By: Mohamed Abu Conteh
Sierra Leone’s U.S.-based wrestler Gabriel McDuffie has secured a remarkable silver medal on his debut at the African Wrestling Championships in Alexandria, Egypt.
The 2026 African Wrestling Championships, held from April 27 to May 2, featured U17, U20, and Senior categories across Greco-Roman, Freestyle, and Women’s wrestling disciplines.
Competing in the highly competitive 86kg Freestyle division, McDuffie began his campaign with a bye in the preliminary round, automatically advancing to the quarterfinals. He made an immediate impact, displaying composure and technical superiority to defeat DR Congo’s Persy Bosunga Bamona and book his place in the semifinals.
In the semifinal bout, McDuffie delivered another dominant performance against Morocco’s Mohamed Amine El Mekkaoui. Demonstrating strength, agility, and tactical awareness, the Sierra Leonean controlled the contest to secure a place in the final and guarantee a medal for his country.
The gold medal match, however, proved to be his toughest test. McDuffie faced Algeria’s highly decorated wrestler Fateh Benferdjallah, a two-time Olympian and four-time African champion. Despite a spirited effort, the Sierra Leonean fell short against the experienced Algerian, settling for a well-earned silver medal.
McDuffie’s achievement marks a significant milestone for Sierra Leone wrestling and highlights the growing impact of diaspora athletes in strengthening the nation’s presence on the continental stage.
His success follows an impressive outing by Sierra Leone’s U17 team, which secured five medals at the recent West African Championship in Guinea-Bissau, underlining a growing consistency in podium finishes across different levels.
With momentum building, Sierra Leone continues to establish itself as an emerging force in African wrestling, inspiring a new generation of athletes to aim for continental and global success.
Meanwhile, Algeria and Egypt have shown early dominance at the championships, with Algeria securing 11 medals and Egypt claiming seven gold medals in the Greco-Roman category.