#WrestleBaku

Europe's best in Baku for Paris 2024 qualification in Greco-Roman

Thursday, April 4, 2024 - 11:01 By United World Wrestling Press

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BAKU, Azerbaijan (April 4) -- Europe qualified four wrestlers for the Paris Olympics at 87kg from the World Championships in Belgrade. That number is the highest for Europe in any Greco-Roman weight class.

Yet, some of the top wrestlers in the continent have not been able to earn a Paris 2024 spot. Those stars will clash at the European OG Qualifier in Baku from April 5 to 7 to earn the two quotas available at 87kg.

Leading the field at 87kg is newly minted European champion Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB) who looked in top form at the European Championships. In the final, he even convincingly beat world champion Ali CENGIZ (TUR).

Islam ABBASOV (AZE) is seeded number one at 87kg and Komarov is number four resulting in the two falling on the same side of the bracket. The two met in the semifinal at the European Championships which Komarov won 3-1. European bronze medalist Kiyrl MASKEVICH (AIN) gets the second seed and Alex KESSIDIS (SWE) is third, putting them together on the lower side of the bracket.

Though they will be unseeded, former U23 world champion Milad ALIRZAEV (AIN) and former European champion Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) will be roaring to go as the latter returns from injury. Former U23 world champion Exauce MUKUBU (NOR) also hopes to earn the quota.

A few other big clashes are expected in Baku, especially with wrestlers from non-Olympic weight classes moving to the Olympic ones.

Leri ABULADZE (GEO), a 63kg world champion, is moving down to 60kg to earn an Olympic quota. But it won't be easy for him. A two-time U23 world champion Anvar ALLAKHIAROV (AIN) and European champion Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) will be the biggest challenges for the unseeded Abuladze.

Add to the line-up top seed and Tokyo Olympian Victor CIOBANU (MDA) who reached the final at the European Championships before losing to Mammadli. Ciobanu and Mammadli are separated by seeding and will not face each other in Baku. Leo TUDEZCA (FRA) enjoys the third seed and Jacopo SANDRON (ITA) will be seeded fourth.

Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Parviz NASIBOV (UKR) will be looking to return to the Olympics by winning a quota in Baku. He was at 72kg at the European Championships and won a bronze medal. The European champion at 72kg, Selcuk CAN (TUR), is dropping to 67kg.

Nasibov will be seeded number four in Baku which pits him on the same side as top seed Krisztian VANCZA (HUN). Mamadassa SYLLA (FRA) is seeded second with Mihai MIHUT (ROU) getting the third seed.

European bronze medalist Abu AMAEV (BUL) is entered for the tournament along with some hammers like Diego CHKHIKVADZE (GEO), Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU), Morten THORESEN (NOR), Gevorg SAHAKYAN (POL) and Niklas OEHLEN (SWE).

At 97kg, Magomed MURTAZALIEV (AIN) will look to build on his silver-medal finish at the European Championships and earn a spot for the Paris Games. He defeated Kiril MILOV (BUL) and Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN) before losing to Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM).

Milov has pulled out due to an injury and will not be competing at the Paris Olympics. Savolainen will be in Baku and seeded number one for the competition followed by Mindaugas VENCKAITIS (LTU) at number two and Mihail KAJAIA (SRB) at three. Aleksandar STJEPANETIC (SWE) is seeded number four.

Alex SZOKE (HUN), Nikoloz KAKHELASHVILI (ITA), Tyrone STERKENBURG (NED) and Felix BALDAUF (NOR), among others, will be drawn randomly.

European champion and two-time Olympic medalist Sergei SEMENOV (AIN) has the best chance to earn a Paris 2024 spot. He stunned Riza KAYAALP (TUR) in the 130kg final, denying the legend a record-breaking 13th European title. Despite his gold, Semenov will be unseeded in Baku.

Romas FRIDRIKAS (LTU) is the top seed followed by 2012 London Olympic silver medalist Heiki NABI (EST) at second. Beka KANDELAKI (AZE) will be number three and Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU) is number four.

At 77kg, world champion at 72kg Ibrahim GHANEM (FRA), former world silver medalist Zoltan LEVAI (HUN), U23 world champion Alexandrin GUTU (MDA), Viktor NEMES (SRB) and former world champion Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) will battle for the two spots.

