#WrestleAlger

African Championship Entries

Monday, January 27, 2020 - 18:22 By Eric Olanowski

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ALGER, Algeria (January 27) ---The African Championships kick-off February 04-09 in Alger, Algeria, and 23 of last year’s 30 champions return to action looking to defend their crowns. 

Second-ranked Odunayo ADEKUOROYE headlines a group of nine women’s wrestling returning champions. 

Adama DIATTA (SEN), the man in search of African title number ten, highlights a list of freestyle stars that includes eight reigning gold-medal winners.

Egypt’s pair of top-five-ranked wrestlers Mohamed ELSAYED (EGY) and Abdellatif MOHAMED (EGY) are two of the six Greco-Roman wrestlers who are looking to win a second consecutive title.

The African Championships begin next Tuesday (February 4) at 10:30 local time and can be followed live on www.unitedworldwrestling.org. 

Women's Wrestling

50kg
Ibtissem DOUDOU (ALG)
Nadine NDAYISHIMIYE (BDI)
Nde Caroline YAPI (CIV)
Nada Medani Ashour Abdalla MOHAMED (EGY)
Debora Valeria TURE (GBS)
Fatiha SAHMANI (MAR)
Miesinnei Mercy GENESIS (NGR)
Nahamie SAMBOU (SEN)
Sarra HAMDI (TUN)

53kg
Kheira Chaimaa YAHIAOUI (ALG)
Joseph Emilienne ESSOMBE TIAKO (CMR)
Kholod Ahmed Allam AHMED (EGY)
Elisa Emma Patricia RASOANANTENAINA NOMENJANAHARY (MAD)
Bose SAMUEL (NGR)
Chaima RAOUAFI (TUN)

55kg
Lamia CHEMLAL (ALG)
Faten Ramadan Shamndy AHMED (EGY)
Esther Omolayo KOLAWOLE (NGR)
Dorssaf GHARSSI (TUN)
Faten HAMMAMI (TUN)

57kg
Cheima CHEBILA (ALG)
Eman Essam Guda EBRAHIM (EGY)
Fatoumata Yarie CAMARA (GUI)
Odunayo Folasade ADEKUOROYE (NGR)
Siwar BOUSETTA (TUN)

59kg
Rayane HOUFAF (ALG)
Fatma Ramadan Gomaa Ahmed ELKELINY (EGY)
Bisola MAKANJUOLA (NGR)
Siwar LOUATI BEN ALI (TUN)
Khouloud EL OUNI (TUN)

62kg
Kenza ISMAIL (ALG)
Berthe Emilienne ETANE NGOLLE (CMR)
Amina Kamal Elsebaee IBRAHIM (EGY)
Winrose ALIVISA (KEN)
Aminat Oluwafunmilayo ADENIYI (NGR)
Marwa AMRI (TUN)

65kg
Amel HAMMICHE(ALG)
Donia Mohamed Abdelgawwad ABOUZEID(EGY)
Hannah Amuchechi RUEBEN(NGR)
Lilia MEJRI(TUN)

68kg
Drifa AREZKI (ALG)
Mona Reda Abdelkhalek AHMED (EGY)
Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR)
Anta SAMBOU (SEN)
Rihem AYARI (TUN)

72kg
Melissa SALHI (ALG)
Ornella Terancia Oswaldie SEREBOUSSO (CAF)
Eman Hany Hefny MOHAMED (EGY)
Sunmisola Idowu BALOGUN (NGR)
Zaineb SGHAIER (TUN)

76kg
Tassadit AMER (ALG)
Yvette ZIE (BUR)
Amy YOUIN (CIV)
Samar Amer Ibrahim HAMZA (EGY)
Blessing Joy ONYEBUCHI (NGR)
Nour JELJELI (TUN)

Adama DIATTA (SEN) is looking to win his tenth African title since 2007. (Photo: Max Rose-Fyne)

Freestyle

57kg
Abdelhak KHERBACHE (ALG)
Jean-Claude NDAYIZEYE (BDI)
Gamal Abdelnaser Hanafy MOHAMED (EGY)
Diamantino IUNA FAFE (GBS)
Mohamed Ismaele CAMARA (GUI)
Soufiane KABIL (MAR)
Ebikewenimo WELSON (NGR)
Jakobo Tanki TAU (RSA)
Fathi Mohammed Yagoub Nasir NASIR (SUD)

