#WrestleAlger

African Championship Entries

By Eric Olanowski

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.

#WrestleBelgrade

Japan puts four in World Championships finals

By Vinay Siwach

BELGRADE, Serbia (September 19) -- A few legends of the sport have fallen at this World Championships in Belgrade and Adeline GRAY (USA) joined that unwanted list as Yuka KAGAMI (JPN) defeated her in the quarterfinals at 76kg.

Gray, coming back to wrestling after giving birth to twins, was looking to become a seven-time world champion which would have made her the United States' most successful wrestler. But Kagami ruined that plan by etching a 4-1 win after two takedowns against Gray's one point in the activity period.

Kagami then return to beat Milaimys MARIN (CUB) 5-1 and confirm her ticket to Paris Olympics as Japan will be sending the medalist from the World Championships directly to the 2024 Games.

"I was very excited and nervous for the Gray bout," Kagami said. "But I think I came prepared to win the match."

Kagami will take on Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) for the gold medal as the Kyrgyzstan wrestler defeated Tatiana RENTERIA (COL), another Pan-Am star, via fall in the other semifinal.

Yui SUSAKI (JPN)Yui SUSAKI (JPN) managed to win 4-2 against Ziqi FENG (CHN). (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

While she did not lose, Yui SUSAKI (JPN) had a rare off day on the mat as her opponents managed to score three points on her in two bouts. The first was Alisson CARDOZO (ECU) who scored a stepout before Susaki punished her with a leg lace. Susaki pinned Emilia VUC (ROU) in the quarterfinals.

Ziqi FENG (CHN) pushed Susaki to the limits, even scoring exposure over Susaki, but the Tokyo Olympic champion hung on for a 4-2 win and an automatic ticket to Paris where she will look to defend her title.

Susaki, who failed to hold her tears back in an interview, said that it was a tough bout but she was prepared.

"The Chinese wrestler was strong in defense and power," Susaki said. "Before this tournament, I was in a difficult situation which I will talk about only after gold medal tournament."

In a repeat of last year's final, Susaki will take on Otgonjargal DOLGORJAV (MGL) who now has a 2-1 head-to-head record over Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA).

Dolgorjav defeated Hildebrandt 7-5 in a rematch of last year's semifinal also won by Dolgorjav. Hildebrandt had won by technical superiority when the two met in the Ranking Series in Budapest.

Hildebrandt's loss also means that Mariya STADNIK (AZE), who lost to the USA wrestler, will have to travel to another Olympic Qualifiers to secure a trip to  Paris.

Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN)Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) beat Helen MAROULIS (USA) for the second straight year. (Photo: Amirreza Aliasgari)

In the third Olympic weight class of the day, Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) also confirmed her ticket to Paris after beating (and also spoiled her birthday) Rio Olympic champion Helen MAROULIS (USA) 6-0 in the semifinal. This was her second win over the American as Sakurai won the final last year over Maroulis.

But a tought test awaits her in the final as 59kg world champion Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) dropped to the Olympic weight and dominated her opponents.

She opened with a win over Olympic bronze medalist Evlina NIKOLOVA (BUL) and then went on to beat Odunayo ADEKUROYE (NGR) 10-0 in the quarterfinals. Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR) was no match as Nichita once again won 10-0.

Nonoka OZAKI (JPN)Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) reached the 65kg final at the World Championships. (Photo: UWW / Amirreza Aliasgari)

In the only non-Olympic weight class in action on Tuesday, 62kg world champion Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) returned to the world finals, this year at 65kg. She beat Tatsiana PAULAVA 10-0 in what was her third win of the day, all without giving up a point.

Macey KILTY (USA) will try to stop her from winning the gold for a second straight year.