#WrestleAlexandria

Egypt dominates GR, Nigeria shines in WW at African Championships

Monday, March 18, 2024 - 20:10 By Vinay Siwach

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ALEXANDRIA, Egypt (March 18) -- Led by world bronze medalist Abdellatif MOHAMED (EGY) and U20 world champion Moustafa ALAMELDIN (EGY), Egypt produced a stunning performance at the African Championships, winning nine Greco-Roman gold medals in Alexandria.

In Women's Wrestling, Nigeria won four gold medals out of the five weight classes contested on Monday in Alexandria.

The nine golds helped Egypt win the Greco-Roman team title in front of the home crowd with 240 points. Algeria was second with 184 points and Tunisia finished third with 95 points.

Mohamed wrestled three matches in a Nelson bracket and won all three without surrendering a point. He defeated Hichem KOUCHIT (ALG), who later finished with a silver, 8-0 and Ahmed SEREHALI (MAR) 8-0. His final was against Brahim MALKI (TUN) who forfeited.

Moustafa ALAMELDIN (EGY)Moustafa ALAMELDIN (EGY) won the gold medal 67kg in Greco-Roman. (Photo: UWW / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Alameldin was even better as he won three of the four bouts via technical superiority while one was a walkover for the U20 world champion. In his first bout, he Souhaib KHDAR (MAR) 8-0 followed by a 9-0 win over Fayssal BENFREDJ (ALG) and 10-0 blanking of Sahid KARGBO (SLE).

Top seed Alameldin finished all his bouts well before regulation time. His first win, over Khdar, came in just 24 seconds.

At 60kg, Haithem MAHMOUD (EGY) defeated youngster Mohamed DRIDI (ALG), 8-1, in the final. He scored a stepout and later got a throw from par terre to get four points and led 6-0 at the break.

Dridi failed to score any points from par terre in the second period. Mahmoud got a front headlock and threw Dridi which was scored four points. Algeria challenged the call and it was scored only two points. However, Mahmoud still had enough to win the gold medal 8-1. In their Round 3 match, Mahmoud had blanked Dridi 8-0.

Mohamed KHALIL (EGY)Mohamed KHALIL (EGY) launches Shafaihuuna Benhard (NAM) for a big throw. (Photo: UWW / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Mohamed KHALIL (EGY) won the gold medal at 77kg but did not have a smooth sailing. In his four bouts, Khalil dominated three while the one against Chawki DOULACHE (ALG) was a close contest.

The two met in Round 2 and the winner was most likely to win the gold medal. Khalil was called passive in the first period giving Doulache a 1-0 lead. But Khalil got the 1-1 criteria lead in the second period after Doulache was called passive. Both of them failed to score any action points but Khalil was the important win over Doulache to win the gold medal.

While Noureldin HASSAN (EGY) did not keep a clean sheet, he won the 87kg gold medal with four technical superiority wins in four bouts. Hassan did not face any real challenge from his opponents and only Haithem ISSAD (ALG) scored any points on Hassan.

In the Round 5 bout, Issad hit an arm throw and scored two points over Hassan. But that was all from Issad as Hassan dominated the bout from there and won 10-2.

The silver medal went to Roberto NSANGUA (ANG) who became the first wrestler from Angola to win silver at the African Championships. His only loss at the tournament was against Hassan.

 

At 97kg, Emad ABOUELATTA (EGY) won the gold medal after four wins. He was barely tested in his bouts apart from one against Wissam KOUAINSO (MAR) who had built a 3-0 lead at the break. He even defended well from par terre and did not give any points.

Abouelatta remained relentless in his attacks and after a failed front headlock attempt, he quickly moved behind Kouainso and hit a big throw for four points that gave him the 5-3 win.

Shaaban ABDELLATIF (EGY) won the gold medal at 55kg while Adham ELSAYED (EGY) won the gold medal at 63kg after Abdennour LAOUNI (ALG) pulled out of the final due to injury. The 82kg gold medal was captured by Mahmoud IBRAHIM (EGY).

