Egyptian men capture two titles at African Championships

The plus category at the African Championships in Tunisia delivered the expected winners and both for the host nation Tunisia. Faicel Jaballah had won two African Games and today he added his 7th African Championships title. This time against Mohammed Tayeb (ALG). Although the final wasn’t worth watching with 4 penalties Jaballah won 2 seconds for the end by hansokumake.

Egypt won two gold medals today and with their strong men’s team they met the expectations starting with gold U81kg. Mohamed Abdelaal continued his success after winning the African Games last year in an all Egyptian final against Ali Hazem by waza-ari. Last year’s gold medallist Abdelaziz Ben Ammar (TUN) won bronze this time accompanied by Hamza Drid of Algeria.

The Algerians were the nation with the most medals today, nine in total and the highlight was the gold for Abderrahmane Benamadi (WRL-20) who prolonged the African title U90kg. Four strong men in the semi finals, but it was Zack Piontek (RSA) who defeated Hatem Abd El Akher and Benamadi bested Imad Abdellaoui (MAR). Piontek vs Benamadi was the dream final. Piontek booked recently success with bronze in Lima, but Benamadi took gold at the African Open in Casablanca. Piontek won the last two meetings, but still 2-2 head2head. Benamadi was the most convincing one today with yuko and waza-ari although he needed the full time against Piontek.

The best final of the day was for men U100kg between Ramadan Darwish of Egypt and Lyes Bouyacoub of Algeria. They know each other so well and always close, last battle was won by Bouyacoub in Libreville one year ago but now Darwish led by a yuko and he won his match by oseikomi. The former number two of the IJF World Ranking is back and ready for Rio de Janeiro. After two silver medals in 2014 and 2015 he is the champion of Africa again after Bouyacoub won it twice. A super battle witnessed by IJF President Marius L. Vizer who also wants Africa to get a medal at the Olympic Games. In the history both Egypt and Algeria won two Olympic medals, even two in 2008, but the competition is intense and the hope for a miracle is most likely possible in the last two days of the Games with U100kg and +100kg, but even that is not so easy.

On Saturday the men U60, U66, U73kg and Open categories are scheduled.