African Beach Wrestling Championships 2024: All you need to know

Friday, June 21, 2024 - 12:09 By Vinay Siwach

DAKAR, Senegal (June 21) -- The second edition of the African Beach Wrestling Championships will be held in Dakar, Senegal. The tournament, to be played on June 22 and 23 at the Arène Nationale de Lutte, will see 103 wrestlers competing in four weight classes each in men's and women's categories.

The first African Championships in Beach Wrestling was held in Hammamet, which also hosted the African Beach Games, last year.

The two-day tournament will streamed live on the United World Wrestling Beach Wrestling Series YouTube channel. All the action can be accessed here. On Saturday, the group bouts in all weight classes will begin at 10:00 hours local time till 13:00 hours. After a two-hour break, the competition will resume with more group-stage bouts at 15:00 hours.

On Sunday, the morning session will see the remaining group-stage bouts in all weight classes in both categories beginning at 10:00 hours. The evening session will begin at 15:00 hours with all the elimination and medal bouts. A closing ceremony is scheduled at 19:30 hours.

For regular updates, log on to uww.org or the UWW App and follow United World Wrestling channels on Instagram, Facebook, X, and YouTube.

Here are the wrestlers competing in the weight classes in Dakar on Saturday and Sunday.

Siny SEMBENE (SEN) will look to defend his 90kg title in Dakar. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Bayrem Ben Mrad)

Men's Beach Wrestling

70kg
Chamseddine ABDEMEZIEM (ALG)
Reginaldo da SILVA (ANG)
Yves NISHIMWE (BDI)
Baki ISSIAKO (BEN)
Herve KI (BUR)
Guy LAGO (CIV)
Gibriel CHOW (GAM)
Wotna NDOC (GBS)
Rafael NZE OYANA (GEQ)
Thierno DIALLO (GUI)
Kenneth KOECH (KEN)
Faly RANDRIANANTOANDRO (MAD)
Gilbert EMILIE (MRI)
Djamilou BAKOYE BAJINI (NIG)
Adama THIOR (SEN)
Nkosinathi MAKHANYA (SWZ)
Rodgers MUKYEDA (UGA)
Kangwa DAKA (ZAM)

80kg
Chawki DOULACHE (ALG)
Kieto PACHECO (ANG)
Firmin TOSSE (BEN)
Jeffias KULUBE (BOT)
Koni DIALLO (BUR)
Nelson OBROU (CAF)
Dongui AHAMED ABASSE (CAF)
Michel DOLE BONDELE (CGO)
Samluel FALINA DOGOM (CHA)
Anthony WESLEY (CPV)
Modou JOBE (GAM)
Caetano SA (GBS)
Mathayo MAHABILA (KEN)
Mohammed BOUAZOUNI (MAR)
Jesse VAN BAALEN (RSA)
Mbaye DIOP (SEN)
Ya NDONG (SEN)
Foday KARGBO (SLE)
Ibrahim AHMED (SUD)
Joseph KAKIZIBA (TAN)
Khairiddine BEN TLILI (TUN)

90kg
Ayelodjou TCHEDE (BEN)
Karim BAZONGO (BUR)
Cedric ABOSSOLO (CMR)
Matteo MONTEIRO FURTADO TRESSE (CPV)
Ahmed MAHMOUD (EGY)
Adama SARR (GAM)
Emmanuel OSEI SARFO (GHA)
Mohamed CAMARA (GUI)
Mark ONGUYESI (KEN)
Harrison ONOVWIOMOGBOHWO (NGR)
Siny SEMBENE (SEN)

+90kg
Amine BENDJELLOUL (ALG)
Islam INOUSSA (BEN)
Alain GUERET (CAF)
Borcel BOUKAKA (CGO)
Babacarr MBOGE (GAM)
Issah FUSEINI (GHA)
Dan CHEPTAI (KEN)
Pieter UYS (NAM)
Mouhamed BAYO (SEN)
Alaza SAYIBIA (TOG)

Amy YOUIN (CIV) is entered at +70kg for the African Beach Wrestling Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Bayrem Ben Mrad)

Women's Beach Wrestling

50kg
Cheima CHEBILA (ALG)
Gouleli BATIO (BUR)
Nde YAPI (CIV)
Rose KOMBE (CMR)
Debora TURE (GBS)
Emma WANGILA (KEN)
Nahamie SAMBOU (SEN)

60kg
Lassaleth ANTONIO (ANG)
Julienne UWIMANA (BDI)
Sofiath ADJAI (BEN)
Wendgounda NABI (BUR)
Nogona BAKAYOKO (CIV)
Farah HUSSEIN (EGY)
Rohey CHAM (GAM)
Alberta TETTEH (GHA)
Emily WANYAMA (KEN)
Solo MIORANIRINA (MAD)
Zineb HASSOUNE (MAR)
Vihanshy KANAPETRADU (MRI)
Ester ABRAHAM (NAM)
Hanna IDI ADAM (NIG)
Mama SAMBOU (SEN)
Siphesihle DLAMINI (SWZ)
Harriet AKITE (UGA)

