African Championship Preview

Tuesday, February 4, 2020 - 21:45 By Eric Olanowski

ALGER, Algeria (February 6) --- African stars Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR), Mohamed ELSAYED (EGY), Ahmed MOHAMED (EGY) and Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) enter the African Championships poised to improve their top-five rankings.

Adekuoroye jumped RONG Ningning (CHN) and is ranked second in the world at 57kg. The Nigerian superstar trails three-time world champion and 2016 Olympic champion Risako KAWAI (JPN) by 17 points.

But Adekuoroye, a three-time world medalist, can overthrow Kawai for the world’s top-ranking if she’s able to claim her fifth consecutive crown. A gold in Alger will be worth 18 points, which would catapult Adekuoroye into the No. 1 spot, one point ahead of the Japanese wrestler before the Asian Championships.

Adekuoroye is favored to win the five-woman 57kg bracket. But, undoubtedly, Adekuoroye’s biggest threat is Eman EBRAHIM (EGY), who she defeated in last year's All African Games finals.

Ebrahim, the defending African champion at 59kg, is ranked 12th in the world and will make her descent down to 57kg for a run at the Tokyo Olympic Games.

Mohamed El Sayed enters the African Championships ranked fifth in the world at 67kg and is five points from leaping into the top-three of the rankings. He’s on a quest to win his fourth African championship crown in his last five tries.

The two-time U23 world champion will earn 18 Ranking Series points if he caps off the 2020 African Championships with another title. He'd move into the third spot of the rankings before the European Championships kick-off.

According to the 67kg early entries for the European Championships, fourth-ranked Mate NEMES (SRB) is the only European wrestler that’s ranked higher than El Sayed that’ll wrestle at the continental championships. Nazir ABDULLAEV (RUS) will replace No. 2 Artem SURKOV (RUS) and Witalis LAZOVSKI (GER) will take No. 3 Frank STAEBLER’S (GER) starting spot.

The absence of Surkov and Staebler presents El Sayed with an opportunity to be ranked no lower than fourth heading into the final Ranking Series event, the Poland Open. But first, he’ll have to get through his most dangerous opponent, Radhwen TARHOUNI (TUN), who was last year’s 63kg African runner-up.

Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) could pass Jenny FRANSSON (SWE) for the No. 2 spot if she wins the 68kg title in Alger. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

At 68kg, Blessing Oborududu is ranked third in the world and sits ten points away from surpassing Jenny FRANSSON (SWE) for the No. 2 spot in the women’s wrestling rankings. A tenth African title will be worth 18 points and will boost Oborududu into the second spot, eight points ahead of Fransson.

Mona AHMED (EGY) and Anta SAMBOU (SEN) are in charge of stopping Oborududu in her quest to reach double-digit African titles. But that’ll be easier said than done. Oborududu hasn’t lost at the African Championships since her first continental appearance in 2009.

Ahmed won a silver medal at last year’s African Championships, but that was at 76kg. She’s dropping down two weight classes to try to improve on that silver-medal finish.

Sambou fell to Obordudu in their last three meetings. Sambou dropped her finals matches against the Nigerian at last year’s All African Championships and also fell to Obordudu in the previous two African Championship finals.

At 130kg, Abdellatif Mohamed enters the African Championships ranked third in the world with 30 Ranking Series points. He’s positioned eight points behind Oscar PINO HINDS (CUB) but will gain the ten-point lead over the Cuban world runner-up if he claims gold in the five-person bracket in Alger.

Hichem KOUCHIT (ALG) and Amine GUENNICHI (TUN) are the top-two candidates who have a shot at stopping Mohamed from winning a fifth African title. Mohamed downed Kouchit, 8-0, in their fifth-round meeting at last year’s African Championships, and bested Guennichi in last year’s All African Games finals.

Samar HAMZA (EGY) is bumping up to 76kg after splitting time in 2019 at 68kg and 72kg. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Three Weights to Feature Two Returning Champs
57kg (WW), 74kg (FS) and 76kg (WW) feature a pair of reigning African champions entered into the same weight -- with one winner switching weight classes to challenge the defending 2019 champion.

As previously mentioned, reigning 59kg champion Eman Ebrahim is dropping down to 57kg to challenge Adekuoroye.

Samar HAMZA (EGY) is returning to the Olympic weight of 76kg to try to halt Blessing ONYEBUCHI (NGR) from winning a second consecutive 76kg title. Hamza split time in 2019 between 68kg and 72kg. Hamza's cut down to 68kg proved to be too much to handle, so she was left with no other option but to move back up to 76kg.

