African Weightlifting Championships: Algeria to Compete with Nine Athletes in Mauritius
Algeria will be represented by nine athletes—four men and five women—at the African Senior Weightlifting Championships, set to take place in Moka, Mauritius, from April 20 to 28. The team aims to deliver strong performances at this event, which is expected to attract approximately one hundred athletes from fifteen countries, according to the national technical management of the Algerian Weightlifting Federation (FAH).
In preparation for this continental competition, both national teams will complete their training sessions on Friday: the men’s team at the Sveltesse gym in Cheraga, and the women’s team at the National Teams Preparation Center in Chlef, before departing for the Mauritian capital, Port-Louis, on Saturday.
“This first international competition of 2025 features four male athletes selected based on their performances in prior training camps. These chosen athletes have a solid chance to reach the podium at the African level. While it will undoubtedly be challenging given the presence of top competitors from across Africa, our athletes have made significant progress and are ready to embrace the challenge,” stated men’s coach Nacer Aouina to APS.
The selected athletes were drawn from a pool of ten who participated in the initial pre-selection gathering. However, Walid Bidani and Akram Chakhchoukh will not compete due to injuries and have only recently resumed training.
For the women’s category, Algeria will feature two cadets, one junior, and two seniors. The selection, made by national coach and former international Foued Bouznada, was based on their performances during their last international outing in Qatar.
According to the national technical director of the federation, the most outstanding athletes were chosen for the competitions in Mauritius. Among them is a promising talent in Algerian women’s weightlifting—a discipline that is both physically and mentally demanding.
“The five selected female weightlifters stood out at the recent African Championships, which served as qualifiers for the 2024 Olympics, held in Al Ismailia, Egypt, in February 2024. They made a positive impression and have the potential to achieve commendable results in Mauritius, especially as they continue to show consistent improvement in their lifting abilities,” explained Mohamed Bouabech.
The women’s national team has undergone several training camps in Chlef, benefiting from the modern facilities at the National Teams Preparation Center, which are equipped for optimal training, recovery, and medical support.
“The Chlef training center is an excellent venue for focused preparation. It offers the best conditions to ensure athletes are well-prepared, particularly ahead of major sporting events. From this perspective, we have no complaints. We look forward to this African event as an opportunity to evaluate the work accomplished by the coaching staff in preparing for this challenge in Mauritius and other upcoming competitions, including the Islamic Solidarity Games planned for next November in Saudi Arabia,” emphasized the national technical director.
When asked about the African competition and the goals of Algerian weightlifting, national coach Nacer Aouina asserted that the selected athletes possess the ability to reach the podium. “These athletes are showing improvement with each training session, especially regarding the weights they lift.”
“Certainly, securing podium positions will be challenging against nations such as Egypt, Tunisia, Nigeria, Cameroon, and Libya, but our representatives remain determined,” he assured.
As a reminder, the inaugural edition of the African Senior Weightlifting Championships took place in March 1979 in Egypt. Algeria had the honor of hosting the 12th edition in 1998 in Algiers, which was particularly significant for featuring female competitors for the first time. This marks Algeria’s second time hosting a continental competition, following the event held in Boufarik in 1989.
The most recent edition of the African Weightlifting Championships, covering all categories, was organized in Al Ismailia, Egypt, in 2024.
The Algerian athletes selected for the competition in Moka, Mauritius are:
Men: Samir Fardjallah and Mohamed Meknaci (81kg), Darid Saadi (96kg), and Aymen Touairi (109kg).
Women: Kamélia Badaoui (49kg), Ines Driss (59kg), Douaa Bouabdellah (71kg), Nihad Belounis (76kg), and Yahia Mamoun Amina (+87kg).
