Algeria is set to compete in the Deaflympics in Tokyo, Japan, from November 15th to 26th. A delegation of 15 athletes will represent the nation across three sports: Karate, Judo, and Athletics.
According to Mohamed Hasnaoui, the National Technical Director of the Algerian Federation of Sports for the Deaf, the team aims to secure at least five medals during the Games. Hasnaoui expressed optimism about the team’s chances, projecting potential medal wins in Judo and Karate, as well as a possible finals appearance in Athletics.
“Our goal is to not only compete but to showcase the capabilities of Algerian deaf athletes on the international stage,” Hasnaoui stated. “We aim to demonstrate their ability to compete at a high level and further promote the sporting spirit within the deaf community.”
In Judo, Algeria will be represented by five athletes: Bouhidel Abderrahmane (-66kg), Allal Faisel (-81kg), and Antari Mohamed Ali (-60kg) in the men’s division, and Sadi Bouchra Belinda (-78kg) and Ben Salah Yosra (-52kg) in the women’s division. The Judo competitions will take place on November 16th and 17th, under the guidance of coaches Mohand Oulhadj and Harkat Aziz.
Two male athletes, Nacer Mohamed (800m) and Hammoudi Walid (800m), will compete in Athletics, coached by Hammoudi Mahmoud. Their events are scheduled for November 22nd and 23rd.
The Karate team consists of eight athletes: Chaabani Hamza (-60kg), Larbi Mohamed (-67kg), Tebbach Bilal (-75kg), Kerrah Hadj (-84kg), Hassani Youcef (+84kg), and Ben Ammar Menad in Kumite, and Koudra Amani (-50kg) and Menouar Aicha Narimane (-55kg) in the women’s division. Coaches Idiri Zidi and Hasnaoui Youcef will lead the Karate team, with competitions running from November 23rd to 25th.
The Judo delegation departed for Tokyo last Monday. The Athletics team is scheduled to depart this Friday, while the Karate team will leave next Tuesday evening.
The Tokyo Deaflympics will host a total of 3,081 athletes, comprising 2,014 men and 1,067 women, representing 81 countries from across the globe. DZWatch will provide ongoing coverage of Algeria’s performance throughout the Games.
