLINE (ALG) at 97kg.

Freestyle followed a similar script in El Jadida as Algeria scripted a late comeback to give Egypt a score for the title but fell short.

But with gold medalists returning it will be interesting to see if Egypt can keep it at bay as it did with two points last year.

#WrestleTirana

Muhamet Malo Ranking Series 2026 Entries

By United World Wrestling Press

TIRANA, Albania (February 12) -- The second Ranking Series of the year -- Muhamet Malo -- will see around 500 wrestlers. The tournament will take place in Tirana from February 25 to March 1.

All the action from Muhamet Malo Ranking Series event will be live on UWW+ on uww.org and the UWW App.

Here's the full schedule of the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series.

Follow United World Wrestling on Instagram, X, TikTok, Facebook and YouTube.

Note: Entries are subject to change. For latest entries, click here

Freestyle Entries

57kg
Ajndi KRYEZIU (ALB)
Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE)
Ivaylo TISOV (BUL)
Guesseppe REA VILLARROEL (ECU)
Roberti DINGASHVILI (GEO)
Horst LEHR (GER)
Niklas STECHELE (GER)
Akshay DHERE (IND)
SUMIT (IND)
Atish TODKAR (IND)
Abzal OKENOV (KAZ)
Abdymalik KARACHOV (KGZ)
Darian CRUZ (PUR)
Muhammet KARAVUS (TUR)
Yusuf DEMIR (TUR)
Liam CRONIN (USA)
Spencer LEE (USA)
Ramiz GAMZATOV (UWW)

61kg
Endrio AVDYLI (ALB)
Ersjan KASHIKU (ALB)
Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB)
Georgii OKOROKOV (AUS)
Erdal GALIP (BUL)
Giorgi GONIASHVILI (GEO)
Ramaz TURMANIDZE (GEO)
RAHUL (IND)
Simone PIRODDU (ITA)
Meirambek KARTBAY (KAZ)
Merey BAZARBAYEV (KAZ)
Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ)
Leomid COLESNIC (MDA)
Caleb SMITH (PUR)
Azatberdi ASHYRGULYYEV (TKM)
Michael MCGEE (USA)
Nathan TOMASELLO (USA)
Chermen TAVITOV (UWW)
Zavur UGUEV (UWW)
Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB)

65kg
Gjete PRENGA (ALB)
Rashid BABAZADE (AZE)
Shannon HANNA (BAH)
Alibeg ALIBEGOV (BRN)
Mikyay NAIM (BUL)
Joshua KRAMER (ECU)
Nika ZAKASHVILI (GEO)
Mikheili BERDZNISHVILI (GEO)
Nico MEGERLE (GER)
Gamzatgadzsi HALIDOV (HUN)
SUJEET (IND)
Mohit KUMAR (IND)
Assylzhan YESSENGELDI (KAZ)
Bilol SHARIP UULU (KGZ)
Oskonbai ABDISAMATOV (KGZ)
Pavel GRAUR (MDA)
Krzysztof BIENKOWSKI (POL)
Stefan COMAN (ROU)
Ahmet DUMAN (TUR)
Joseph MCKENNA (USA)
Real WOODS (USA)
Vitali ARUJAU (USA)
Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB)

70kg
Islam DUDAEV (ALB)
Kaloyan ATANASOV (BUL)
Akaki KEMERTELIDZE (GEO)
SIDDHARTH (IND)
Maiis ALIYEV (KAZ)
Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ)
Rustamzhan KAKHAROV (KGZ)
Zalkarbek TABALDIEV (KGZ)
Vasile DIACON (MDA)
Austin GOMEZ (MEX)
Alec PANTALEO (USA)
Ridge LOVETT (USA)
Tyler KASAK (USA)
Ibragim IBRAGIMOV (UWW)

74kg
Kanan HEYBATOV (AZE)
Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE)
Magomedrasul ASLUEV (BRN)
Petar PETROV (BUL)
Giorgi ELBAKIDZE (GEO)
Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN)
PARVINDER (IND)
Yones EMAMI (IRI)
Yegor ANCHUGIN (KAZ)
Yernur NURGAZY (KAZ)
Adilet AKYLBEKOV (KGZ)
Orozobek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ)
Kamil RYBICKI (POL)
Vatan ANNAORAZOV (TKM)
Omer CAYIR (TUR)
Quincy MONDAY (USA)
William LEWAN (USA)
Yahya THOMAS (USA)
Inalbek SHERIEV (UWW)
Farhad NOURI (UWW)
Begijon KULDASHEV (UZB)

79kg
Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE)
Aykan SEID (BUL)
Tariel GAPHRINDASHVILI (GEO)
Luka CHKHITUNIDZE (GEO)
Sagar JAGLAN (IND)
Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI)
Adilet MARATBAEV (KGZ)
Akhsarbek GULAEV (SVK)
Cameron AMINE (USA)
Dean HAMITI (USA)
Akhmed USMANOV (UWW)

