ALGIERS, Algeria, April 27, 2024 – The African Olympic Qualifying Tournament has finished in Algiers, Algeria, resulting in the qualification of six men and women in epee, foil and sabre for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The winner of each individual event qualifies to compete in Paris 2024. The tournament took place at the Centre Sportif Féminin Ben Aknoun.
Women’s Epee. Senegal’s Ndeye Binta Diongue won the women’s individual epee event, with eight fencers competing. Diongue faced Algeria’s Charline Boukhelifa in the final bout, winning with a 15-10 score. In the semifinal round, Boukhelifa won against Nigeria’s Somto Eribenne, 15-10, while Diongue defeated Morocco's Camilia El Kord, 15-12.
Men’s Epee. South Africa’s Harry Saner won the men’s individual epee event, with 10 fencers competing. Saner faced Mali’s Keletigui Diabate in the final bout, winning with a 15-13 score. In the semifinal round, Diabate won against Ivory Coast’s Bedi Paul Alex Beugre, 5-5, while Saner defeated Mauritius’ Satya Gunput, 15-14.
Women’s Foil. Morocco’s Youssra Zakarani won the women’s individual foil event, with six fencers competing. Zakarani faced Senegal’s Safietou Inna Namiya Coly in the final bout, winning with a 15-7 score. In the semifinal round, Coly won against Algeria’s Meriem Mebarki, 15-9, while Zakarani defeated Tunisia's Nourane B'chir, 15-14.
Men’s Foil. Ivory Coast’s Jeremy Fafa Keryhuel won the men’s individual foil event, with 10 fencers competing. Keryhuel faced Morocco’s Amir El Rhazzouly in the final bout, winning with a 15-7 score. In the semifinal round, Rhazzouly won against Senegal’s Noe Robin, 15-14, while Keryhuel defeated Mali's Mathieu Cheickh Jaques Prats, 15-2.
Women’s Sabre. Tunisia’s Yasmine Daghfous won the women’s individual sabre event, with seven fencers competing. Daghfous faced Cameroon’s Lorina Essomba in the final bout, winning with a 15-10 score. In the semifinal round, Essomba won against Mali’s Aichata Dembele, 15-2, while Daghfous defeated Morocco’s Manal Saraa, 15-8.
Men’s Sabre. Niger’s Evann Jean Abba Girault won the men’s individual sabre event, with nine fencers competing. Girault faced Algeria’s Zacharia Bounachada in the final bout, winning with a 15-10 score. In the semifinal round, Bounachada won against Mali’s Mahamadou Samake, 15-6, while Girault defeated Senegal’s Babacar Sadikh Keita, 15-6.
Final rankings in women’s epee included Ndeye Binta Diongue (SEN, gold), Charline Boukhelifa (ALG, silver), Camilia El Kord (MAR, bronze), Somto Eribenne (NGR, bronze), Maryam Malikova (COD), Sarah Florence Ngo Ntat Sarah (CMR), Aphiwe Tuku (RSA) and Tufaha Uwihoreye (RWA).
Final rankings in men’s epee included Harry Saner (RSA, gold), Keletigui Diabate (MLI, silver), Satya Gunput (MRI, bronze), Bedi Paul Alex Beugre (CIV, bronze), Wajdi Zayer (TUN), Jefferson John-Mary Porro (BEN), Tamer Houssam Eddine Berkane (ALG) and Ahmed Alsiheeri (LBA).
Final rankings in women’s foil included Youssra Zakarani (MAR, gold), Safietou Inna Namiya Coly (SEN, silver), Meriem Mebarki (ALG, bronze), Nourane B'chir (TUN, bronze), Imaan Cassim (RSA) and Nubar Malikova (COD).
Final rankings in men’s foil included Jeremy Fafa Keryhuel (CIV, gold), Amir El Rhazzouly (MAR, silver), Noe Robin (SEN, bronze), Mathieu Cheickh Jaques Prats (MLI, bronze), Mohamed Rayane Fenniche (TUN), Victor Alvares De Oliveira (CPV), Pavel Tychler (RSA) and Cedric Nkene (CMR).
Final rankings in women’s sabre included Yasmine Daghfous (TUN, gold), Lorina Essomba (CMR, silver), Manal Saraa (MAR, bronze), Aichata Dembele (MLI, bronze), Aya Dorothee Konan (CIV), Awa Diedhiou (SEN) and Elvira Wood (RSA).
Final rankings in men’s sabre included Evann Jean Abba Girault (NIG, gold), Zacharia Bounachada (ALG, silver), Mahamadou Samake (MLI, bronze), Babacar Sadikh Keita (SEN, bronze), Jeremy Saner (RSA), Inkosi Brou (NGR), Jihad Kabbaj (MAR) and Emmanuel Landry Olivier Kouadio (CIV).
Complete and official results for this event may be found here on the FIE web site. For more exciting world fencing news and features, check out the YouTube FIE Fencing Channel.