#WrestleHammamet

African Championships entry list

By Vinay Siwach

HAMMAMET, Tunisia (May 12) --  Next week's African Championships, set to begin on May 15 in Hammamet, Tunisia, will feature two Olympic medalists from Tokyo 2021 among its 202 registered wrestlers.

Mohamed ELSAYED (EGY) and Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) will be competing as they begin another journey to the Olympic podium. The continental championships also offers them the opportunity to bounce back from their lackluster performance at the World Championships in Belgrade, where they failed to win a medal.

World silver medalist Samar HAMZA (EGY) will also be defending her 76kg women's wrestling title she won in Morocco. Unlike Elsayed and Oborududu, Hamza has already competed this year, finishing 10th and ninth at the Zagreb Open and Ibrahim Moustafa Ranking Series events respectively.

In freestyle, Algeria is returning with all their gold medalists from 2021. It won four golds, the same as Egypt, but will hope to beat Egypt this time as the latter is returning with only two of their four gold medalists.

For Algeria, Abdelhak KHERBACHE (ALG), Chems Eddine FETAIRIA (ALG), Fateh BENFERDJALLAH (ALG) and Mohammed FARDJ (ALG) are in the line-up while Egypt only has Gamal MOHAMED (EGY) and Amr Reda HUSSEN (EGY).

Women's wrestling should have seen the return of Tokyo Olympian Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR) after her marriage, but the three-time world medalist has decided to skip the tournament.

Nigeria won four gold medals last year and three of them are returning in Oborududu, Jumoke ADEKOYE (NGR) and Mercy ADEKUOROYE (NGR), Odunayo's sister who has jumped from 53kg to 57kg, a weight class frequently represented by Odunayo.

Rio Olympic bronze medalist Marwa AMRI (TUN) will also be in action at 62kg as she hopes to defend her title in front of the home crowd. For Tunisia, Khadija JLASSI (TUN) at 65kg and 
Zaineb SGHAIER (TUN) at 72kg will also be big hopes for the gold medal.

Amr Reda HUSSEN (EGY)Amr Reda HUSSEN (EGY) will defend his title at 74kg. (Photo: UWW / Bayrem Ben Mrad)

Freestyle

57kg
Salah KATEB (ALG)
Bofenda KALUWEKO (ANG)
Gamal MOHAMED (EGY)
Diamantino IUNA FAFE (GBS)
Mohamed CAMARA (GUI)
Davies ORIWA (KEN)
Younes LACHGAR (MAR)
John LEOPOLD (MRI)
Alexandro HAININGA (NAM)
Ebikewenimo WELSON (NGR)
Jakobo TAU (RSA)
KHALIL BARKOUTI (TUN)

61kg
Abdelhak KHERBACHE (ALG)
Filipe SEBASTIAO (ANG)
Yanisse MADI (COM)
Shehabeldin MOHAMED (EGY)
Kenneth KOECH (KEN)
Yassine JAA (MAR)
Seitonkumo RICHARD (NGR)
Ibrahim BUNDUKA (SLE)
Firas KHALIFA (TUN)

65kg
Zohier IFTENE (ALG)
Omar MOURAD (EGY)
Simon WAINAINA (KEN)
Levi NYONGESA (KEN)
Otmane EL BAHJA (MAR)
Frederik NORTJE (RSA)
Farouk JELASSI (TUN)

70kg
Yahia El Hadi GACEM (ALG)
Armando NTOYA (ANG)
Anthony WESLEY (CPV)
Said ELGAHSH (EGY)
Julio TCHAMI (GBS)
Brian OLOO (KEN)
Abdelwahad BADRI (MAR)
Pieter ROETS (RSA)
Sylvio DIATTA (SEN)
Mamudu MARAH (SLE)
Mohamed ZORGUI (TUN)
Rodgers MUKYEDA (UGA)

74kg
Abdelkader IKKAL (ALG)
Amr Reda HUSSEN (EGY)
Bacar NDUM (GBS)
Mathayo MAHABILA (KEN)
Yassine FARAJ (MAR)
Arno VAN ZIJL (RSA)
Mamadou DIOUF (SEN)
Mohamed BEN JAAFAR (TUN)
Jamal ABDUL (UGA)

