Amri Claims Ninth Gold at African Championships

MARRAKECH, Morocco (April 29) – Marwa AMRI (TUN), a 2016 Olympic bronze medalist, rolled through the competition at the African Wrestling Championships on Saturday in Marrakech, Morocco, claiming a gold medal in the event for the ninth time.

The three-time Olympian picked up three falls and a technical fall on her way to the title at 60kg.

Nigeria grabbed six of the eight gold medals in the women’s wrestling competition, highlighted by titles from Blessing OBORUDUDU (63kg) and Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (55kg).

Oborududu, a two-time Olympian and Commonwealth Games silver medalist, won her seventh title at the African Championships. She had three technical falls and a fall at 63kg. 

World No.7 Adekuoroye, a 2015 world bronze medalist, used two technical falls and a fall en route to the gold medal at 55kg. 

Nigeria’s other gold medalists in women’s wrestling were Miesinnei GENESIS (48kg), Aminat ADENIYI (58kg), Dressman KEMASUODEI (69kg) and Winnie GOFIT (75kg).

Genesis, an Olympian and All Africa Games champion, recorded three falls and a technical fall to win the gold medal at 48kg. Adeniyi did not surrender a point in earning two technical falls at 58 kg. Kemasuodei topped Blandine METALA EPANGA (CMR) 10-4 in the gold-medal match 69kg. Gofit had four falls in four matches at 75kg. 

Maroi MEZIEN joined Amri as a gold medalist for Tunisia, winning the title 53kg. It was her fourth African title, but first since 2014. 

Egypt won five of the eight gold medals in Greco-Roman, headlined by Ahmed SAAD (EGY), who repeated as champion at 98kg. 

Saad, an Olympian and All Africa Games champion, won all four of his matches by technical fall and surrendered only one point on his way to the title. 

Egypt’s other gold medalists in Greco-Roman were Abouhalima ABOUHALIMA (66kg), Ibrahim GHANEM (71kg), Mohamed METWALLY (85kg) and Abdellatif MOHAMED (130kg). 

Abouhalima, a 2012 Olympian, won by fall over Tarek BENAISSA (ALG) in the gold-medal match at 66kg. It was his first African title in five years. Ghanem, a 2015 World Military Games bronze medalist, was pushed in a couple matches, but came through to win the title at 71kg. Metwally won an African title as a cadet in 2010, but claimed his first senior African title. MOHAMED won the title at 130kg with two falls and an injury default victory. 

At 80kg, it was a battle of returning champions as Bachir SID AZARA (ALG) edged Mahmoud SEBIE (EGY) 6-4. Last year Sebie was an Africa champion at 75kg. 

Abdennour LAOUNI (59kg) joined Sid Azara as a Greco-Roman champion for Algeria. 

Two-time Olympian Zied AIT OUAGRAM (MAR) took the title at 75kg. 

The senior freestyle competition will take place on Sunday, which marks the final day of the African Wrestling Championships. 

Women’s Wrestling Champions

48kg: Miesinnei Mercy GENESIS (NGR)
53kg: Maroi MEZIEN (TUN) 
55kg: Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR) 
58kg: Aminat ADENIYI (NGR)
60kg: Marwa AMRI (TUN) 
63kg: Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) 
69kg: Dressman KEMASUODEI (NGR) 
75kg: Winnie GOFIT (NGR)

Greco-Roman Champions

59kg: Abdennour LAOUNI (ALG) 
66kg: Abouhalima ABOUHALIMA (EGY)
71kg: Mahmoud Ibrahim GHANEM (EGY)
75kg: Zied AIT OUAGRAM (MAR) 
80kg: Bachir SID AZARA (ALG) 
85kg: Mohamed METWALLY (EGY) 
98kg: Ahmed SAAD (EGY) 
130kg: Abdellatif MOHAMED (EGY)