Hamza’s move to 76kg reinvigorates her rivalry with Onyebuchi that dates back to 2016. The Egyptian scored the come-from-behind fall against Onyebuchi in their 2016 African Championship semifinals match, which ultimately led to her winning one of her three continental titles. Hamza won their latest meeting, too. She grabbed a one-point victory in the pair’s 9-8 shootout match at the 2018 African Championships.

On a side note, Hamza’s African record remains unblemished in her five trips to the African Championships. She’s a two-time junior African champion and three-time senior African gold medalist.

In freestyle, Amr HUSSEN (EGY) will make his ascent up to 74kg and try to avenge multiple losses suffered at the hands of three-time African champion Ogbonna Emmanuel JOHN (NGR).

Most recently, Hussen fell to John 2-2 on criteria in the 2018 African finals. The Egyptian wrestler also fell to the Nigerian in the 2017 African Championships. That 9-8 quarterfinals loss in 2017 led to Hussen finishing with a bronze medal, while John reached the top of the podium.

Adama DIATTA (SEN) is in search of his tenth African title. (Photo: Max Rose-Fyne)

Diatta Chasing African Title Number Ten
Adama DIATTA (SEN) is on a quest to claim his tenth African Championship title. He won his first of nine titles 13 years ago, at the 2007 African Championships. He captured three consecutive African gold medals from 2007-’09, before dropping to a silver and a bronze-medal finish at the 2010 and ’11 African Championships, respectively. Diatta added six African crowns to his resume since that loss in 2011 and is awaiting title number ten.

But for Diatta to reach double digits will be extremely tough. He’s bumping up to 65kg for the second time in his career. He appeared at 65kg at last year’s All African Games and finished in eighth place.

The favorite at the weight is returning 65kg African champion, Mbunde CUMBA MBALI (GBS).

Marwa AMRI (TUN), a Rio Olympic bronze medalist, is one of nine returning women's wrestling African champions. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

23 of 30 Gold Medalists Returning
There are 23 of last year’s 30 champions that are returning to the African Championships looking to defend their 2019 crowns. Women’s wrestling has nine returning winners; freestyle has eight and Greco-Roman is set to feature six wrestlers looking to win a second consecutive title.

Women’s Wrestling:
50kg - Miesinnei GENESIS (NGR)
55kg - Faten HAMMAMI (TUN)
57kg - No. 2 Odunayo Folasade ADEKUOROYE (NGR)
57kg - No. 12 Eman Essam Guda EBRAHIM (Ranked at 59kg) (EGY)
62kg - Marwa AMRI (TUN)
68kg - No. 3 Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR)
72kg - Sunmisola Idowu BALOGUN (NGR)
76kg - Samar Amer Ibrahim HAMZA (EGY)
76kg - Blessing Joy ONYEBUCHI (NGR)

Freestyle:
57kg - Abdelhak KHERBACHE (ALG)
65kg - Mbunde CUMBA MBALI (GBS)
74kg - Amr Reda HUSSEN (EGY)
74kg - Ogbonna JOHN (NGR)
79kg - Ayoub BARRAJ (TUN)
86kg - Sabri MNASRIYA (TUN)
92kg - Mohamed ABDALLA (EGY)
97kg - Mohamed SAADAOUI (TUN)

Greco-Roman:
55kg - Abdelkarim FERGAT (ALG)
60kg - Haithem MAHMOUD (EGY)
67kg - No. 5 Mohamed ELSAYED (EGY)
72kg - Tarek Aziz BENAISSA (ALG)
97kg - Adem BOUDJEMLINE (ALG)
130kg - Abdellatif MOHAMED (EGY)

SENIOR AFRICAN CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE
Friday (February 7)
14:00 - Technical conference – all SENIOR teams

Saturday (February 8)
8:30 - Medical examination and Weigh-in WW – GR / SENIOR
10:30 - Qualification rounds and repechage WW – GR / SENIOR
17: 00 - Finals WW – GR / SENIOR

Sunday (February 9)
8:30 - Medical examination and Weigh-in FS / SENIOR
10:30 - Qualification rounds FS / SENIOR
17:00 - Finals FS / SENIOR

#WrestleTirana

Masterful Uguev Repeats as European Champion

Sunday, April 26, 2026 - 23:12 By Vinay Siwach

TIRANA, Albania (April 26) -- Zavur UGUEV (UWW) became a two-time European champion in Tirana on Sunday. For a wrestler of Uguev's pedigree, the number looks bleak.