79kg
Chems Eddine FETAIRIA (ALG)
Francisco de Deus KADIMA (ANG)
Matteo Alcidio Louis MONTEIRO FURTADO TRESSE (CPV)
Ahmed MAHMOUD (EGY)
Caetano Antonio SA (GBS)
Sofiane PADIOU BELMIR (MAR)
Ebikeme NEWLIFE (NGR)
Johannes HATTINGH (RSA)
Kaireddine BEN TELILI (TUN)
Ivan MASAKWE (UGA)

86kg
Fateh BENFERDJALLAH (ALG)
Roberto NSANGUA (ANG)
Saifeldin ELKOUMY (EGY)
Mark ONGUYESI (KEN)
Roman MANITRA RAHARISON (MAD)
Adil JORF (MAR)
Jean MARIANNE (MRI)
Edward LESSING (RSA)
Sabri MNASRIA (TUN)

92kg
Mohammed FARDJ (ALG)
Artunes PEDRO (ANG)
Mahmoud IBRAHIM (EGY)
Dan CHEPTAI (KEN)
Wadii OUALAL (MAR)
Machiel GROBLER (RSA)
Imed KADDIDI (TUN)

97kg
Mohamed MOSTEFAOUI (ALG)
Mostafa ELDERS (EGY)
John OMONDI (KEN)
Oussama ASSAD (MAR)
Nicolaas DE LANGE (RSA)
Mohamed SAADAOUI (TUN)

125kg
Abderrahmane BENACHA (ALG)
Diaaeldin ABDELMOTTALEB (EGY)
Joel TUKAI (KEN)
Anas LAMKABBER (MAR)
Hamza RAHMANI (TUN)

Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR)Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) is returning to competition since the World Championships. (Photo: UWW / Bayrem Ben Mrad)

Women’s Wrestling

50kg
Cheima CHEBILA (ALG)
Emma WANGILA (KEN)
Imane BOUJNANE (MAR)
Miesinnei GENESIS (NGR)
Chaima RAOUAFI (TUN)

53kg
Ibtissem DOUDOU (ALG)
Mbuka CAROLINA (ANG)
Shaimaa ABDELZAHER (EGY)
Elisa RASOANANTENAINA NOMENJANAHARY (MAD)
Wissal EL GNAOUI (MAR)
Christianah OGUNSANYA (NGR)
Abir ZARROUKI (TUN)

55kg
Achouak TEKOUK (ALG)
Zineb HASSOUNE (MAR)
Jumoke ADEKOYE (NGR)
Lobna ICHAOUI (TUN)

57kg
Rayane HOUFAF (ALG)
Louji YASSIN (EGY)
Mercy ADEKUOROYE (NGR)
Helena VAN AS (RSA)
Faten HAMMAMI (TUN)
Veronica AYO (UGA)

59kg
Chaimaa AOUISSI (ALG)
Farah HUSSEIN (EGY)
Mary NALIAKA (KEN)
Atika EL ASLA (MAR)
Siwar BOUSETA (TUN)

62kg
Mastoura SOUDANI (ALG)
Gharam ASKAR (EGY)
Fatoumata CAMARA (GUI)
Emily WANYAMA (KEN)
Zineb JAMOUS (MAR)
Esther KOLAWOLE (NGR)
Marwa AMRI (TUN)

65kg
Eunice MBURU (KEN)
Ebipatei MUGHENBOFA (NGR)
Khadija JLASSI (TUN)

68kg
Samah ABDELLATIF (EGY)
Winrose ALIVISA (KEN)
Jessy ANDRIANANTOANDRO (MAD)
Nassma ESSATOURI (MAR)
Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR)
Nour JELJELI (TUN)

72kg
Menatalla BADRAN (EGY)
Ebi BIOGOS (NGR)
Hannah RUEBEN (NGR)
Zaineb SGHAIER (TUN)

76kg
Arianna XAVIER (CPV)
Samar HAMZA (EGY)
Anta SAMBOU (SEN)
Ranim SAIDI (TUN)

