#WrestleAlexandria

African & Oceania OG Qualifier 2024 Entry List

By United World Wrestling Press

ALEXANDRIA, Egypt (March 17) -- The second continental qualifier for the Paris Olympic Games will be held in Alexandria, Egypt. The African and Oceania OG Qualifiers will see 192 wrestlers from 33 countries competing to earn the 36 quotas for the Paris Games.

Beginning on March 22 with Greco-Roman, the tournament will offer the quotas to the winners of the semifinals in each of the six Olympic weight classes. Women's Wrestling will be held on March 23 and Freestyle on March 24.

The African and Oceania OG Qualifiers can be watched live on uww.org or the UWW App. Subscribe to UWW+ to get unlimited access.

Freestyle

57kg
Abdelhak KHERBACHE (ALG)
Roland TAMBI NFORSONG (CMR)
Alexander BUCKMAN (CPV)
Gamal MOHAMED (EGY)
Diamantino IUNA FAFE (GBS)
Thomas SANTIAGO (GUM)
Ben TARIK (MAR)
Younes LACHGAR (MAR)
Enozunimi SIMEON (NGR)
Daroa OLSSON (NRU)
Suraj SINGH (NZL)
Mika LEHMKUEHL (RSA)
Omar FAYE (SEN)
Ibrahim BUNDUKA (SLE)
KHALIL BARKOUTI (TUN)

65kg
Chouaib SAHRAOUI (ALG)
Manaceu NGONDA (ANG)
Georgii OKOROKOV (AUS)
Samuel DOHYA KALE (CMR)
Anthony WESLEY (CPV)
Omar MOURAD (EGY)
Junjun ASEBIAS (FSM)
Gibriel CHOW (GAM)
Wotna NDOC (GBS)
Thierno DIALLO (GUI)
Ethan AGUIGUI (GUM)
Otmane EL BAHJA (MAR)
Stephen IZOLO (NGR)
Lowe BINGHAM (NRU)
Cole HAWKINS (NZL)
Cristian NICOLESCU (PLW)
Gaku AKAZAWA (SAM)
Sylvio DIATTA (SEN)
Sahid KARGBO (SLE)
Farouk JELASSI (TUN)

74kg
Abdelkader IKKAL (ALG)
Francisco KADIMA (ANG)
Ethan THOMAS (AUS)
Israel NIYONKURU (BDI)
Baki TCHANI (BEN)
Jacques MONTY MBOUGOU (CMR)
Joao  BARBOSA VICENTE (CPV)
Amr REDA (EGY)
Bacar NDUM (GBS)
John ROJAS (GUM)
Mathayo MAHABILA (KEN)
Aime RAKOTONIAINA (MAD)
Rayanne ESSAIDI (MAR)
Oyeinkeperemo BRAVEMAN (NGR)
Linus VAN RENSBURG (RSA)
Mamadou DIOUF (SEN)
Khairiddine BEN TLILI (TUN)

86kg
Fateh BENFERDJALLAH (ALG)
Jayden Alexander LAWRENCE (AUS)
Cedric ABOSSOLO (CMR)
Matteo MONTEIRO FURTADO TRESSE (CPV)
Ahmed MAHMOUD (EGY)
Mohamed CAMARA (GUI)
Mark ONGUYESI (KEN)
Youssef AIT BOULAHRI (MAR)
Jean STE MARIE (MRI)
Harrison ONOVWIOMOGBOHWO (NGR)
Edward LESSING (RSA)
Siny SEMBENE (SEN)
Imed KADDIDI (TUN)

97kg
Wali KEBIR (ALG)
Thomas BARNS (AUS)
Franck ANABA (CMR)
Mostafa ELDERS (EGY)
Babacarr MBOGE (GAM)
Emmanuel OSEI SARFO (GHA)
Anas SAMIR (MAR)
Nicolaas DE LANGE (RSA)
Maulalo ALOFIPO (SAM)
Pape NDIAYE (SEN)
Mohamed SAADAOUI (TUN)

125kg
Hemza HALOUI (ALG)
Amoussou CAKPO (BEN)
Georges TCHADIE (CMR)
Diaaeldin ABDELMOTTALEB (EGY)
Issah FUSEINI (GHA)
Oussama ASSAD (MAR)
Ashton MUTUWA (NGR)
Marcus CARNEY (NZL)
Justin VAN ZYL (RSA)
Modou FAYE (SEN)
Hamza RAHMANI (TUN)

