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Cumba Mbali, Kherbache, John Win African Gold, Ascend into Top-Ten of World Rankings

Sunday, February 9, 2020 - 18:19 By Eric Olanowski

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ALGER, Algeria (February 9) --- Mbunde CUMBA MBALI (GBS), Abdelhak KHERBACHE (ALG) and Ogbonna JOHN (NGR) ascended to the top-ten of the freestyle world rankings after they closed out the African Championships with Olympic-weight gold medals.

Cumba Mbali halted Adama DIATTA'S (SEN) quest to win his 10th African championship title, then went on to defeat Amas DANIEL (NGR) to defend his 2019 African crown. He jumped from 29th to 9th in the rankings with his 18-point gold-medal victory in Alger.

Cumba Mbali downed Diatta 3-2, in the semifinals, then avenged his All-African Games finals loss to Amas DANIEL (NGR) with the two-point victory in the gold-medal match. He scored the 4-2 come-from-behind win over Daniel after trailing 2-0 for the majority of the first period. A late takedown in the first period, and then again in the second period awarded Cumba Mbali his second African title in as many tries. 

Abdelhak KHERBACHE (ALG) celebrates after winning the 57kg title. (Photo: Ben Mrad Bayrem) 

Abdelhak Kherbache blanked Diamantino IUNA FAFE (GBS), 7-0, in the 57kg finals and moved into the top-ten of the world rankings. Kherbache, the defending African champion, moved up eight spots from his previous No. 16 ranking that he earned from finishing in 11th at the 2019 World Championships. He now sits two points ahead of Givi DAVIDOVI (ITA) in the No. 8 spot. 

Ogbonna JOHN (NGR) is ranked seventh in the world at 74kg after winning his African gold on Sunday night. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Ogbonna John handled Ishak BOUKHORS (ALG), 5-1, in the 74kg finals and climbed to seventh in the world rankings. John’s gold on Sunday was worth 20 points, which sandwiched him between No. 6 Mao OKUI (JPN) and former-No.7 Kamil RYBICKI (POL). 

The Nigerian now has four African championship gold medals and one African Games title.

Algeria Wins Team Title on Home Soil
Algeria medaled in nine weight classes -- three of which were golds -- and claimed the freestyle team title on home soil. Abdelhak Kherbache, Abdelghani BENATALLAH (ALG) and Mohammed FARDJ (ALG) won gold medals and helped the host nation edge second-place Egypt by three points and third-place Tunisia by 33 points. 

RESULTS 

Final Freestyle Team Standings
GOLD - Algeria (183 points)
SILVER - Egypt (180 points)
BRONZE - Tunisia (150 points)
Fourth - Nigeria (83 points)
Fifth -  South Africa (82 points)

Freestyle

57kg
GOLD - Abdelhak KHERBACHE (ALG) df. Diamantino IUNA FAFE (GBS), 7-0 
BRONZE - Gamal MOHAMED (EGY) df. Fathi NASIR (SUD), 6-1 
BRONZE - Jakobo Tanki TAU (RSA) df.  Soufiane KABIL (MAR), 18-9

61kg 
GOLD - Abdelghani BENATALLAH (ALG) 
SILVER - Yousef Mohamed Yousef EISSA (EGY) 
BRONZE - Chakir ANSARI (MAR) 

65kg 
GOLD - Mbunde CUMBA MBALI (GBS) df. Amas DANIEL (NGR), 4-2 
BRONZE - Fathi ISMAIL (EGY) df. Farouk JELASSI (TUN), via injury default
BRONZE - Amar LAISSAOUI (ALG) df. Adama DIATTA (SEN), 5-2 

70kg 
GOLD - Haithem DAKHLAOUI (TUN) 
SILVER - Ahmed Mohamed Elsayed ELMADBOH (EGY)
BRONZE - Ibrahim MOKHTARI (ALG) 

74kg
GOLD - Ogbonna Emmanuel JOHN (NGR) df. Ishak BOUKHORS (ALG), 5-1  
BRONZE - Maher GHANMI (TUN) df. Mohamed CHAKIR (MAR), 10-0 
BRONZE - Amr HUSSEN (EGY) df. Mathayo MAHABILA (KEN), 11-0 

79kg
GOLD - Ayoub BARRAJ (TUN) 
SILVER - Saifeldin ELKOUMY (EGY) 
BRONZE - Mohammed BOUDRAA (ALG) 

86kg
GOLD - Khaled ELMOATAMADAWI (EGY) df. Roman MANITRA RAHARISON (MAD), 11-0 
BRONZE - Fateh BENFERDJALLAH (ALG) df. Sabri MNASRIYA (TUN), 9-1 
BRONZE - Ekerekeme AGIOMOR (NGR) df. Bedopassa BUASSAT DJONDE (GBS), 2-1 

92kg 
GOLD - Mohammed FARDJ (ALG) 
SILVER - Imed KADDIDI (TUN)
BRONZE - Mohamed ABDALLA (EGY) 

97kg 
GOLD - Mohamed SAADAOUI (TUN) df. Martin ERASMUS (RSA), 9-4
BRONZE - Soso TAMARAU (NGR) df. Hosam MERGHANY (EGY), 9-2 
BRONZE - Francisco Nkunga NGONDA (ANG) df. Amoussou Nicolas CAKPO (BEN), 10-0

125kg 
GOLD - Diaaeldin ABDELMOTTALEB (EGY) df. Djahid BERRAHAL (ALG), 10-0 
BRONZE - Johannes Jacobus KRIEL (RSA) df. Thiacka FAYE (SEN), via injury default

Islamic Solidarity Games 2025 Day 3 Highlights

Thursday, November 20, 2025 - 07:01 By Vinay Siwach

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RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (November 20) -- Freestyle and Women's Wrestling will be in action at the Islamic Solidarity Games 2025 on day three in Riyadh. Freestyle will be in 57kg and 65kg while women's will be in 62kg, 68kg and 76kg.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | PHOTOS

13:15: Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) secures her spot in the 76kg final after a dominant technical superiority win over Elmira YASIN (TUR). She will face Damola OJO (NGR) for the gold after the NIgerian defeated Wilita PELAGIE (CMR) 10-0 in the other semifinal.