61kg
Abdelghani BENATALLAH (ALG)
Oussama LARIBI (ALG)
Rosian Ronald NGUIGAZA (CAF)
Christ Emmanuel NDRI (CIV)
Yousef Mohamed Yousef EISSA (EGY)
Fisayo KOLAWOLE (NGR)
Hermanus Nicolaas VAN DEN BERG (RSA)
Habib Mohamed El Tegani AHMED (SUD)
Dhia Eddine BAALOUCHI (TUN)

65kg
Amar LAISSAOUI (ALG)
Maxime Anicet Nazaire SIALO MAKAKE (CAF)
Fathi Tarek Fathi Attia ISMAIL (EGY)
Mbunde CUMBA MBALI (GBS)
Faly Hery Sedra RANDRIANANTOANDRO (MAD)
Otmane EL BAHJA (MAR)
Amas DANIEL (NGR)
Reynhardt LOUW (RSA)
Adama DIATTA (SEN)
Fakhireldin Antar Obaid SORIEN (SUD)
Farouk JELASSI (TUN)

70kg
Ibrahim MOKHTARI (ALG)
Lionel Patrick NGBO BAMBOU ASSANA (CAF)
Ahmed Mohamed Elsayed ELMADBOH (EGY)
Abubakar ALHASSAN (GHA)
Sampson CLACKSON (NGR)
Haithem DAKHLAOUI (TUN)

74kg
Ishak BOUKHORS (ALG)
Baki TCHANI (BEN)
Djibrine Garba NGAMBONGO (CAF)
Mahamad Mansour IDRISS (CAF)
Amr Reda Ramadan HUSSEN (EGY)
Augusto MIDANA (GBS)
Mathayo Matonya MAHABILA (KEN)
Mohamed CHAKIR (MAR)
Ogbonna Emmanuel JOHN (NGR)
Jaundre VAN RIEL (RSA)
Jean Bernard Diadia DIATTA (SEN)
Mohamed SESAY (SLE)
Maher GHANMI (TUN)

79kg
Mohammed BOUDRAA (ALG)
Saifeldin Shokry Mohamed Mahmoud ELKOUMY (EGY)
Foday KARGBO (SLE)
Ali Abdelwahab Osman BAKHET (SUD)
Ayoub BARRAJ (TUN)

86kg
Fateh BENFERDJALLAH (ALG)
Amoussou Nicolas CAKPO (BEN)
Nziga We Dieu Beni ZOZO (CAF)
Ulrich Elyse MANOUAN (CIV)
Khaled Masoud Ismail ELMOATAMADAWI (EGY)
Bedopassa BUASSAT DJONDE (GBS)
Roman MANITRA RAHARISON (MAD)
Oussama REGANI (MAR)
Ekerekeme AGIOMOR (NGR)
Zander GERINGER (RSA)
Blaise DIATTA (SEN)
Guma Babiker Adam BASHIR (SUD)
Sabri MNASRIYA (TUN)

92kg
Mohammed FARDJ (ALG)
Mohamed Abdalla Abdelmoneim ABDALLA (EGY)
Rachid OURIBI (MAR)
Mohamed Saifeldoula Mohamed MOHAMEDAIN (SUD)
Imed KADDIDI (TUN)

97kg
Oualid BOUAZIZI (ALG)
Hosam Mohamed Mostafa MERGHANY (EGY)
Fahd NAJI (MAR)
Angula Matheus SHIKONGO (NAM)
Soso TAMARAU (NGR)
Martin ERASMUS (RSA)
Mohamed SAADAOUI (TUN)
Amir ALAWAD (UWW)

125kg
Djahid BERRAHAL (ALG)
Diaaeldin Kamal Gouda ABDELMOTTALEB (EGY)
Anas LAMKABBER (MAR)
Johannes Jacobus KRIEL (RSA)
Thiacka FAYE (SEN)
Abdelmoneim ADOULI (TUN)

Two-time U23 world champion Mohamed ELSAYED (EGY) is the headline Greco-Roman athlete entered in the African Championships. He's ranked No. 5 in the world at 67kg. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

Greco-Roman

55kg
Abdelkarim FERGAT (ALG)
Youssef Mohamed Harbi THABET (EGY)
Romio Ricardo GOLIATH (NAM)
Dhia Eddine BAALOUCHI (TUN)

