#WrestleOslo

Live Blog: World Championships Day 6 - GR 55kg, 72kg, 77kg, 82kg

By Vinay Siwach

OSLO, Norway (October 7) -- Greco-Roman action begins in Oslo on day six of the World Championships with two-time Olympic champion Roman VLASOV (RWF) aiming for a Worlds gold. A host of other Greco-Roman will be on the mat at the Jordan Amfi arena. (Day 5 Wrap - Gray, Fujinami Dominate to Gold)

MATCH ORDER | WATCH LIVE | ALL PHOTOS

1400: Quarterfinal results of the GR 82kg weight class

Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) df Benjamin PROVISOR (USA), 10-0
Adlan AKIEV (RWF) df Hannes WAGNER (GER), via fall
Rafiq HUSEYNOV (AZE) df Alex KESSIDIS (SWE), 7-6
Pejman POSHTAM (IRI) df Radzik KULIYEU (BLR), 3-1

1350: Quarterfinal results of the GR 72kg weight class

Mohammad MOKHTARI (IRI) df Ulvu GANIZADE (AZE), 10-0
Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) df Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU), 5-0
Sergei KUTUZOV (RWF) df Gevorg SAHAKYAN (POL), 7-3
Cengiz ARSLAN (TUR) df Mikko PELTOKANGAS (FIN), 9-0

1335: Quarterfinal results of the GR 77kg weight class

Roman VLASOV (RWF) df Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI), 10-1
Tamas LEVAI (HUN) df Viktor NEMES (SRB), 1-1
Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE) df Roland SCHWARZ (GER), 10-2
Tsimur BERDYIEU (BLR) df Kodai SAKURABA (JPN), 11-3

1325: Quarterfinal results of the GR 55kg weight class

Emin SEFERSHAEV (RWF) df Khorlan ZHAKANSHA (KAZ), 5-1
Ken MATSUI (JPN) df Ekrem OZTURK (TUR), 5-5 
Norayr HAKHOYAN (ARM) df Max NOWRY (USA), 9-0
Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) df Sardarbek KONUSHBAEV (KGZ), 10-1

1300: What a win! Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) trailed 0-1 at the break but goes for a five-point throw then a chest wrap to four for an 11-1 win over Kalidin ASYKEEV (KGZ)

1245: Another top bout at 77kg. Tamas LEVAI (HUN) and former world champ Viktor NEMES (SRB) will be wrestling for a spot in the quarterfinal

1230: Emin SEFERSHAEV (RWF) has set up a quarterfinal against Khorlan ZHAKANSHA (KAZ) at 55kg. At 77kg, a huge bout coming up as Roman VLASOV (RWF) wrestles Mohammadali Abdolhamid GERAEI (IRI). 

1205: Roland SCHWARZ (GER) is moving on to the next round after upsetting Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) 7-1. Good win for Schwarz

1150: Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) is once again back to 82kg. He won a silver in Nursultan and now he has begin with a 9-0 win over Ranet KALJOLA (EST)

1130: Alex BJURBERG KESSIDIS (SWE) wins a 9-3 battle against Maxat YEREZHEPOV (KAZ) to the delight of the crowd. 

1110: Two-time Olympic champion Roman VLASOV (RWF) in on Mat B against Tamerlan SHADUKAYEV (KAZ). He gets going with a passivity call. 1-0 up. A gut and a huge four-point throw against once again a gut and he will finish it 9-0 in two minutes and 10 seconds

1100: Tamas LEVAI (HUN) hangs on for a 5-5 win over Antonio KAMENJASEVIC (CRO) in a tough match. Meanwhile, World Championships bronze medalist Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI) wins 6-1 in his first bout.

1050: Junior world championships bronze medalist Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) gets going with a 7-2 win over Emmanuel BENITEZ CASTRO (MEX) in the opening round at 77kg

1030: We are underway with the Greco-Roman style here at Jordan Amfi arena. Big crowd in already for the day

#WrestleAlexandria

#WrestleAlexandria Senior African Championships 2024 Preview

By Vinay Siwach

ALEXANDRIA, Egypt (March 13) -- At last year's African Championships, Nigeria entered finals in all 10 women's weight classes. Out of the 10, it won six gold medals and four silver medals.

Nigeria will look to better its performance from 2023 at the African Championships which will be held on March 18 and 19 in Alexandria, Egypt. The U17 and U20 African Championships will be held before the senior competition at the same venue.

After a two-day break, the African and Oceania OG Qualifiers will also be held in Alexandria, making the African Championships even more important as the countries participating in the first event will be eligible to participate in the qualifiers.

Nigeria will be led by world bronze medalist Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR) at 57kg as she returns to competition for the first time since September. She had skipped last year's championships but a gold medal in Alexandria will earn her 10000 points. A win will ensure that Adekuoroye tops the 57kg rankings.

Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) will defend her 68kg gold medal. Oborududu has failed to repeat her performances since winning that silver in Tokyo. However, she won the African title for a record 10th time last year.

