#WrestleHammamet

LIVE BLOG: African and Oceania Olympic Qualifier, Day Three

By United World Wrestling Press

HAMMAMET, Tunisia (April 4) -- Six countries claimed the 12 Olympic berths that were available on Sunday.

2000 hrs: Diaaeldin Kamal Gouda ABDELMOTTALEB (EGY) and Djahid BERRAHAL (ALG) qualify Egypt and Algeria for the Tokyo Games at 125kg 

1940 hrs: Down goes Rio Olympian Soso TAMARAU (NGR). Former African champion at 97kg, Mohammed FARDJ (ALG) gets a 6-2 win over the Nigerian and qualifies Algeria for Tokyo Olympics

1927 hrs: Another Olympic quota for Tunisia! Mohamed SAADAOUI (TUN) beats Hosam Mohamed Mostafa MERGHANY (EGY) 6-1 to win the ticket for his country 

1915 hrs: Fateh BENFERDJALLAH (ALG) and Ekerekeme AGIOMOR (NGR) earn the Tokyo berths for their respective countries. The Algerian defeated Khaled Masoud Ismail ELMOATAMADAWI (EGY) 3-1 while the Nigerian won 12-2 against Jayden Alexander LAWRENCE (AUS)

1856 hrs: Three-time Olympian Augusto MIDANA (GBS) defeats African champion Ishak BOUKHORS (ALG) 4-1 to win the ticket to Tokyo. 

1845 hrs: American Samoa have to wait for their third freestyle wrestler at Olympics. Amr Reda Ramadan HUSSEN (EGY) shatters the dreams of Elias Lauofo VAOIFI (ASA) with a 10-0 win at 74kg semifinal 

1842 hrs: Local boy Haithem DAKHLAOUI (TUN) steps up in style. He qualifies Tunisia for Tokyo by beating Fathi Tarek Fathi Attia ISMAIL (EGY) 6-3

1830 hrs: Adama DIATTA (SEN) qualifies Senegal for the Tokyo Olympics. What a stunning performance from the Rio Olympian as he beats Aime Mbolalalaina Joel RAKOTONIAINA (MAD) 10-0 in the 65kg semifinal 

1825 hrs: Three takedowns and a point for stepout. It's 10-0 win for Diamantino IUNA FAFE (GBS) as he qualifies his country for the Games.

1820 hrs: Diamantino IUNA FAFE (GBS) with a point for activity and a takedown to lead Chakir ANSARI (MAR) 3-0 at the break in the second semifinal at 57kg. 

1813 hrs: Algeria with the first Olympic berth of the night! Abdelhak KHERBACHE (ALG) mounts a strong comeback to beat Junjun ASEBIAS (FSM) 15-8 to qualify his nation for the Tokyo Games

1805 hrs: Asebias with a takedown and a gut to lead 6-1 against two-time African champion Kherbache. He gets another takedown but Kherbache with a four! Asebias 8-5 at the break

1800 hrs: We're back! Abdelhak KHERBACHE (ALG) is wrestling Junjun ASEBIAS (FSM) for a place in the 57kg final. The winner also earns a ticket to Tokyo 

1745 hrs: We are 15 minutes away from the second session in Hammamet. Mat B will see all the action of the qualifiers

1245 hrs: We have are semifinalists! 24 wrestlers are now locked in and will wrestle for the 12 Olympic spots on offer in Hammamet

At 74kg, Amr Reda Ramadan HUSSEN (EGY) vs Elias Lauofo VAOIFI (ASA) and Augusto MIDANA (GBS) vs Ishak BOUKHORS (ALG) are the two semifinals

At 97kg, Mohamed SAADAOUI (TUN) will wrestle Hosam Mohamed Mostafa MERGHANY (EGY) in the first semifinal while Soso TAMARAU (NGR) will be wrestling Mohammed FARDJ (ALG) in the second semifinal

Diaaeldin Kamal Gouda ABDELMOTTALEB (EGY) at 125kg sets up a semifinal against Johannes Jacobus KRIEL (RSA) while Djahid BERRAHAL (ALG) will take on Abdelmoneim ADOULI (TUN)

1230 hrs: Two more semifinals set. At 57kg,  Chakir ANSARI (MAD) will take on Diamantino IUNA FAFE (GBS) while in semifinal two, Abdelhak KHERBACHE (ALG) will be up against  Junjun ASEBIAS (FSM).