Greco-Roman 

55kg
Mohamed Yacine DRIDI (ALG)
Bofenda KALUWEKO (ANG)
Davies ORIWA (KEN)
Mouad JAHID (MAR)
Given SIKHOSANA (RSA)
Adem LAMLOUM (TUN)

60kg
Sefiane GUEZZANIA (ALG)
Fernando MATONDO (ANG)
Latuf MADI (COM)
Haithem MAHMOUD (EGY)
Kenneth KOECH (KEN)
Ismail ETTALIBI (MAR)
Romio GOLIATH (NAM)
Riehan BOTHA (RSA)
Ibrahim BUNDUKA (SLE)
Mohamed HKIRI (TUN)

63kg
Abdeldjebar DJEBBARI (ALG)
Reginaldo da SILVA (ANG)
Ahmed BAGHDOUDA (EGY)
Simon WAINAINA (KEN)
Yassine JAA (MAR)
Oussama NASR (TUN)

67kg
Ishak GHAIOU (ALG)
Mohamed ELSAYED (EGY)
Levi NYONGESA (KEN)
Bilal EL BAHJA (MAR)
Franscoies DU TOIT (RSA)
Mohamed BEN ALI (TUN)

72kg
Abdelmalek MERABET (ALG)
Armando NTOYA (ANG)
Yehia ABDELKADER (EGY)
Gilbert KABOCHE (KEN)
Yassine FARAJ (MAR)
Radhwen TARHOUNI (TUN)

77kg
Akrem BOUDJEMLINE (ALG)
Francisco KADIMA (ANG)
Mohamed KHALIL (EGY)
Rabii REGANI (MAR)
Emmanuel NWORIE (NGR)
Sami SLAMA (TUN)

82kg
Abd OUAKALI (ALG)
Mahmoud IBRAHIM (EGY)
Herinirina ANDRIAMALALA (MAD)
Elias CHIGUER (MAR)
Solomon ULABO (NGR)
James HOLDER (RSA)
Mohamed MALHI (TUN)

87kg
Bachir SID AZARA (ALG)
Roberto NSANGUA (ANG)
Emad ABOUELATTA (EGY)
Adil JORF (MAR)
Mohamed JABRI (TUN)

97kg
Adem BOUDJEMLINE (ALG)
Mohamed GABR (EGY)
John OMONDI (KEN)
Oussama ASSAD (MAR)
Wissam KOUAINSO (MAR)
Christiaan BURGER (RSA)
Mohamed MISSAOUI (TUN)

130kg
Hichem KOUCHIT (ALG)
Abdellatif MOHAMED (EGY)
Daniel MOSETI (KEN)
Anas LAMKABBER (MAR)
Amine GUENNICHI (TUN)

#WrestleSofia

U20 World Championships day three semis set

By Vinay Siwach

SOFIA, Bulgaria (August 17) -- The U20 World Championships in Sofia enters day three with women's wrestling. Japan will be looking to win the team title after skipping last year's World Championships in Ufa. However, the USA would like to defend its title.

MATCH ORDER | WATCH LIVE

13:10: Here are the semifinals for the evening session

50kg
Audrey JIMENEZ (USA) vs. Natalia WALCZAK (POL)
Priyanshi PRAJAPAT (IND) vs. Umi ITO (JPN)

55kg
Albina RILLIA (UKR) vs. MANJU (IND)
Roza SZENTTAMASI (HUN) vs. Moe KIYOOKA (JPN)

59kg
Madina AMAN (KAZ) vs. Viktoria BORSOS (HUN)
Ebru DAGBASI (TUR) vs. Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) 

68kg
Nurzat NURTAEVA (KGZ) vs. Sophia SCHAEFLE (GER)
Ami ISHII (JPN) vs. Nesrin BAS (TUR) 

76kg
Daniela TKACHUK (POL) vs. Ayano MORO (JPN)
Veronika NYIKOS (HUN) vs. Priya PRIYA (IND)

13:07: The final bout of the morning session saw Nurzat NURTAEVA (KGZ) and Laura GODINO (ITA) at 68kg. Godino was put on the activity clock first but failed to score giving Nurtaeva a 1-0 lead at the break. A takedown for Nurtaeva to begin the second period. But Godino hits a double for two before Nurtaeva scores a reversal and leg laces Godino for a 12-2 win.

