The Moroccan junior judo team made on January 16 a remarkable statement on the first day of the Open International African Judo Championship, which began on January 16, claiming a total of 8 gold medals.
Held at the Mohammed V Complex in
Casablanca, the tournament saw the Moroccan athletes shine, with both men and women excelling across various categories.
In the men’s competition, Morocco’s gold medalists included Ahmed Alaoui Chrifi (-60 kg), Aniss Ijioui (-66 kg), Nouh Lahmouri (-73 kg), and Amine El Azzouzi (-100 kg). Each delivered powerful performances, securing their spots at the top of the podium.
On the women’s side, gold medals went to Meriem El Maakoul (-48 kg), Amina Alaoui Chrifi (-52 kg), Malak Lakhal (-78 kg), and Taouab Aboulizza (+78 kg), making a clean sweep in their respective divisions.
This impressive achievement showcases Morocco’s rising dominance in judo, clearly reflecting the team’s strength in the sport across Africa. With 8 gold medals out of a total of 29 (8 gold, 8 silver, and 13 bronze), Morocco is firmly establishing itself as a powerhouse in African judo.
The Open International African Judo Championship, which runs until January 19, aims to promote the sport across the continent while strengthening sporting ties between nations. The event has drawn 304 participants, including 186 men and 118 women, from 34 countries, showcasing the event’s international reach.
As the competition continues, the Moroccan team will look to extend their success, with cadet and senior events set to take place later in the week. With such an impressive start, Morocco is certainly one to watch in the coming days.
CECAFA General Assembly line-up five tournaments for 2025
The CECAFA Ordinary Assembly has approved five tournaments to be staged by the Zone in the 2025 calendar.
During the non-elective Ordinary General Assembly held at the Imperial Plaza Hotel in Juba, South Sudan on Wednesday, the delegates approved the five competitions.
Auka John Gecheo, who presented the competitions report on behalf of the chairman of the Committee Isayas Jira Bosho, pointed out that the tournaments have been planned after considering the different CAF and FIFA tournaments on the International calendar.
The Zonal body agreed to have the inaugural CECAFA Beach Soccer Competition in Kenya between May 31st to June 7th, while the CECAFA Senior Women’s Challenge and the CECAFA Senior Men’s Challenge Cup have also been lined up.
The Dar Port Kagame Cup 2025 will be expected to take place August 31st to September 14th, and the CAF Women’s Champions League, CECAFA qualifiers. However, Member Associations have been asked to apply to host any of the tournaments that have been planned to run in the 2025 calendar.
