African Cadet and Juniors Conclude In Nigeria

Saturday, February 10, 2018 - 13:20 By Eric Olanowski

PORT HARCOURT, Nigeria (February 9) - The African cadet and junior championships concluded today in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Nearly 250 age-level wrestlers from 14 nations competed in this year’s African Championships.

Cadet Women’s Wrestling
Mercy Bolafunoluwa ADEKUOROYE (NIG), who is the niece of reigning world silver medalist and United World Wrestling’s History Maker of 2017, Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR) took home the 53kg gold medal after she defeated Souad Malek BOUKSIR (ALG), 10-0.

Nigeria finished the day with two additional gold medals, bringing their total to three gold medals. Morocco, Egypt, and Tunisia each had a solo gold medalist. The four remaining weight categories did not have entrants.

Cadet Freestyle
After Ebizimor Daukeyai Kelvin SARIKI’s (NGR) 8-2 victory over Decan Lukeem JANTJIES (RSA) in the 45kg finals, South Africa took over the gold medal parade by winning back-to-back titles at 48kg and 51kg.

Algeria’s picked up the first of its two gold medals at 55kg when Oussama LARIBI (ALG) completed the 14-4 technical superiority victory over Adham Mohamed Abdelmonem Ali SAKR (EGY).

At 60kg, Stephen Tope AKINTEWE (NGR) narrowly edged Alex Foday KALLON (SLE), 2-0, giving Nigeria their second gold medal of the cadet freestyle championships.

Fathi Tarek Fathi Attia ISMAIL (EGY) went unscored upon on his way to defeating Kenechukwu Prince NNAEMEKA (NGR), 6-0 in the 65kg gold medal bout.

At 71kg, Christian GUIDILIM (CMR) went 4-0 on the day and gave Cameroon their first medal of the 2018 African Championships.

Chadi EL KHALIL (EGY) and Ahmed Mahmoud Elsayed Mohamed KHALIL closed out the tournament for Egypt, winning two of the three remaining gold but not before Algeria’s Fateh BENFERDJALLAH (ALG) picked up the 80kg title.

Cadet Greco-Roman
Abdalla Mohamed SHAABAN (EGY) started out the Greco-Roman portion of the tournament by squeaking out at 3-2 victory over Omrane CHERRAD (ALG) at 48kg.

Peter UKORO (NGR) captured the host countries lone cadet Greco-Roman gold medal by shutting out Omar Adel Elsayed Gaafar ABDELAZIZ (EGY), 4-0 at 55kg.

Tunisia will head home with three champions, including back-to-back gold medalists at 65kg and 71kg with Lamjed MAAFI (TUN) and Mohamed Aziz LANDOLSI (TUN). Mehdi JOUINI (TUN) also took gold at 51kg .

Algeria’s trio of Mohamed Yacine DRIDI (ALG), Ahmed Abdelhakim MERIKHI (ALG), and Fadi ROUABAH (ALG) also captured three gold medals for their nation. Those gold medals came at 51kg, 60kg, and 80kg.

The competition did have entrants at 110kgs, so the final gold medal went to Egypt’s Shady WAHEEB (EGY) as he defeated Mundell BROWN (RSA) by technical superiority victory, 14-4.

Junior Freestyle
The first two matches of junior freestyle side of the tournament started with criteria wins. Beginning with 57kg, Gamal MOHAMED (EGY) was able to hold off Salah Eddine KATEB (ALG), 5-5 and pick up the gold medal. One gold medal bout later, Frederik NORTJE (RSA) stood his ground and beat Kouceila SADOUKI (ALG), 4-4 to seal up the 61kg gold medal.

Algeria would pick up their second gold medal in freestyle as Fares LAKEL (ALG) handed Kaireddine BEN TELILI (TUN) a 9-6 loss in the 65kg finals.

Nwafor EMEKA (NGR) gave Nigeria their first junior freestyle gold medal as he picked up the commanding 10-0 technical superiority victory over Mohamed Aziz BEN JAAFAR (TUN) at 70kgs.

