RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (October 24) -- Mohamed ABDELLATIF (EGY) can’t stop his medal-winning spree this season.
The 27-year-old has won a bronze medal at the World Championships in Belgrade, was crowned the African champion in May and reigned supreme at the Ibrahim Moustafa tournament on home soil.
On Tuesday, Abdellatif added another medal after he won gold in the 130kg Greco-Roman category at the World Combat Games in Riyadh. Abdellatif was in red-hot form as he raced to the top of the podium without conceding a single point in the three bouts he competed in.
He began his campaign with a technical superiority win over Tunisia’s Mehdi BEN MOHAMED (TUN) and followed it up with a win by an identical margin over Morocco’ Anas LAMKABBER (MAR).
In the final, the Olympian was up against Ahmed TAMEEMI (IRQ). However, he wasn’t troubled much as he romped to another 9-0 win to claim the title.
Ghazi BIN BAKR (KSA) won one of the bronze medals, defeating compatriot Rayan MOHAMMED (KSA), 5-0, while Lamkabber beat Ben Mohamed to win the other bronze on offer.
Abdellatif was one of the three Egyptians who won the gold medal on the second day of competition at the World Combat Games, where Greco-Roman bouts took place. Mohamed GABR (EGY) was the winner in the 97kg while U20 world champion Moustafa ALAMELDIN (EGY) won the gold medal in the 67kg weight class.
U20 world champion Moustafa ALAMELDIN (EGY) won the 67kg gold in Riyadh. (Photo: UWW / Amirreza Aliasgari)
Like his compatriot Abdellatif, Alameldin, too, did not concede a single point en route to the title as he defeated Faisal ALDOSSARY (KSA) via technical superiority in the final.
In an all-Saudi Arabia bronze medal bout, Saud ALSUBAIE (KSA) defeated Mesfer ALSUBAIE (KSA).
Meanwhile, in the 97kg category, Gabr beat Adem BOUDJEMLINE (ALG) via fall in another lopsided final to win gold. Tunisia’s Mohamed MISSAOUI (TUN) overcame Ibrahim FALLATAH (KSA) to win one bronze medal, with Musaad SIBAEE (KSA) beating Faisal ALAMOUDI (KSA) to claim the other bronze medal.
Ismail ETTALIBI (MAR) emerged as the 60kg champion at World Combat Games. (Photo: UWW / Amirreza Aliasgari)
In the 60kg category, Ismail ETTALIBI (MAR) defeated two home favorites in his three bouts before cruising to gold.
Ettalibi first defeated Ryan HAWSAWI (KSA), 5-3, in the quarterfinals before beating another wrestler from Saudi Arabia, Munthir JANDU, 8-3, in the last-four encounter. Ettalibi faced Yacine DRIDI (ALG) in the final, which he won, 8-3, to clinch the gold medal. Bajram SINA (ALB) and Hawsawi won the bronze medals.
Hosts Saudi Arabia had two wrestlers on the podium once again in the 77kg category but endured another heartbreak after Hassan BARNAWI (KSA) lost in the final to gold medallist Kevin KUPI (ALB) by a margin of 8-0.
While Barnawi won the silver, the bronze went to Bandar BAIHGY (KSA), who defeated Abdullah FALLATAH (KSA) 10-4 in the bronze-medal bout.
There was more heartbreak in store for the home nation after Sanad ALSIBYANI (KSA) also lost the gold-medal bout to African champion Bachir SID AZARA (ALG) 8-0 in the 87kg category.
However, in one more all-Saudi affair for the bronze medal, Abdullah ALDOSARRY (KSA) defeated Ammar HAWSAWI (KSA) 5-1 to finish on the podium.
