The representatives of the organising nation started their successful performance on the final day with a hard-fought triumph in Female Kata. Aya En-Nesysry defeated Egypt’s Aya Hesham by 41.4 to 41.2.

Abdel Ali Jina became one of the heroes of the host nation after taking the crown of Male Kumite -60kg for the first time. Jina who was the current runner-up of the category upset Egypt’s Amr Alaa Aboukura 8-1.

Meanwhile, Said Oubaya produced one of the biggest upsets of the day and won one more gold for Morocco after beating big favourite Ali Elsawy of Egypt in the final of Male Kumite -67kg (4-1).

The fourth gold medal for hosts came in Female Kumite +68kg. Maroua Eddarhri beat frontrunner Mena Shaaban Okila of Egypt by a convincing 9-1.

SEVEN GOLD MEDALS FOR EGYPT IN SENIOR CATEGORIES

The powerhouse nation of Egypt celebrated its second position in the final medal table with seven gold medals on the final day. World champion Ahlam Youssef extended her domination of the category of Female Kumite -55kg and won her third continental crown following a tight 3-2 victory over Algeria’s Louiza Abouriche.

The other World champion on the line, Youssef Badawy also reached the top of the podium and added one more gold for Egypt. The world titleholder claimed an impressive 10-0 victory over Tunisia’s Yaser Ajil in Male Kumite -84kg.

Olympian Abdalla Abdelaziz used his favourite status to take his fourth continental crown. The representative of Egypt at the Olympic Games defeated Morocco’s Oussama Fahssi 2-1 to reclaim the title of Male Kumite -75kg which he won for the last time in 2021.  

Karim Ghaly became the new continental champion in Male Kata after beating Algeria’s Saber Benmekhlouf by 42.3 to 41.0.

In Female Kumite -50kg, Reem Ahmed Salama kept the continental crown after claiming an outstanding 11-2 victory over Morocco’s Chaimae Elhaty, as Dahab Ali increased the gold medal count for Egypt with the title in Female Kumite -61kg (3-2 over Wafa Mahjoub of Tunisia).  

The gold medals of Female Kumite -68kg and Male Kumite +84kg both went to Tunisia. The triumph in Female Kumite -68kg was claimed by Wissal Ezzar who beat Egypt’s Ola Elmedany (2-2), while Houssem Edine Choiya defeated Algeria’s Hocine Daikhi 2-1 in Male Kumite +84kg.

Morocco’s double triumph over Egypt in both Female Team Kata (scores of 41.2 to 40.9) and Male Team Kata (scores of 41.6 to 41.2), Algeria’s victory in Female Team Kumite over Morocco (2-0), and Egypt’s victory over Tunisia (3-0) in Male Team Kumite completed the gold medals in the memorable event.

2023 UFAK CHAMPIONSHIPS