African Championships entry list

Friday, May 12, 2023 - 09:33 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) 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) 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)

#WrestleBaku, #WrestleParis

With Paris 2024 quotas on offer, Women's Wrestling stalwarts head to Baku

Monday, April 1, 2024 - 13:42 By Vinay Siwach

BAKU, Azerbaijan (April 2) -- A four-time Olympic medalist, an Olympic history-maker for Turkiye and two Olympic medalists in the same weight class. The European OG Qualifier in Baku from April 5 is going to be a huge test for some of the wrestling stars such as Mariya STADNIK (AZE), Yasemin ADAR (TUR), Iryna KURACHKINA (AIN) and Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL) who take the mat in a bid to qualify for Paris Olympics.

Kurachkina and Nikolova were 57kg medalists at the Tokyo Olympics, winning silver and bronze respectively. The two wrestlers met in the European Championships final in February with Kurachkina beating Nikolova to win the gold medal.

However, the qualifiers will not be the same. Apart from the two in-form wrestlers, former European champion and world bronze medalist Alina HRUSHYNA (UKR) returns to the mat after nursing an injury that kept her away for 10 months.

Hrushyna missed the World Championships and will be unseeded for the tournament. While it is unknown if she will return to her top level in Baku, if she does, Hrushyna's opponents will find it difficult to stop her.

Kurachkina and Nikolova will not meet in Baku as they will be drawn on opposite sides of the bracket. The former will be seeded second while the latter at number four.

World fifth-place finisher Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR), who came in striking distance to win the Olympic spot at the World Championships, is seeded number one and Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE), a bronze medalist at the European Championships, takes the number three spot.

Tokyo Olympian Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (AIN), U20 world champion Aurora RUSSO (ITA), world bronze medalist at 59kg Othelie HOEIE (NOR) and Kateryna ZHYDACHEVSKA (ROU) are also entered in the draw.

Mariya STADNIK (AZE) has a perfect record over Oksana LIVACH (UKR). (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

This may be a little easier for four-time Olympic medalist Stadnik who won her 10th European title in February. She will be the top seed at 50kg in Baku and has past wins over most of her opponents. Stadnik should sail if her performance in Bucharest is anything to go by.

Oksana LIVACH (UKR) will have the best chance to halt Stadnik as she will be seeded fourth and likely to meet her in the semifinals. The winner will earn a Paris 2024 spot. Their latest clash was at the European Championships semifinal which Stadnik won 6-0.

Kseniya STANKEVICH (AIN) and former European champion Miglena SELISHKA (BUL) will be on the other side of the bracket as seeded two and three respectively.

Yasemin ADAR (TUR) is the reigning European champion at 76kg. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

Turkiye's first-ever Olympic medalist in Women's Wrestling Adar returned to the mat in February after a year's absence and won the European title at 76kg. That makes her the favorite to win a Paris Olympic quota in Baku.

Adar will be unseeded and drawn randomly in the bracket which has Catalina AXENTE (ROU) as the top seed, Rita TALISMANOVA (AIN) as the second seed, Anastasiia OSNIACH SHUSTOVA (UKR) as third and Anastasiya ZIMIANKOVA (AIN) as the fourth seed.

Others in the bracket include Martina KUENZ (AUT), former European champion Epp MAE (EST), Pauline LECARPENTIER (FRA), Francy RAEDELT (GER), 2024 European bronze medalists Bernadett NAGY (HUN) and Enrica RINALDI (ITA).

Andreea ANA (ROU) will be dropping to 53kg in a bid to win an Paris 2024 quota. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

At 53kg, European champion at 55kg and Tokyo Olympian Andreea ANA (ROU), world medalist and Tokyo Olympian Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE), former Euro silver medalist Sztalvira ORSUS (HUN), 2024 Euro bronze medalist Zeynep YETGIL (TUR) are the few stars among others.

Orsus will be seeded number one for the qualifier with Prevolaraki getting the second seed. Natalia MALYSHEVA (AIN), who Prevolaraki pinned to win the 2024 Euro bronze, is at number three while Ana is fourth.

Yetgil will be without a seed and so are Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA), Jowita WRZESIEN (POL), Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR) and Elnura MAMMADOVA (AZE), all of whom can upset any of their opponents on the day.

Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) will be the top seed at 62kg in Baku. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

Former world champion Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) perhaps has the best chance to earn a Paris spot at 62kg from Baku after missing out at the World Championships. As the top seed, Dudova will be a favorite. She was stunned by Johanna LINDBORG (SWE) at the European Championships and will have to forget that loss as Lindborg can be drawn in her bracket.

Veranika IVANOVA (AIN) is the second seed with Mariana CHERDIVARA (MDA) taking the third spot and Birgul SOLTANOVA (AZE) fourth.

But a few others can also go all the way. That line-up includes Alina KASABIEVA (AIN), Lydia PEREZ (ESP), Viktoria VESSO (EST) and Kriszta INCZE (ROU).

Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE), left, and Khanum VELIEVA (AIN) are two of the five past Olympians at 68kg. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

Five past Olympians will try to be at the Paris Olympics at 68kg but only two will be able to confirm that in Baku. Elis MANOLOVA (AZE), Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL), Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE), Ilana KRATYSH (ISR) and Khanum VELIEVA (AIN) have been to the Olympics either in Rio or Tokyo. But can they return?

Former European champion at 72kg Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU), age-group European and world medalist Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL) and young star from Ukraine Manola SKOBELSKA (UKR) are a few of the challengers. Skobelska was a late replacement for European silver medalist Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR).

Hanzlickova, winner of bronze at the 2024 Europeans, is seeded number one with other bronze medalist Hristova getting the second seed. Noemi SZABADOS (HUN) is number three and Danute DOMIKAITYTE (LTU) is fourth.

With Manolova and Velieva unseeded, the path to Paris may not be the easiest for others in the bracket.

African Championships entry list

Comments

With Paris 2024 quotas on offer, Women's Wrestling stalwarts head to Baku