At 74kg, Samy MOUSTAFA (EGY) added to Egypt’s gold medal count with a 10-0 victory over Matthew Trevor BARTLETT (RSA).

Oussama ABDELLAOUI (ALG) made it a trio of gold medals for Algeria as he completed the 5-0 shutout over Ebiboloukemi Gilbert CLARKSON (NGR) at 79kg.

After finishing the day with two wins, Tarikebena CAPTAN (NGR) and Omar Hussein Mohamed Hassanin ZAYED (EGY) walked away with the 86kg and 92kg gold medals.

At 97kg and 125kg, Mohammed FARDJ (ALG) and Radiance Best AKARI (NGR) finished the day with 1-0 records and took home African Championship crowns.

Junior Greco-Roman
Algeria kicked the off Greco-Roman wrestling with back-to-back champions at 55kg and 60kg. Mourtada NAANAA (ALG) held off Abderrazak ROUINBI (MAR), 1-1 to win the 55kg title. Abdeldjebar DJEBBARI (ALG) won both of his matches and walked away with the 60kg crown.

Egypt followed suit, taking home the next two gold medals. Hassan MOHAMED (EGY) shutout Radhwen TARHOUNI (TUN), 9-0 in the 63kg finals, and in the 67kg finals, Mohamed ELSAYED (EGY) picked up a technical superiority victory over Mustapha AFIRAOU (MAR), 12-1.

The final six gold medals were determined via round-robin. Egypt captured four of the last six weight classes with three gold medals. Nigeria and Tunisia grabbed the final two gold medals.

Junior Women’s Wrestling
50kg Sarra HAMDI (TUN) started the gold medal festivities for Tunisia by handling Nada Medani Ashour Abdalla MOHAMED (EGY), 16-5 in the 50kg finals. Tunisia went on to win gold medals at four additional weights, bringing their championship hardware to five gold medals.

Rosine NSTA ASSOUGA (CMR) gave Tunisia a rare finals loss as she edged out Siwar BOUSETTA (TUN), 4-2 to capture the 53kg African championship.

At 62kg Lina KHELLAL (ALG) went 3-0 on the day was awarded the gold medal.

With no participants at 76kg, the tournament concluded with Ebi BIOGOS (NGR) winning the title at 68kg and Youin AMY (CIV) taking home the gold medal at 72kg.

Zhumanarova, Medet Kyzy give Kyrgyzstan double gold at ISG 2025

Thursday, November 20, 2025 - 17:27 By Vinay Siwach

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (November 20) -- Kyrgyzstan was the most successful nation on day three of the Islamic Solidarity Games 2025 with three gold medals out of five on offer.

Three weight classes in women's and two in Freestyle were in action in Riyadh at the Games and Kyrgyzstan captured three gold medals with Paris Olympic silver medalist Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) leading the way.

Zhumanazarova powered her way to the 68kg gold medal. Facing Svetlana OKNAZAROVA (UZB) in the final, Zhumanazarova hit a counter four-pointer to extend her lead to 7-0 before hitting a takedown and turn to finish the final 11-0.

"It was an easy tournament for me," Zhumanazarova said. "I have not wrestled well since Paris majorly due to the ankle injury I suffered."

Now that she is back to full fitness and winning, Zhumanazarova aims to compete more often year with Asian Championships, World Championships and Asian Games lined up.

"Next year, I will make sure to compete at all three major tournaments," she said.

Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) celebrates after beating Damola OJO (NGR) in the 76kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Joining Zhumanazarova on the top of the podium was world silver medalist and Asian champion Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) who came alive in the second period of the 76kg final against Damola OJO (NGR).

Ojo led 1-1 on criteria when she scored a stepout in the second period but Medet Kyzy scored a takedown and then moved to the legs to lock a lace and turn Ojo four times for an 11-1 technical superiority.

Medet Kyzy's gold medal was the second for Kyrgyzstan in women's wrestling, same as Nigeria. Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan finished the competition with one gold each.