86kg
Ibrahim SULA (ALB)
Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE)
Khidir SAIPUDINOV (BRN)
Christopher FOCA MEJIA (DOM)
Dachi PAPINASHVILI (GEO)
Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO)
Joshua MORODION (GER)
Lars SCHAEFLE (GER)
Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE)
ARYAN (IND)
Bolat SAKAYEV (KAZ)
Eugeniu MIHALCEAN (MDA)
Cezary SADOWSKI (POL)
Shane JONES (PUR)
Boris MAKOEV (SVK)
Alp Arslan BEGENJOV (TKM)
Osman GOCEN (TUR)
Kyle DAKE (USA)
Ibragim KADIEV (UWW)

92kg
Albin PEPOSHI (ALB)
Mate KOLA (ALB)
Ahmed BATAEV (BUL)
Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO)
Zaur BERADZE (GEO)
Punit KUMAR (IND)
Amirhossein FIROUZPOUR (IRI)
Uri KALASHNIKOV (ISR)
Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ)
Kamil KURUGLIYEV (KAZ)
Iakov CHAPLIN (KGZ)
Filip ROGUT (POL)
Dovletgeldi MYRADOV (TKM)
Jacob CARDENAS (USA)
Dustin PLOTT (USA)

97kg
Thomas BARNS (AUS)
Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE)
Andro MARGISHVILI (GEO)
Erik THIELE (GER)
Ertugrul AGCA (GER)
Nikolaos KARAVANOS (GRE)
Richard VEGH (HUN)
AKASH (IND)
Jointy KUMAR (IND)
VICKY (IND)
Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI)
Benjamin HONIS (ITA)
Nurdaulet BEKENOV (KAZ)
Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ)
Radu LEFTER (MDA)
Batyrbek TSAKULOV (SVK)
Shatlyk HEMELYAYEV (TKM)
Emirhan KILIC (TUR)
Rifat GIDAK (TUR)
Hayden ZILLMER (USA)
Jonathan AIELLO (USA)
Kyle SNYDER (USA)
Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW)
Mukhamed KHANIEV (UWW)

125kg
Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE)
Georgi IVANOV (BUL)
Mohsen SIYAR (GER)
RONAK (IND)
Rajat RUHAL (IND)
Nursultan AZOV (KAZ)
Kamil KOSCIOLEK (POL)
Omar Ihab SAREM (ROU)
Zyyamuhammet SAPAROV (TKM)
Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR)
Hakan BUYUKCINGIL (TUR)
Mason PARRIS (USA)
Trent HILLGER (USA)
Wyatt HENDRICKSON (USA)
Khasanboy RAKHIMOV (UZB)
Abdulla KURBANOV (UWW)

Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB)World champion Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB) will return to action at 87kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan) 

Greco-Roman Entries

55kg
Andi MUCA (ALB)
Elmir ALIYEV (AZE)
Rashad MAMMADOV (AZE)
LALIT (IND)
Vishvajit MORE (IND)
Arsen ZHUMA (KAZ)
Marlan MUKASHEV (KAZ)
Ulan MURATBEK UULU (KGZ)
Rasul JORAYEV (TKM)
William SULLIVAN (USA)
Emin SEFERSHAEV (UWW)

60kg
Bajram SINA (ALB)
Nihad GULUZADE (AZE)
Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE)
Marat GARIPOV (BRA)
Dimitri KHACHIDZE (GEO)
Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO)
Udit PATEL (IND)
SURAJ (IND)
Akzhol TUYAKOV (KAZ)
Iskhar KURBAYEV (KAZ)
Yerbol KAMALIYEV (KAZ)
Kurmanbek ZHAPAROV (KGZ)
Azatjan ACHILOV (TKM)
Dalton ROBERTS (USA)
Maxwell BLACK (USA)
Sadyk LALAEV (UWW)
Suner KONUNOV (UWW)

63kg
Ergi UKU (ALB)
Mikel TROPLINI (ALB)
Murad MAMMADOV (AZE)
Sakit GULIYEV (AZE)
Ziya BABASHOV (AZE)
Pridon ABULADZE (GEO)
CHETAN (IND)
SAURABH (IND)
Ali HAJIVAND (IRI)
Bakytzhan KABDYL (KAZ)
Yerkebulan ARDAKOV (KAZ)
Yernur FIDAKHMETOV (KAZ)
Aftandil TAALAIBEK UULU (KGZ)
Morten THORESEN (NOR)
Aref MOHAMMADI (QAT)
Ildar HAFIZOV (USA)
Sergey EMELIN (UWW)

