Algeria has reclaimed continental supremacy in judo, capturing the senior African individual championships title with a dominant performance that yielded nine medals — including four gold — at the 47th edition of the Championnats d’Afrique held in Nairobi, Kenya.
The North African nation’s judoka swept through the competition over two days of individual events, finishing ahead of traditional rivals Tunisia and Egypt in the medal standings. According to verified results from the tournament conclusion on Saturday, April 25, 2026, Algeria’s medal haul consisted of four gold, one silver, and four bronze medals.
This triumph marks Algeria’s return to the top of African judo four years after their last individual title in Oran in 2022. The team’s success was built on standout performances across multiple weight categories, with several athletes claiming either their first continental crown or adding to their growing legacies.
Among the gold medalists, Yassamine Djellab claimed victory in the women’s -63 kg division, securing her inaugural African title. Kaïs Moudetere repeated as champion in the men’s -66 kg class, earning his second continental crown after previously winning in 2022. Messaoud Driss continued his dominance in the -73 kg category, capturing his fourth African individual title and further cementing his status as one of the nation’s most decorated judokas. In the heaviest division, Mohamed El Mehdi Lili topped the podium in the men’s +100 kg class, also claiming his first continental gold.
The sole silver medal for Algeria came from Dyhia Benchallal in the women’s +78 kg division, whose performance added crucial points to the team’s overall tally. Four bronze medals rounded out the podium finishes: Lycia Anaïs Guebli in the women’s -52 kg category, Younes Benlaribi in the men’s -60 kg class, Abdeslam Belbelhout in the men’s -81 kg division, and Zakaria Rayane Benatia in the men’s -100 kg weight class.
With this result, Algeria surpassed Tunisia, which finished second with seven medals (three gold, two silver, two bronze), and Egypt, which took third place despite matching Algeria’s total medal count with nine — though their distribution differed, featuring two gold, four silver, and three bronze.
The victory sets the stage for Algeria’s upcoming challenge in the team events, scheduled for Sunday, April 26, 2026, where the squad will aim to replicate its individual success and conclude the Kenyan campaign with a complete sweep.
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