Esther KOLAWALE (NGR) defeated Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE) with a last-second takedown in the 62kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

U23 world bronze medalist Esther KOLAWALE (NGR) needed a final-second takedown against Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE) to win the 62kg gold medal. She scored a takedown when Mammadova was on the activity clock to lead 3-0 and hoped to run out the clock with that lead.

However, Mammadova got on a single-leg attack in the second period which she converted into a takedown during the Nigerian's activity period. Kolawale tried to open the fingers of Mammadova which made the referees dock on point for caution, making it 4-3 for Mammadova with 16 seconds left.

Kolawale first scored a stepout with 12 seconds remaining to make it 4-4 but Mammadova had the criteria lead because of the caution against Kolawale. But she then hit a takedown with three seconds on the clock to claim a 6-4 and the win as well.

Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) scores on Abdulmazhid KUDIEV (TJK) in the 65kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Amouzad dominates to gold

World champion Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) had not trouble in winning the 65kg gold medal after he defeated Abdulmazhid KUDIEV (TJK), 12-2, in the final.

Kudiev gave an early scare when he scored a takedown on Amouzad to go 2-0 up but the Iranian gather himself and scored three stepouts before the break to lead 3-2. Kudiev then tried to hit a double-leg but Amouzad countered with a beautiful chest wrap throw for four points to make it 7-2.

Tajikistan challenged, asking for two points but at no point in the exchange did Kudiev manage to expose or control Amouzad who now led 8-2 for the lost challenge. Two stepouts and a takedown later, Amouzad captured the gold medal with a technical superiority win.

Earlier in the day, Amouzad faced world bronze medalist Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) in the quarterfinals and came out on top 4-0. The win included three stepout and one point for Jalolov's passivity.

Abdumalik KARACHOV (KGZ) counters Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE) to score four points. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Kyrgyzstan won gold medals not only in Women's Wrestling but also in Freestyle as Abdumalik KARACHOV (KGZ) won at 57kg, beating Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE), 9-3, in the final.

Karachov had a field day in Riyadh as he defeated world and Olympic bronze medalist Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) in the quarterfinals before a convincing win in the final.

Bazarganov was down 2-1 with 24 seconds left in the final when he hit a strong snap on Karachov who managed to stay on his feet and countered with a duckunder and get four points.

Bazarganov got one point for reversal but Azerbaijan challenged the call, asking for four points but lost it as Karachov never came in danger. The Kyrgyzstan wrestler then scored a match-ending takedown to win 9-3.

RESULTS

Women's Wrestling

62kg
GOLD: Esther KOLAWALE (NGR) df. Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE), 6-4

BRONZE: Selvi ILYASOGLU (TUR) df. Rebecca AMONGI (UGA),
BRONZE: Nigina SABIROVA (UZB) df. Aylah MAYALI (PLE), 11-0

68kg
GOLD: Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) df. Svetlana OKNAZAROVA (UZB), 11-0

BRONZE: Nigar MIRZAZADA (AZE) df. Halima AKTER (BAN), via forfeit
BRONZE: Irina KAZYULINA (KAZ) df. Ndiffo AIMELDA (CMR), via fall (6-0)

76kg
GOLD: Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) df. Damola OJO (NGR), 11-1

BRONZE: Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ) vs. Elmira YASIN (TUR), via fall (7-0)
BRONZE: Samar HAMZA (EGY) df. Wilita PELAGIE (CMR), 5-1

Freestyle

57kg
GOLD: Abdumalik KARACHOV (KGZ) df. Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE), 9-3

BRONZE: Ali MOMENI (IRI) df. Sayed ZAZAI (AFG), 11-0
BRONZE: Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) df. Ismael CAMARA (GUI), 10-0

65kg
GOLD: Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) df. Abdulmazhid KUDIEV (TJK), 12-2

BRONZE: Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) df. Ali RAHIMZADE (AZE), 8-3
BRONZE: Bilol SHARIP UULU (KGZ) df. Alibeg ALIBEGOV (BRN), 10-0

African Cadet and Juniors Conclude In Nigeria

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Zhumanarova, Medet Kyzy give Kyrgyzstan double gold at ISG 2025