67kg
Gjete PRENGA (ALB)
Tsuchika SHIMOYAMADA (AUS)
Mahammad SHUKURZADE (AZE)
Andres MONTANO ARROYO (ECU)
Diego CHKHIKVADZE (GEO)
Joni KHETSURIANI (GEO)
Witalis LAZOVSKI (GER)
ANKIT (IND)
Karanjit SINGH (IND)
Meiirzhan SHERMAKHANBET (KAZ)
Yerzhet ZHARLYKASSYN (KAZ)
Baiaman KARIMOV (KGZ)
Sebastian NAD (SRB)
Jan OEHLEN (SWE)
Kakabay KAKABAYEV (TKM)
Alston NUTTER (USA)
Otto BLACK (USA)
Erzu ZAKRIEV (UWW)
Hleb MAKARANKA (UWW)

72kg
Xhord GJONI (ALB)
Ruslan NURULLAYEV (AZE)
Iuri LOMADZE (GEO)
Krisztian VANCZA (HUN)
Sourav MALIK (IND)
Hojat REZAEI (IRI)
Mohammad REZAEI (IRI)
Almatbek AMANBEK (KAZ)
Daniyar KALENOV (KAZ)
Nikolay KHAPKO (KAZ)
Amantur ISMAILOV (KGZ)
Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ)
Kamil CZARNECKI (POL)
Didar ORAZBERDIYEV (TKM)
Benjamin PEAK (USA)
Kamil AKHMETVALEEV (UWW)
Magomed BARAKHOEV (UWW)

77kg
Kevin KUPI (ALB)
Klodjan SHEHU (ALB)
Davud MAMMADOV (AZE)
Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO)
Samuel BELLSCHEIDT (GER)
Levente LEVAI (HUN)
Robert FRITSCH (HUN)
AMAN (IND)
Nishant PHOGAT (IND)
Alireza ABDEVALI (IRI)
Amir ABDI (IRI)
Mohammad NAGHOUSI (UWW)
Kaharman KISSYMETOV (KAZ)
Merey MAULITKANOV (KAZ)
Ilgis KANYBEKOV (KGZ)
Alexandrin GUTU (MDA)
Mateusz BERNATEK (POL)
Konrad KOZLOWSKI (POL)
Aleksa ILIC (SRB)
Britton HOLMES (USA)
Evgenii BAIDUSOV (UWW)
Imran ALIEV (UWW)
Sergei STEPANOV (UWW)
Shuai MAMEDAU (UWW)

82kg
Marjan KOLA (ALB)
Tunjay VAZIRZADE (AZE)
Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO)
PRINCE (IND)
Mohammadamin HOSSEINI (IRI)
Almir TOLEBAYEV (KAZ)
Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ)
Dias KALEN (KAZ)
Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ)
Yryskeldi MAKSATBEK UULU (KGZ)
Shahin BADAGHIMOFRAD (QAT)
Viktor NEMES (SRB)
Kamal BEY (USA)
George SIKES (USA)
Adlet TIULIUBAEV (UWW)
Dmitrii DZHIOEV (UWW)
Iraklii KALANDIIA (UWW)

87kg
Islam ABBASOV (AZE)
Lachin VALIYEV (AZE)
Lasha GOBADZE (GEO)
Istvan TAKACS (HUN)
Sunil KUMAR (IND)
Jamal ESMAEILI (IRI)
Baurzhan MUSSIN (KAZ)
Islam YEVLOYEV (KAZ)
Shamil OZHAEV (KAZ)
Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ)
Azat SALIDINOV (KGZ)
Adam GARDZIOLA (POL)
Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB)
Payton JACOBSON (USA)
Spencer WOODS (USA)
Ihar YARASHEVICH (UWW)
Alan OSTAEV (UWW)
Islam ALIEV (UWW)
Milad ALIRZAEV (UWW)

97kg
Mahammad AHMADIYEV (AZE)
Murad AHMADIYEV (AZE)
Artur OMAROV (CZE)
Mathias BAK (DEN)
Giorgi MELIA (GEO)
Darius KIEFER (GER)
Alex SZOKE (HUN)
Vikrant BHORIYA (IND)
Amirreza MORADIYAN (IRI)
Iussuf MATSIYEV (KAZ)
Nurassyl AMANALY (KAZ)
Raiymbek TURSYN (KAZ)
Melis AITBEKOV (KGZ)
Uzur DZHUZUPBEKOV (KGZ)
Gerard KURNICZAK (POL)
Uros KRSTIN (SRB)
Amanberdi AGAMAMMEDOV (TKM)
Keith MILEY (USA)
Michial FOY (USA)
Kiryl MASKEVICH (UWW)
Adlan AMRIEV (UWW)
Artur SARGSIAN (UWW)