The 65kg champion Khadija JLASSI (TUN) is now jumping up to 68kg and will look to challenge Oborududu in the new weight class.

At 50kg, Mercy GENESIS (NGR) is returning to defend her gold as is Christianah OGUNSANYA (NGR) at 53kg, Mercy ADEKUOROYE (NGR) at 59kg and Ebi BIOGOS (NGR) at 72kg.

Esther KOLAWOLE (NGR) finished with a silver medal at 62kg but with Marwa AMRI (TUN) moving into coaching, she will be the favorite to win the gold medal in Alexandria.

The 76kg weight class can throw some interesting match-ups as 72kg bronze medalist Zaineb SGHAIER (TUN) has moved to the Olympic weight class. She will likely face Hannah RUEBEN (NGR) who won a silver medal at 76kg last year.

Yousiff HEMIDA (EGY)Yousiff HEMIDA (EGY) was African champion in 2022. (Photo: UWW / Bayrem Ben Mrad)

Freestyle

The six Olympic weight classes will see intense battles. 57kg champion Diamantino IUNA FAFE (GBS) will be the favorite to win the gold medal but bronze medalist Khalil BARKOUTI (TUN) is returning.

The 65kg weight class will see a new champion as only bronze medalist Zohier IFTENE (ALG) is returning for the African Championships. But it will be difficult to count out Shehabeldin MOHAMED (EGY), Wotna NDOC (GBS), Yassine JAA (MAR), Sylvio DIATTA (SEN) and Mohamed BEN HAFSIA (TUN).

Last year's silver medalist Bacar NDUM (GBS) will start as the favorite at 74kg as Amr REDA (EGY) has decided to skip the championships for the qualifiers.

It will be a similar story in 86kg as only bronze medalist Harrison ONOVWIOMOGBOHWO (NGR) is returning to upgrade his medal. The 2023 gold medalist Fateh BENFERDJALLAH (ALG) will be looking to qualify for Algeria later and he will be replaced by Oussama ABDELLAOUI (ALG) for the championships.

At 97kg, none of the 2023 medalists are entered and a new African champion will be crowned. Fares YAHI (ALG), Abdelrahman ABOUHEIBA (EGY) and Anas SAMIR (MAR) will fancy their chances for the same.

Egypt will be looking to keep the 125kg medal to itself and that responsibility will be on Youssif HEMIDA (EGY) who is replacing the gold medalist Diaaeldin KAMAL (EGY). However, silver medalist Hamza RAHMANI (TUN) hopes to change the color of his medal.

At 61kg, Abdelhak KHERBACHE (ALG) is returning to defend his gold medal while 79kg silver medalist Chems FETAIRIA (ALG) is entered as well.

Moustafa ALAMELDIN (EGY)U20 world champion Moustafa ALAMELDIN (EGY) is the favorite at 67kg. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

Greco-Roman

World bronze medalist and defending champion Abdellatif MOHAMED (EGY) will be eyeing his eighth African Championships title as he enters the competition at 130kg. He has two African Games gold medals as well.

Mohamed has dominated the super heavyweight class for years in the continent and is likely to have smooth sailing to the gold again.

With most of Algeria's first team entered for the Olympic Qualifiers, Egypt has a huge chance to win gold medals in multiple weight classes. Last year, Egypt and Algeria shared five gold medals each in Greco-Roman.

At 60kg, Haithem MAHMOUD (EGY) will look to defend his gold medal but 55kg champion Mohamed DRIDI (ALG) has jumped up a weight class to challenge Mahmoud. Also in the mix is Ibrahim BUNDUKA (SLE) who finished with a silver medal.

No medalists from last year are entered at 67kg, leaving the weight class open for a new champion. U20 world champion Moustafa ALAMELDIN (EGY) will be the favorite to win the gold. He won a silver medal at the 2022 championships. Fayssal BENFREDJ (ALG) and Oussama NASR (TUN) can challenge Alameldin.

The 77kg will see returning champion Mohamed KHALIL (EGY) hoping to win a second straight gold medal. Algeria has entered Chawki DOULACHE (ALG) and a Freestyle bronze medalist last year Francisco KADIMA (ANG) is entered in Greco-Roman this year.

Haithem ISSAAD (ALG) and Noureldin HASSAN (EGY) are likely to wrestle for the gold medal at 87kg as most of the medalists have skipped this tour for the qualifiers. 

At 97kg, Emad ABOUELATTA (EGY) is challenging himself by moving up a weight class. He won a silver medal at 87kg last year and is entered in the new weight this year. But Amine BENDJELLOUL (ALG) will be keen on getting a hand on the Egyptian. Bendjelloul has big shoes to fill as he has named the replacement for Bachir SID AZARA (ALG).

Algeria has Abdelmalek MERABET (ALG) as the returning champion at 72kg.