1215 hrs: Senegal's Rio Olympian Adama Diatta will be looking to qualify for the Games again as he makes his way to the semifinals at 65kg. He will take on Aime Mbolalalaina Joel RAKOTONIAINA (MAD) 

1200 hrs: We have our first set of semifinals for the night. The two winners will get a ticket to Tokyo Olympics. At 86kg, Jayden Alexander LAWRENCE (AUS) vs Ekerekeme AGIOMOR (NGR) and Khaled Masoud Ismail ELMOATAMADAWI (EGY) vs Fateh BENFERDJALLAH (ALG) will wrestle for the two spots in the final

1137 hrs: Senior Africa Championships bronze medalist at 125kg Johannes Jacobus KRIEL (RSA) if knocked out in a thriller. Djahid BERRAHAL (ALG), who was a silver medalist at the same tournament, 8-8 

1134 hrs: Did you see that? Ishak BOUKHORS (ALG), the silver medalist in Africa, with a 10-0 mauling of Guy Robert DE LUMEAU JR (PLW)

1130 hrs: Junior African champion Fathi Tarek Fathi Attia ISMAIL (EGY) holds off Amas DANIEL (NGR) 4-3 to advance in the 65kg qualifications

1128 hrs: What a show from local boy Haitem DAKHLAOUI (TUN). The African champion at 70kg starts his qualifying tournament at 65kg with a 14-3 tech victory over Mostafa REZAEIFAR (AUS). Six guts to finish it off

1110 hrs: Former African Youth Games champion Diamantino IUNA FAFE (GBS) gets going with a 6-1 win over Gamal Abdelnaser Hanafy MOHAMED (EGY). Good start for the youngster

1100 hrs: Hammamet is ready for the final day of wrestling at the African and Oceania Olympic qualifiers.

#BeachWrestling

Beach Wrestling: Ukraine, U.S. best at U17 World Championships

By United World Wrestling Press

KATERINI, Greece (September 21) -- Ukraine and the United States emerged as the best teams at the Beach Wrestling World Championships at the U17 level in the men's and women's categories respectively.

The U17 and U20 World Championships was held in Katerini over eight weight classes in men's and women's categories. Ukraine won the men's part while the U.S. claimed the team title in women's despite not winning a gold medal in four weight classes.

Romania won two gold medals in the men's U17 with Lucian SOMANDRU (ROU) beating Christos XENAKIS (GRE), 3-0, in the 50kg final and Magor LORINCZ (ROU), who had finished ninth last year, dominated Yurii PYHULSKYI (UKR) in the 80kg, winning the gold medal 5-0.

The two other gold medals were won by Mirzakhan GASHYMOV (UKR) and Anri GOGUADZE (GEO) at 60kg and 70kg respectively.

Gashymov was the gold medalist as Ukraine swept the podium, winning the silver and bronze medals as well. He defeated Nazar VELINSKYI (UKR), 4-1, in the final.

Goguadze also faced compatriot Koba GOGUADZE (GEO) in the 70kg final and won the final via superiority.

Ukraine finished with 72 points to finish first with Romania second with 56 points. Georgia was third with 49 points.

The team title race was closer in women's as the U.S. finished first with 60 points with three silver medals. France, with two gold medals, managed to finish with 50 points and at the second spot. Ukraine was third with 39 points.

The 40kg weight class saw only two participants with Alexandra COVACI (ROU) beating Alina MACI (ROU), 3-1, in the final. Romania only got 25 team ranking points for the gold medal.

France won the gold medals at 60kg and 70kg. Thea ROUSSEL (FRA) defeated Kennedie SNOW (USA), 4-0, in the 60kg final to deny the U.S. a gold medal. A few minutes later, Lise LANDOUZY (FRA) defeated Piper ZATECHKA (USA), 3-0, in the 70kg final to give France a second gold.

The U.S. also had a finalist at 50kg but Reisa KOJIMA (JPN) dominated the final to beat Jayden KELLER (USA), 4-1, to win a gold medal for Japan as well.

RESULTS

U17 Men's BW

50kg
GOLD: Lucian SOMANDRU (ROU) df. Christos XENAKIS (GRE), 3-0

BRONZE: Stanislav DIACONU (MDA) df. Oleksandr KARA (UKR), 3-1

60kg
GOLD: Mirzakhan GASHYMOV (UKR) df. Nazar VELINSKYI (UKR), 4-1

BRONZE: Stepan MINCHEV (UKR) df. Benjamin GRAHAM (USA), via fall

70kg
GOLD: Anri GOGUADZE (GEO) df. Koba GOGUADZE (GEO), 4-1

BRONZE: Dmytro KURSENKO (UKR) df. Dmytro YEMETS (UKR), 3-2

80kg
GOLD: Magor LORINCZ (ROU) df. Yurii PYHULSKYI (UKR), 5-0

BRONZE: Charilaos CHAITIDIS (GRE) df. Andrii PAVLIUK (UKR), 4-2

U17 Women's BW

40kg
GOLD: Alexandra COVACI (ROU) df. Alina MACI (ROU), 3-1

50kg
GOLD: Reisa KOJIMA (JPN) df. Jayden KELLER (USA), 4-1

BRONZE: Oleksandra KARBOVSKA (UKR) df. Sarina GUNN (USA), 3-0

60kg
GOLD: Thea ROUSSEL (FRA) df. Kennedie SNOW (USA), 4-0

BRONZE: Georgia CHASAMPALIOTI (GRE) df. Alina SVIRKO (UKR), 4-2

70kg
GOLD: Lise LANDOUZY (FRA) df. Piper ZATECHKA (USA), 3-0

BRONZE: Sadie EVANS (USA) df. Anna NITSEVYCH (UKR), 4-0