60kg
Abdennour LAOUNI (ALG)
Haithem Mahmoud Ahmed Fahmy MAHMOUD (EGY)
Abderrazak ROUINBI (MAR)
Ikechukwu Valentine ROBINSON (NGR)
Mehdi DHEKER (TUN)

63kg
Abdeldjebar DJEBBARI (ALG)
Mostafa Hassan Abdelaal MOHAMED (EGY)
Hamed Moustapha TCHOUFON (RSA)
Fakhireldin Antar Obaid SORIEN (SUD)

67kg
Ishak GHAIOU (ALG)
Abdelmalek MERABET (ALG)
Mohamed Ibrahim Elsayed Ibrahi ELSAYED (EGY)
Mouad LACHKAR (MAR)
Alfred Ebilade PARKISTAN (NGR)
Gert Cornelius Johannes COETZEE (RSA)
Radhwen TARHOUNI (TUN)

72kg
Tarek Aziz BENAISSA (ALG)
Abouhalima Mohamed Elsaid ABOUHALIMA (EGY)
Mohamed SESAY (SLE)
Lamjed MAAFI (TUN)

77kg
Abd Elkrim OUAKALI (ALG)
Wael Hamdy Mohamed ABDELRAHMAN (EGY)
Aziz BOUALEM (MAR)
Emmanuel Chinonso NWORIE (NGR)
Richard FERREIRA (RSA)
Foday KARGBO (SLE)
Ibrahim Mohamed Bashir AHMED (SUD)
Mohamed Aziz LANDOLSI (TUN)

82kg
Fadi ROUABAH (ALG)
Chawki DOULACHE (ALG)
Mohamed Mahmoud Elsayed Ahmed SELIM (EGY)
Ali Abdelwahab Osman BAKHET (SUD)
Ghaith HANNACHI (TUN)

87kg
Bachir SID AZARA (ALG)
Mohamed Moustafa Ahmed Abdall METWALLY (EGY)
Mohamed FAIQ (MAR)
Tochukwu Micheal OKEKE (NGR)
Edward Louwis LESSING (RSA)
Guma Babiker Adam BASHIR (SUD)
Mohamed Skander MISSAOUI (TUN)

97kg
Adem BOUDJEMLINE (ALG)
Noureldin Hany Mohamed Gomaa HASSAN (EGY)
Choucri ATAFI (MAR)
Mohamed Saifeldoula Mohamed MOHAMEDAIN (SUD)
Haikel ACHOURI (TUN)
Amir ALAWAD (UWW)

130kg
Hichem KOUCHIT (ALG)
Hemza HALOUI (ALG)
Abdellatif Mohamed Ahmed MOHAMED (EGY)
Soufiane RAMANI (MAR)
Amine GUENNICHI (TUN)

Please note that entries are subject to change and are not official until 24 hours before the start of competition.

#WrestleTirana

U23 Euros: Yakushenko grabs 97kg gold; Georgia wins GR team title

Friday, March 14, 2025 - 21:27 By United World Wrestling Press

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TIRANA, Albania (March 14) -- Ukraine was out of the top five in Greco-Roman team rankings before the 97kg gold medal bout Friday at the U23 World Chamionships. But Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR) made sure that Ukraine improves, he helped it climb to number two spot.

Yakushenko won the 97kg gold medal after beating Richard KARELSON (EST) 4-1 in the final to take Ukraine's tally to 99 points, more than third-placed Turkiye (98 points), Azerbaijan (91 points) and Moldova (85 points).

Georgia won the team title, its fifth at the U23 European Championships in 10 editions, with 133 points. It won two golds, one silver and three bronze medals.

Yakushenko, who won his third consecutive gold internationally, would be proud of his campaign in Tirana, Albania as he gave no chance to his opponents in four bouts.

His four victories included one over former world U20 champion and Paris Olympian Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (UWW) in the first bout. He defeated the senior European bronze medalist 7-3.

In the final, Yakushenko denied Karelson a piece of history. Karelson was hoping to became the first Estonian to win the U23 European gold in Greco, adding to his historic U20 European gold from 2022.

Karelson got the first par terre advantage however Yakushenko calmly defended the position. When he got the chance in the second period, Yakushenko turned Karelson to lead 3-1. He lifted Karelson, hoping for a throw but managed only a out-of-bounds for one point to make it 4-1.