Abdelkarim FERGAT (ALG)Abdelkarim FERGAT (ALG) will be looking to earn a Paris spot for Algeria in GR 60kg. (Photo: UWW / Bayrem Ben Mrad)

Greco-Roman

60kg
Abdelkarim FERGAT (ALG)
Latuf MADI (COM)
Moamen MOHAMED (EGY)
Ismail ETTALIBI (MAR)
Romio GOLIATH (NAM)
Daroa OLSSON (NRU)
Given SIKHOSANA (RSA)
Ibrahim BUNDUKA (SLE)
Mohamed HKIRI (TUN)

67kg
Ishak GHAIOU (ALG)
Ando LEHTMETS (AUS)
Anthony WESLEY (CPV)
Mohamed ELSAYED (EGY)
Bilal EL BAHJA (MAR)
Lowe BINGHAM (NRU)
Cristian NICOLESCU (PLW)
Barend BADENHORST (RSA)
Gaku AKAZAWA (SAM)
Sahid KARGBO (SLE)
Souleymen NASR (TUN)

77kg
Abd OUAKALI (ALG)
Francisco KADIMA (ANG)
Sheng ZHANG (AUS)
Mahmoud ABDELRAHMAN (EGY)
Yassine CHEKLY (MAR)
Shafaihuuna BENHARD (NAM)
Dean VAN ZYL (RSA)
Sami SLAMA (TUN)

87kg
Bachir SID AZARA (ALG)
Roberto NSANGUA (ANG)
Mohamed METWALLY (EGY)
Wadii OUALAL (MAR)
Richard FERREIRA (RSA)
Hakim TRABELSI (TUN)

97kg
Fadi ROUABAH (ALG)
Mohamed GABR (EGY)
Wissam KOUAINSO (MAR)
Christiaan BURGER (RSA)
Maulalo ALOFIPO (SAM)
Mohamed MISSAOUI (TUN)

130kg
Hemza HALOUI (ALG)
Oussama ASSAD (MAR)
Marcus CARNEY (NZL)
Amine GUENNICHI (TUN)

Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR)Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) will lead a strong Nigerian team for the qualifiers. (Photo: UWW / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Women’s Wrestling

50kg
Ibtissem DOUDOU (ALG)
Juliana VALENCIA VELEZ (AUS)
Rosine NTSA ASSOUGA (CMR)
Nada MOHAMED (EGY)
Debora TURE (GBS)
Paulina DUENAS (GUM)
Emma WANGILA (KEN)
Victorine RASOARIMALALA (MAD)
Mercy GENESIS (NGR)
Matilda KOKERA (RSA)
Nourhene HEDHLI (TUN)

53kg
Chahinez RABAH (ALG)
Mbuka CAROLINA (ANG)
Jessica LAVERS MCBAIN (AUS)
Nogona BAKAYOKO (CIV)
Miriam NGOE WASE (CMR)
Shaimaa MOHAMED (EGY)
Mia AQUINO (GUM)
Elisa RASOANANTENAINA NOMENJANAHARY (MAD)
Zineb ECH CHABKI (MAR)
Christianah OGUNSANYA (NGR)
Lobna ICHAOUI (TUN)

57kg
Chaimaa AOUISSI (ALG)
Irene SYMEONIDIS (AUS)
Natacha NABAINA (CMR)
Louji YASSIN (EGY)
Rckaela AQUINO (GUM)
Malala SOLONIAINA (MAD)
Zineb HASSOUNE (MAR)
Ester ABRAHAM (NAM)
Kara LE ROUX (RSA)
Faten HAMMAMI (TUN)

62kg
Mastoura SOUDANI (ALG)
Nachi MASUDA (AUS)
Gloria NIYONKURU (BDI)
Lec ANDE (CAF)
Grace ABONA NKOUMOUDIE (CMR)
Angelina RODRIGUES MIRANDA (CPV)
Gharam ASKAR (EGY)
Fatoumata CAMARA (GUI)
Laralei GANDAOLI (GUM)
Eunice MBURU (KEN)
Esther KOLAWOLE (NGR)
Minette KRUGER (RSA)
Siwar BOUSETA (TUN)

68kg
Kawiyatou ISSIFOU (BEN)
Blandine NGIRI (CMR)
Samah ABDELLATIF (EGY)
Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR)
Tayla FORD (NZL)
Uilau TARKONG (PLW)
Bea MEIRING (RSA)
Patricia ELNOUR (SUD)
Khadija JLASSI (TUN)

76kg
Amy YOUIN (CIV)
Pelagie WILITA (CMR)
Arianna XAVIER (CPV)
Samar HAMZA (EGY)
Jemima NYARKO OFORI (GHA)
Hannah RUEBEN (NGR)
Patricia ELNOUR (SUD)
Zaineb SGHAIER (TUN)

#development

Poreč hosts 2023 Wrestling Festival

By United World Wrestling Press

POREC, Croatia (June 11) --- In a world where sport events have transcended their traditional boundaries, the Porec Wrestling Festival 2023 is set to revolutionize the wrestling scene. Supported by United World Wrestling (UWW) and set in a beautifu coastal resort in the Istria region in Croatia, this festival is much more than just a wrestling competition. 