13:00: Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE) beats world bronze medalist Nigina SABIROVA (UZB) 6-0 to enter the 62kg final. Mammadova will face Esther KOLAWALE (NGR) for the gold.

 

12:55: Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE) ends Sayed ZAZAI (AFG) dream run with a 10-0 victory in the 57kg semifinals. Bazarganov got the trap-arm gut and turned Zazai four times. Zazai will still have a chance to win a bronze medal

12:45: World silver medalist Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) gets a four-pointer in the second period to take a comfortable 7-0 lead against Elmira SYZYDYKOVA (KAZ) at 76kg. She scores a stepout and takedown to finish with a 10-0 win and enter the semifinal at 76kg,

12:35: Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) has not trouble to see off Ali RAHIMZADE (AZE), 7-0 and enter the final at 65kg. A lot of stepouts in this match from Amouzad as he has done all day

12:30: Damola OJO (NGR) gets a good win over Samar HAMZA (EGY), 8-2, at 76kg. Hamza was returning to the mat after a long break and after becoming a mother. Ojo moves into the 76kg semifinals.

12:20: Sayed ZAZAI (AFG) is on a dream run here! He first took out Yusuf DEMIR (TUR) and now he beats African champion and Olympian Diamantino IUNA FAFE (GBS), 13-10, at 57kg to reach the semifinals. Incredible

12:05: Olympic silver medalist Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) is cautioned for slamming Nigar MIRZAZADA (AZE) when she was trying to pin the Azerbaijan wrestler. But that is the only mistake she makes in the semifinal. Zhumanazarova reaches the final at 68kg.

11:55: Esther KOLAWALE (NGR) gets the lace going to beat Selvi ILYASOGLU (TUR) at 62kg, 10-0. Kolawale, a U23 world bronze medalist, is one of the favorites to win gold here.

11:50: Abdulmazhid KUDIEV (TJK) takes out Bilol SHARIP UULU (KGZ) at 65kg. Kudiev had a 3-0 lead, thanks to a takedown but Sharip Uulu got a takedown in the final 15 seconds and as he was trying to turn Kudiev, the Tajikistan wrestler went out of bounds and referee blew the whistle which cancelled his final turn. Kudiev scores a late takedown to win 6-2

11:33: Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE) with some good defense against Ali MOMENI (IRI) to win a hard-fought 57kg bout 4-2. Momeni gave up a stepout to transfer criteria 2-2 lead to Bazarganov and was then hit with a caution which made it 3-2. Momeni pushed Bazarganov out but in par terre in the final 10 seconds. Iran challenged for a stepout but lost it.

11:28: Nigar MIRZAZADA (AZE) was in some trouble after Desi SINTA (INA) threw her for five and then a exposure to lead 7-0. But Mirzazada scores two four pointers and survives to win 12-7 at 68kg.

11:15: Upset in 68kg! World silver medalist and U23 world champion Nesrin BAS (TUR) began was looking to cradle Irina KAZYULINA (KAZ) but the Kazakhstan wrestler moved her over her back and then held Bas on the mat to secure a shocking fall. Bas is dumbfounded!

11:10: Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) does not have the fight in him for six minutes this time. He drops his 57kg bout against Abdumalik KARACHOV (KGZ), 10-2, majorly because of the conditioning.

10:55: World champion Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) keeps a strong underhook on Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) who is unable to find an opening and drops the 65kg bout 4-0. Amouzad did not engage much but Jalolov was supremely passive as well.

10:35: World and Olympic bronze medalist Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) survives a late flurry from Aiaal BELOLYUBSKII (TJK) who scored two takedowns in the final minute but Abdullaev, who led 5-4, stops the gut wrench attempt and gets two points for exposure to win 7-4 at 57kg.

10:25: World champion Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) with two four-pointers in his 11-0 victory over Najib HASSANI (AFG) at 65kg. Next up for him is world bronze medalist Umidjob JALOLOV (UZB), who also won silver at U23 World Championships.

10:22: Olympic silver medalist Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) gets the fall over Halima AKTER (BAN) at 68kg. She is the favorite to win the gold medal here.

10:20: Abdulmazhid KUDIEV (TJK) has to battle hard against Farouk JELASSI (TUN) but eventually prevails 20-8 at 65kg. Jelassi managed to hit a couple of four-pointers to make a match out of it.

10:15: A 10-0 technical superiority for world bronze medalist Nigina SABIROVA (UZB) against Mouda HAMDOUN (EGY) at 62kg. Too many half attacks from the Egypt wrestler who got countered by Sabirova.

10:10: Quick finishes everywhere! Bilol SHARIP UULU (KGZ) opens the 57kg competition with a quick 10-0 win over Abdullah ASSAF (PLE). In the next bout, world bronze medalist Umidjon JALALOV (UZB) uses the lace to beat Muhammad ABDULLAH (PAK) 10-0 at 65kg.

10:05: Early news that Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB) is not wrestling at the Games. He has given a walkover in his first bout.

10:00: The third day of Islamic Solidarity Games 2025 will see action in Freestyle 57kg and 65kg and women's 62kg, 68kg and 76kg.