That was enough for Yakushenko to win the gold medal, adding to his collection of U20 world and European golds from last year. Karelson, too, would take some confidence with his campaign despite the loss in the final as the silver medal was his first in three years of international competitions.

Georgia won two gold medals Friday to reach the top of the podium. Dimitri KHACHIDZE (GEO) and Anri KHOZREVANIDZE (GEO) won the 60kg and 67kg finals respectively to add to Georgia's tally.

Khachidze gave no chance to Melkamu FETENE (ISR) in the 60kg final and needed only 50 seconds to win 9-0. He launched an arm throw for four before using an arm-drag to take control and launch another four-point throw. Fetene challenged but in vain.

The gold medal an improvement for Khachidze who finished fifth last year while Fetene was a silver medalist. With another silver, Fetene now has five age-group European medals, none of them gold.

Khozrevanidze needed a successful challenge to keep his lead in the 67kg final against Hleb MAKARANKA (UWW). After taking a 3-1 lead by turning Makaranka from par terre, Khozrevanidze was docked two points for offensive head-butting but he challenged the decision and on review, there was no foul.

The successful challenge restored Khozrevanidze's 3-1 lead which he held for the remaining one minute to win, completing the set of U17, U20 and U23 European golds for the 20-year-old.

At 82kg, Alexandru SOLOVEI (MDA) also completed his set of age-group European medals with gold after beating Gamzat GADZHIEV (UWW), 3-1, in the final.

The world U17 champion and world U20 silver medalist had a lacklusture 2024, winning only a silver medal [U20 European Championships] in five competitions. But he began 2025 with bronze at the Zagreb Open and now added a gold medal.

After both wrestlers had had their par terre positions, Solovei led 1-1 on criteria. But Gadzhiev was called passive again and put in par terre. As the third passivity in the match doesn't offer any points, Solovei, who led the bout, scored a turn to steer clear with a 3-1 lead.

It was too much for Gadzhiev to cover and Solovei was happy to pocket the gold medal, a huge confidence booster before steps on the mat at 77kg  in Bratislava, Slovakia for the senior European Championships in second week of April. He was chosen ahead of Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) who has shown slump in his form. Gutu won the 77kg bronze medal in Tirana.

Returning bronze medalist at 72kg Ruslan NURULLAYEV (AZE) climbed to the top of the podium this year after he defeated Danil GRIGOREV (UWW), 3-2, in the gold-medal bout.

Nurullayev, a former world U23 medalist, scored a turn from par terre and before giving up a stepout but held on to his 3-2 to lead to win gold for Azerbaijan.

Photo

RESULTS

60kg
GOLD: Dimitri KHACHIDZE (GEO) df. Melkamu FETENE (ISR), 9-0

BRONZE: Papik DZHAVADIAN (UWW) df. Suren AGHAJANYAN (ARM), 9-3
BRONZE: Mert ILBARS (TUR) df. Bohdan HRYSHYN (UKR), 5-0

67kg
GOLD: Anri KHOZREVANIDZE (GEO) df. Hleb MAKARANKA (UWW), 3-1

BRONZE: Daniial AGAEV (UWW) df. Bredi SLINKERS (NED), 9-0
BRONZE: Azat SARIYAR (TUR) df. Arslanbek SALIMOV (POL), 5-2

72kg
GOLD: Ruslan NURULLAYEV (AZE) df. Danil GRIGOREV (UWW), 3-2

BRONZE: Oleh KHALILOV (UKR) df. Rokas CEPAUSKAS (LTU), 5-1
BRONZE: Arionas KOLITSOPOULOS (GRE) df. Vasile ZABICA (MDA), 7-2

82kg
GOLD: Alexandru SOLOVEI (MDA) df. Gamzat GADZHIEV (UWW), 3-1

BRONZE: Jonni SARKKINEN (FIN) df. Elmin ALIYEV (AZE), 4-1
BRONZE: Frederik MATHIESEN (DEN) df. Data CHKHAIDZE (GEO), 12-4

97kg
GOLD: Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR) df. Richard KARELSON (EST), 4-1

BRONZE: Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (UWW) df. Muhittin HELVACI (TUR), via fall (7-0)
BRONZE: Luka GABISONIA (GEO) df. Luka KATIC (SRB), 9-0