13:00: Absolute humdinger of a bout on Mat D. Priyanshi PRAJAPAT (IND) had built a 7-0 lead over Aida KERYMOVA (UKR) but the Ukraine wrestler scored a takedown and used a gut wrench to make it 7-4. Another takedown and fleeing by Prajapat gave Kerymova a 7-7 criteria lead. The Indian shot back with a takedown and then held her lead for the final 25 seconds to win 9-7

12:55: Nesrin BAS (TUR) with a solid win against Patrycja SLOMSKA (POL). She leg laces the Poland wrestler to win 10-0.

12:50: Ami ISHII (JPN) and ARJU (IND) are on Mat B for a place in the 68kg semifinal. Ishii takes just two minutes and 19 seconds to score a 10-0 win. 

12:47: At 50kg,  Audrey JIMENEZ (USA) took some time but once she got the takedown, she leg laced Gabija DILYTE (LTU) for an 11-0 win.

On Mat C, Umi ITO (JPN) and Sevval CAYIR (TUR) are battling it out for a place in the semifinal. Cayir was trying to make it a battle but Ito looks a class apart. She wins 14-4

12:40: The 55kg semifinals are set.

Albina RILLIA (UKR) vs. Manju MANJU (IND)
Roza SZENTTAMASI (HUN) vs. Moe KIYOOKA (JPN) 

12:27: In 76kg, Tristan KELLY (USA) and Ayano MORO (JPN) are on Mat C. Moro took a 2-0 lead but Kelly answered with a stepout and takedown to lead 3-2. Moro with another attack and gets the fall with an armbar.

12:22: Priya MALIK (IND) and Melisa SARITAC (TUR) are wrestling for a spot in the 76kg semifinals. A stepout for Malik during Saritac's activity period. She leads 2-0. Stepout for Saritac. Double leg for a takedown for Malik to extend her lead to 4-1 at the break. A takedown for Malik but a stepout and exposure for Saritac in the final 10 seconds but Malik will hold on for a 4-4 win.

12:17: Can Sophia SCHAEFLE (GER) go all the way at 68kg? She looks in good form and has secured a 10-0 win over Daniela BRASNAROVA (BUL)

12:10: Albina RILLIA (UKR) holds Tuba DEMIR (TUR) on the mat to secure the fall just in time before the break. Rillia makes it to the 55kg semifinals. 

11:55: U20 European champion Sevval CAYIR (TUR) rolls on to the quarterfinals with a 10-0 win over Karolina MUELLEROVA (CZE). She will face Umi ITO (JPN) next. 

11:38: At 76kg, Ana DOS SANTOS (BRA) is up against Tristan KELLY (USA). The USA wrestler is made to work hard but she has managed to lead 5-0. In the second period, she builds on the lead and wins 9-0

11:34: Japan's senior world team member Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) begins with a fall over Yuliia LESKOVETS (UKR) at 59kg. Japan has brought three of its senior world team members to Sofia.

11:30: Two-time U17 world champion Priya MALIK (IND) with a fall over Alina YERTOSTIK (KAZ). She is looking for her first U20 world title.

11:28: Moe KIYOOKA (JPN) with a fall over Pei LIAO (TPE) at 55kg. In the same weight class, MANJU (IND) beats Ainur ASHIMOVA (KAZ) 14-2

11:25: Women's wrestling qualification bouts at 55kg. Tuba DEMIR (TUR) and Immacolata DANISE (ITA) put on a show on Mat B. Demir ultimately prevailed 4-2 but the bout was full of scrambles

11:15: Quick update from the repechage rounds. Mykyta ABRAMOV (UKR) has beaten Nicholas BOUZAKIS (USA) 16-15 at 61kg. The loss hurts the USA's chances of winning the team title.  

11:00: The third day of the U20 World Championships in Sofia. Women's wrestling will see 50kg, 55kg, 59kg, 68kg and 76kg wrestlers on the mat and later in the day we will have freestyle medal bouts.