72kg was the only weight in which Egypt did not win a gold medal as Emad GHALY (EGY) fell to Abdelmalek MERABET (ALG), 9-0, in the semifinals. Radhwen TARHOUNI (TUN) then defeated Merabet in the final 5-1 to win the gold while Ghaly captured the bronze medal.

Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR)Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR) won the 57kg gold without giving up a single point. (Photo: UWW / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Nigeria shines

World bronze medalist Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR) and Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) began the season with gold medals at the African Championships as Nigeria dominated Women's Wrestling.

Five weight classes were on the mat on Monday and Nigeria won four gold medals. Apart from Adekuoroye and Oborududu, Christianah OGUNSANYA (NGR) won at 53kg and  Esther KOLAWOLE (NGR) won at 62kg.

Zaineb SGHAIER (TUN) denied Nigeria a clean sweep as she defeated Hannah RUEBEN (NGR) 12-2 in the 76kg gold medal bout.

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RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Shaaban ABDELLATIF (EGY)
SILVER: Sefiane GUEZZANIA (ALG)
BRONZE: Bofenda KALUWEKO (ANG)

60kg
GOLD: Haithem MAHMOUD (EGY) df. Mohamed DRIDI (ALG), 8-1

BRONZE: Latuf MADI (COM) df. Given SIKHOSANA (RSA), via inj. def.

63kg
GOLD: Adham ELSAYED (EGY) df. Abdennour LAOUNI (ALG), via inj. def.

BRONZE: Romio GOLIATH (NAM) df. Mouad JAHID (MAR), 16-11

67kg
GOLD: Moustafa ALAMELDIN (EGY)
SILVER: Fayssal BENFREDJ (ALG)
BRONZE: Sahid KARGBO (SLE)

72kg
GOLD: Radhwen TARHOUNI (TUN) df. Abdelmalek MERABET (ALG), 5-1

BRONZE: Emad GHALY (EGY) df. Anthony WESLEY (CPV), via fall (17-8)

77kg
GOLD: Mohamed KHALIL (EGY)
SILVER: Chawki DOULACHE (ALG)
BRONZE: Francisco KADIMA (ANG)

82kg
GOLD: Mahmoud IBRAHIM (EGY)
SILVER: Amar MOUMENE (ALG)
BRONZE: Belhasan AZAOUZI (TUN)

87kg
GOLD: Noureldin HASSAN (EGY)
SILVER: Roberto NSANGUA (ANG)
BRONZE: Hakim TRABELSI (TUN)

97kg
GOLD: Emad ABOUELATTA (EGY)
SILVER: Mohamed MISSAOUI (TUN)
BRONZE: Wissam KOUAINSO (MAR)

130kg
GOLD: Abdellatif MOHAMED (EGY)
SILVER: Hichem KOUCHIT (ALG)
BRONZE: Ahmed SEREHALI (MAR)

Women's Wrestling

53kg
GOLD: Christianah OGUNSANYA (NGR) df. Chahrazed AYACHI (TUN), 10-0

BRONZE: Nogona BAKAYOKO (CIV) df. Miriam NGOE WASE (CMR), 10-0
BRONZE: Hadir AHMED (EGY) df. Elisa RASOANANTENAINA (MAD), 4-0

57kg
GOLD: Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR) df. Chaimaa AOUISSI (ALG), via fall

BRONZE: Shaimaa ABDELZAHER (EGY) df. Natacha NABAINA (CMR), 10-0
BRONZE: Faten HAMMAMI (TUN) df. Zineb HASSOUNE (MAR), via fall

62kg
GOLD: Esther KOLAWOLE (NGR) df. Farah HUSSEIN (EGY), 11-0

BRONZE: Minette KRUGER (RSA) df. Eunice MBURU (KEN), 2-0
BRONZE: Mastoura SOUDANI (ALG) df. Fatoumata CAMARA (GUI), via fall (8-6)

68kg
GOLD: Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) df. Menatalla BADRAN (EGY), 13-2

BRONZE: Nour JELJELI (TUN) df. Blandine NGIRI (CMR), 8-2

76kg
GOLD: Zaineb SGHAIER (TUN) df. Hannah RUEBEN (NGR), 12-2

BRONZE: Amy YOUIN (CIV) df. Pelagie WILITA (CMR), 6-4