70kg
Kawiyatou ISSIFOU (BEN)
Kelebogile BASUPI (BOT)
Riyanata DIALLO (BUR)
Lec Hej ANDE (CAF)
Clavina ITSAMBO NGALA (CGO)
Aminata IMBALI (GBS)
Freedom MBIYA NGUEMA (GEQ)
Safietou GOUDIABY (SEN)
Vumilia KALINGA (TAN)
Bimamdeou AGNAN (TOG)
Nour JELJELI (TUN)
Abigail MULENGA (ZAM)

+70kg
Salmantou COULIBALY (BUR)
Godah GASSIDA (CHA)
Amy YOUIN (CIV)
Ebi BIOGOS (NGR)
Lillian MBENA (RSA)
Anta SAMBOU (SEN)
Augusta DEIGH (SLE)
Patricia ELNOUR (SUD)

#IranWrestling

Inspired by Olympic Gold, Esmaeili's Cousins Win U17 Asian Titles

Friday, June 12, 2026 - 12:33 By Vinay Siwach

DA NANG, Vietnam (June 11) -- When 20-year-old Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI) returned to Iran after winning Olympic gold in Greco-Roman 67kg at the Paris Games, he came home with more than just a medal around his neck. He returned with proof that wrestling could change lives.

Raised in poverty in Dezful, Khuzestan Province, Esmaeili's improbable run to Olympic gold transformed him overnight into a national sensation. He was showered with gifts, cash awards and job offers.

The ripples of that triumph are still being felt. Last month, two of Esmaeili's own cousins, Ali ESMAEILI (IRI) and Vahid ASHIRI (IRI), won gold medals at the U17 Asian Championships in Da Nang after taking up wrestling only two years ago, inspired by his Olympic success and the hero's welcome he received back home.

Paris Olympic champion Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI), left, with his cousin Ali who won 48kg gold medal at the U17 Asian Championships.

Ali, whose father is Esmaeili's uncle, competed in Greco-Roman 48kg and won three bouts to capture the gold medal. He outscored his opponents 22-2 including two technical superiority wins.

Another cousin from his mother's side, Ashiri, competed in the Greco-Roman 55kg weight class and was crowned champion after four victories. He defeated wrestlers from India, Jordan, China and Kyrgyzstan with scores of 6-1, 5-2, 11-1, and 3-1 to capture the Asian title.

While they were winning gold medals in Vietnam, Olympic champion Esmaeili was watching from Iran.

"I watched their Asian finals and I always follow their training," Esmaeili told United World Wrestling. "We are from the same club and both are talented."

Ali ESMAEILI (IRI) became the U17 Asian champion at 48kg in Greco-Roman. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

The two took up wrestling at the age of 14 and quickly rose through the province before making it to the Iran team for the U17 Asian Championships. Ali Esmaeili feels that Saeid's presence motivates him to work harder to achieve medals in wrestling.

"I got into wrestling after watching Saeid's Olympic final. In 2 years, with his help, I managed to become the Asian champion. Every time I see Saeid, I feel really good and I am proud of him."

Though Esmaeili trains at the national camp in Tehran, he does not miss a chance to train the youngsters when he returns home and practices in Dezful.

"I tried to answer every question they asked me about wrestling carefully and I also taught them some of my techniques," he said.

Vahid ASHIRI (IRI) claimed the 55kg gold medal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Ashiri also stepped foot in the club after watching Esmaeili's thrilling Paris campaign. Two years later, he is proud to represent both the Esmaeili family and the club.

"After Saeid won the gold medal, I went to the club where he trains and whenever I had any questions, he explained them to me carefully," Ashiri said. "I am truly proud to be a member of the club and a family with such a personality."

The next stop for both Ali and Ashiri will be the U17 World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan from July 28 to August 2.

"Just like the Asian Championships, I want to repeat the success at the World Championships," Ali said.

RESULTS

48kg
Final: Ali ESMAEILI (IRI) df. Javokhir SHARIFBOEV (UZB), 4-2
Semifinal: Ali ESMAEILI (IRI) df. Umarali BERDALIEV (KGZ), 9-0
Quarterfinal: Ali ESMAEILI (IRI) df. Liaotan LAN (CHN), 9-0

55kg
Final: Vahid ASHIRI (IRI) df. Syimyk ASKAROV (KGZ), 3-1
Semifinal: Vahid ASHIRI (IRI) df. Zihao ZHANG (CHN), 11-1
Quarterfinal: Vahid ASHIRI (IRI) df. Adam ABU FARE (JOR), 5-2
Qualification: Vahid ASHIRI (IRI) df. HARION (IND), 6-1

African Beach Wrestling Championships 2024: All you need to know

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Inspired by Olympic Gold, Esmaeili's Cousins Win U17 Asian Titles