But the 31-year-old, who will turn 32 on May 21, doesn't rue the missed golds but says those were the experiences that helped him win gold later.

"Last year I won my first European gold medal," Uguev said. "My first two or three medals, I was still young and things didn’t work out. There were very experienced athletes competing, and I gained experience from them."

In his two appearances at the European Championships in 2017 and 2018, Uguev suffered losses to Giorgi EDISHERASHVILI (AZE). In the 2018 final, Edisherashvili scored a takedown in the last seven seconds to win.

"[From] losing in the finals in the last 7 seconds in Kaspiysk, I gained great experience," he said. "But last year, I was in great shape and I’m happy that in my career I now have two European Championship gold medals."

His second gold in Tirana may have gone under that radar given the return and dominance of Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW), who won his sixth European gold on Saturday and first in six years.

However, if there was an award for the most outstanding wrestler of the tournament, Uguev would handsomely beat all others wrestlers to it.

On Sunday, Uguev defended his 61kg gold medal in Tirana with rather ease after defeating former world champion and home-favorite Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB). The 4-0 win over Abakarov consisted one activity clock, one stepout and a two-point takedown from Uguev.

Even the low-scoring final was a masterclass from Uguev, one of the few who still mixes the art of defense and positioning to win bouts.

At one point, Abakarov would keep trying the two-on-one on Uguev's arm and instead of panicking, Uguev would casually block Abakarov using his head. After the two-minute mark in the match, Abakarov had a similar grip and Uguev was blocking using his head and grip one of Abakarov's wrist.

Abakarov moved to a position from which he could either whizzer or wrist snap Uguev. However, as soon as Abakarov moved sideways, Uguev placed his foot behind Abakarov and let go off his grip, quickly switching to a leg-attack. He scored a stepout to lead 2-0 after one activity period point.

Uguev set up his takedown in the second period when Abakarov took a shot from space and Uguev blocked it using a chest wrap. Instead of scoring exposure from front, Uguev jumped behind and locked Abakarov who tried to break the grip. But Uguev scored a takedown on the edge to lead 4-0, his winning score.

Zavur UGUEV (UWW) pins Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) in the 61kg semifinals. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

It was in the semifinals against Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM), Uguev fell behind 3-2 but he brought down Harutyunyan in danger for two points before holding the Armenian in such a grip that he failed to move despite having split hands. Eventually, he gave up to Uguev's pressure who won via fall.

"The final is always a tough contest, both last and this year," Uguev said. "Last year it was Harutyunyan, a four-time European champion, and this year it’s Abakarov, the world champion. It’s a real pleasure to compete against them. I’ve come here solely to compete against them."

Two months ago, Uguev was in Tirana and he put on a wrestling masterclass, winning the 61kg gold medal. However, it was in Tirana that he lost to phenom Masanosuke ONO (JPN) and Vitali ARUJAU (USA) and finished fifth at the World Championships.

"I was here at the start of February for the ranking tournament, and I suppose I had some thoughts about it [losing World Championships in Tirana]," he said. "But I managed to win that tournament, and I came here with the sole intention of winning. The first attempt [2024 World Championships] didn’t go to plan."

Zavur UGUEV (UWW) after winning the 61kg gold medal in Tirana. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

The three-time world champion and Tokyo Olympic gold medalist at 57kg has been competing at 61kg for three years now. While he will eventually move to 57kg for a run at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, Uguev says he is enjoying wrestling at a higher weight and not dieting during competitions.

"I’ll be wrestling in 65kg soon," he said jokingly. "I’ll probably be dropping down to 57kg. I’ll probably compete for another year or so [at 61kg], and then I’ll keep dropping down. I’m not actually that heavy to begin with, and I reckon anyone competing at 57kg is roughly the same weight as me. For now, I don’t see the point in cutting weight, and I think it’s better to stay as I am for the time being, compete for another year or so. I think that this year, or early next year, we’ll start thinking about which weight class to move to.

"Now that I’ve moved up to 61kg, I’m really enjoying the competition. When I was competing at 57kg, I struggled so much. Now, when I watch the wrestlers like Musa MEKHTIKHANOV (UWW), for example, I’m reminded of my own days on the mat. It’s just that when you’re on a diet, you don’t want to think about anything else. All you can think about is food. Now I feel comfortable. I’m not dieting; I enjoy wrestling and I’m managing to do well at it."

As for European Championships golds, Uguev isn't stopping.

"I'm not going to stop here," he said. "I'm not chasing numbers, I'll keep wrestling as long as I have the strength."

African Championship Preview

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Masterful Uguev Repeats as European Champion