#WrestleParis

Paris 2024: Wrestling ITO delivers Olympic oath at Opening Ceremony

By United World Wrestling Press

Top Photo: Melanie TRAN, extreme right, at the Olympic oath reciting during the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

PARIS (July 31) -- In a historic moment, United World Wrestling referee Melanie TRAN was part of the reading of the oath for the Opening Ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games last week.

Tran, who is an International Technical Official for wrestling in Paris, read out the oath along with French flagbearers Florent MANAUDOU and Melina ROBERT-MICHON.

PARIS 2024 SCHEDULE | PARIS 2024 NEWS

Paris 2024 are the first equal Olympic Games with 50 percent representation from both men and women athletes.

Tran will be part of the technical officials' team for wrestling during the Paris Games. She is one of the 11 female ITOs for wrestling who will be at Paris 2024.

Wrestling at Paris 2024 begins August 5 and finishes August 11.

#development

UWW, Olympic Solidarity Scholarship Wrestlers Shine at African Championships

By United World Wrestling Press

ALEXANDRIA, Egypt (May 7) -- The African Championships in Alexandria, Egypt was another milestone in the United World Wrestling and Olympic Solidarity partnership.

U17, U20 and Senior African Championships were held from April 28 to May 2 and wrestlers with Olympic Solidarity scholarship shining on the mat. The tournament also saw participation of 143 wrestlers in the U17 age-group, making it one of the most highly participated U17 African Championships.

Recipients of the Olympic Solidarity scholarship won eight medals at the continental championships including two in Beach Wrestling.

The most successful wrestler was Kavelishimwe ABRAHAM (NAM) who won silver medal in the 59kg weight class of Women's Wrestling and then the same medal at 60kg in Beach Wrestling. Abraham also created history, becoming first-ever wrestler from Namibia to win silver in Women's Wrestling. She was also the first woman wrestler from Namibia to ever medal internationally when she won the silver medal at the U20 African Championships in 2023. She repeated in 2024 and last week she made history at the senior level.

Lec ANDE (CAF) also won a bronze medal in Women's Wrestling at 65kg. She later returned to Beach Wrestling in the same weight class.

Two more wrestlers won medals in Women's Wrestling. At the U20 level, Lynca NIYONKURU (BDI) won a bronze medal at 59kg while Foula KABA (GUI) managed to claim a silver medal at 57kg at the U17 level.

In Freestyle, Wotna NDOC (GBS) won a silver medal at 70kg while Raby BAPELEKIA (CGO) won a bronze medal at 65kg.