130kg
Griseldi KODRA (ALB)
Beka KANDELAKI (AZE)
Sarkhan MAMMADOV (AZE)
Konsta MAEENPAEAE (FIN)
Matti KUOSMANEN (FIN)
Sulkhan BUIDZE (GEO)
Jello KRAHMER (GER)
Darius VITEK (HUN)
HARDEEP (IND)
Uttam RANA (IND)
Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI)
Alimkhan SYZDYKOV (KAZ)
Jokhar UZAROV (KAZ)
Olzhas SYRLYBAY (KAZ)
Aden ATTAO (USA)
Dzmitry ZARUBSKI (UWW)
Marat KAMPAROV (UWW)
Ali ILIASOV (UWW)

Genesis REASCO (ECU)World champion Genesis REASCO (ECU) will be the favorite at 76kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov) 

Women's Wrestling Entries

50kg
Kamila BARBOSA (BRA)
Thalia OLIVEIRA (BRA)
Jacqueline MOLLOCANA (ECU)
MUSKAN (IND)
Priyanshi PRAJAPAT (IND)
SWEETY (IND)
Emanuela LIUZZI (ITA)
Miyu NAKAMURA (JPN)
Maral TANGIRBERGENOVA (KAZ)
Zeinep BAYANOVA (KAZ)
Agata GOLUCHOWSKA (POL)
Natalia WALCZAK (POL)
Svenja JUNGO (SUI)
Oksana LIVACH (UKR)
Erin GOLSTON (USA)
Kendra RYAN (USA)
Valeriia TIUKPIEKOVA CHEPSARAKOVA (UWW)

53kg
MEENAKSHI (IND)
Ayazhan MARKASHEVA (KAZ)
Roksana ZASINA (POL)
Zeynep YETGIL (TUR)
Natalia MALYSHEVA (UWW)

55kg
Anastasia BLAYVAS (GER)
PUSHPA (IND)
Laura ALMAGANBETOVA (KAZ)
Shugyla OMIRBEK (KAZ)
Beatrice FERENT (ROU)
Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR)
Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA)
Aleksandra SKIRENKO (UWW)
Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW)

57kg
Samantha STEWART (CAN)
Luisa VALVERDE (ECU)
Jenna HEMIAE (FIN)
Tamara DOLLAK (HUN)
Neha SHARMA (IND)
NEHA (IND)
Nilufar RAIMOVA (KAZ)
Zeltzin HERNANDEZ (MEX)
Felicitas DOMAJEVA (NOR)
Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR)
Amanda MARTINEZ (USA)
Kristina MIKHNEVA (UWW)

59kg
Elena BRUGGER (GER)
Erika BOGNAR (HUN)
Othelie HOEIE (NOR)
Bediha GUN (TUR)
Dilan TAN (TUR)
Mariia VYNNYK (UKR)
Abigail NETTE (USA)
Michaela BECK (USA)
Svetlana LIPATOVA (UWW)

62kg
Lais NUNES (BRA)
Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL)
ANJLI (IND)
MANSI (IND)
SAVITA (IND)
Tynys DUBEK (KAZ)
Grace BULLEN (NOR)
Amina CAPEZAN (ROU)
Sara LINDBORG (SWE)
Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR)
Adaugo NWACHUKWU (USA)
Macey KILTY (USA)
Amina TANDELOVA (UWW)
Anastasiia SIDELNIKOVA (UWW)
Valeriia DONDUPOVA (UWW)

65kg
Apeksha PATIL (IND)
Aizhan SUIDUOVA (KAZ)
Gulnura TASHTANBEKOVA (KGZ)
Kriszta INCZE (ROU)
Emma BRUNTIL (USA)
Jennifer PAGE ROGERS (USA)
Nina KEMU MAKEM (USA)
Alina KASABIEVA (UWW)

68kg
Albina DRAZHI (ALB)
Yuliana YANEVA (BUL)
Aleah NICKEL (CAN)
Laura KOEHLER (GER)
Noémi SZABADOS (HUN)
KIRTI (IND)
Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ)
Kateryna ZELENYKH (ROU)
Tindra SJOEBER (SWE)
Nesrin BAS (TUR)
Destiny ADEYELE LYNG (USA)
Solin PIEARCY (USA)

72kg
Daniela BRASNAROVA (BUL)
Diksha MALIK (IND)
Reshma MANE (IND)
Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ)
Nurzat NURTAEVA (KGZ)
Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL)
Buse TOSUN (TUR)
Skylar GROTE (USA)

76kg
Vanesa GEORGIEVA (BUL)
Genesis REASCO (ECU)
Jennifer ROESLER (GER)
KAJAL (IND)
Enrica RINALDI (ITA)
Gulmaral YERKEBAYEVA (KAZ)
Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ)
Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU)
Kadriye KOCAK AKSOY (TUR)
Elmira YASIN (TUR)
Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR)
Dymond GUILFORD (USA)