Moroccan Fighter Merzak Clinches Gold at World Full-Contact Championship in Turkey

The competition took place from November 23 to December 1 in Turkey. Merzak had beaten Turkmenistan’s Kosmirat Gumanyazov in the first round and won the match in the round of 16 against Slovak Pavol, before eliminating Norwegian Casanol Khatum in the quarter-finals and Ukrainian Vorulov Pehor in the semi-finals.

But he was not alone in defending the colors of Morocco on the tatami. Ayoub Khia was also there and won the bronze medal in the same discipline in the 57 kg category by beating Iranian Zarin Omid in the first round and Turkish Emre Karatsa in the quarter-finals, before losing in the semi-finals against Amanbekov Avazbek from Kyrgyzstan.

The Moroccan team at the WAKO World Championships consisted of Oumaima Blourate (48 kg), Chaimae Belkasmi (56 kg), Ayoub Khia (57 kg), Anass Hibaoui (60 kg), Hamza Rachid (63.5 kg) and Soufiane Merzak (75 kg).