Olympic Solidarity Technical Course for Coaches and Referees

The Olympic Solidarity Technical Course for Coaches and Referees was successfully conducted with the support of the Croatian National Olympic Committee and United World Wrestling. The courses took place May 24-28 at the Valamar Diamant Hotel in Poreč. It consisted of a Level 1 Coaching Course, led by the UWW-certified educator Gary MAYAAB (USA). The main focus of this course was to introduce coaching techniques and emphasize safety measures for young Croatian coaches.

Additionally, a five-day 'Introduction to Refereeing' course was conducted simultaneously. This course was led by Davor PETANJEK, a UWW-certified referee educator and UWW IS category referee from Croatia.

"The coaches were very knowledgeable and technically balanced in their skills," said Gary Mayabb.  Their experience level is high for being relatively young on average, the future of Croatian wrestling is bright/ They are smart, passionate and can articulate about "WHY" they coach."

Cro
Wrestlers were going big at the Wrestling Festival Tournament in Porec. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

Adriatic Trophy & Wrestling Festival Tournament

The Adriatic Trophy (U20) and Wrestling Festival Tournament (U15 & U17) took place on May 27-28, providing a platform for over 300 Greco-Roman and women's wrestlers (U15, U17, and U20) to demonstrate their skills on a grand stage.

With the endorsement of United World Wrestling, this tournament ensured the highest level of competition, attracting top talent from various countries. It served as an inclusive platform for all wrestlers to showcase their abilities and shine. On tap to watch the action was Cuba's esteemed four-time Olympic Champion, Mijain LOPEZ NUNES.

CRO
Olympic champions Zhan BELENIUK (UKR) and Mijain Lopez drill together at the Greco-Roman training camp in Croatia. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

The International Training Camps (GR, WW)

One of the standout features of the 2023 Porec Wrestling Festival is UWW's incorporation of the women’s training camps to help athletes refine their techniques and tactical insights.

Traditionally, Croatia is known for its high-level Greco-Roman camps, regularly organized in Porec. From May 29th-June 2, Olympic bronze medalist Clarissa CHUN (USA) led a women’s training camp with 13 nations and over 100 women’s wrestling athletes 

‘Thanks to the support of UWW, this is the biggest women’s wrestling training camp Croatia has ever hosted, and we are determined to continuously grow women’s wrestling in the region,’ said Secretary General of the Croatian Wrestling Federation Tin BREGOVIC. "Majority of our women’s wrestlers are young, and this camp offered a great opportunity for them to learn from esteemed coaches and practice with other women athletes at their age to promote skill development. The combination of world-class coaches and international participants will undoubtedly lead to a significant boost in the overall wrestling landscape."

Edit DOZSA (ITA) also provided a session on women’s wrestling rules on May 30. Additionally, a Women's Wrestling Rules Game Night was organized in the evening to help reinforce the knowledge learned in a fun and competitive environment. The winners received Nike wrestling shoes.

A ‘Safeguarding Athletes’ session was also conducted for all participating athletes and coaches on June 1.

Seminars in Women’s Wrestling Development

Dr. Ms. Kuniko TANIOKA (JPN), Vice President of Japan Wrestling Federation, Chairperson and President of Shigakkan University, and Dr. Hideyuki GOTO (JPN), Professor, Club manager and Team Doctor of the Wrestling Club of Shigakkan University, along with Prof. Dr. SC. Mario Baić (CRO), Dean of the Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Zagreb led the educational seminars for the coaches and athletes, cantered on the areas of women’s wrestling injury prevention, nutrition and physical fitness preparation for elite wrestlers.   

The Porec Wrestling Festival was a great success, combing training sessions with educational seminars and allowing coaches and athletes from different nations to have an expert exchange platform. Combined with social events and excursions, the festival was truly a celebration of wrestling, helping to bring together top experts and athletes from the sport.