On Day 2 of the 2026 UFAK Championships in Algiers, the programme turned to the continent’s Under-21 athletes — and Egypt led the way. Under La Coupole, twelve U21 champions were crowned in kata and kumite. The World Karate Federation’s wrap, published on 13 September, put Egypt clear at the top of the day’s golds, with Tunisia, Morocco, host Algeria and Senegal also taking titles. Day 2 was the U21 day inside the competition window of 10–13 September; other age categories were still on the programme that week.
More than 500 athletes from 29 countries filled the four tatami at the Office du Complexe Olympique Alger — the hall known as the Olympic Complex Mohamed Boudiaf — La Coupole — under the Union of African Karate Federations, from Cadet to Senior. On the senior opening day, Egypt and Algeria had already shared four golds each; that story is live on karate.news. This piece follows the U21 titles onto the same boards.
Egypt’s lead — kata double, then the weights
Egypt opened with a clean kata double. In U21 female kata, Alaa Elshorbagy defeated Cameroon’s Lesly Carelle Tueno Fotso 7–0. In U21 male kata, Ali Dahy answered with the same score against Morocco’s Abderrahmane Chakir. Two kata titles on the same day set the tone: Egypt’s U21 programme arrived ready in both forms and combat.
The kumite golds followed in a steady run. Rahma Tolba took the female weight category −61 kg, defeating Morocco’s Doae Choukri 5–3. Readers of karate.news’s Taranto Mediterranean Games coverage already know that name in the same weight: Tolba won Mediterranean gold there; in Algiers she added a continental U21 title. Youssef Farag held the male weight category −75 kg against Morocco’s Haitam Oufkir, 2–1 — a tight final decided by a single point. Jana Hazem Elsayed controlled the female weight category −68 kg, 4–0 over Kenya’s Fatuma Mohammed. And in the male weight category +84 kg, Mohamed Elhassan closed Egypt’s U21 individual haul with a 4–0 victory over Algeria’s Nizar Achouri.
Six verified U21 golds on the day — two in kata, four in kumite. Egypt led the board. That is the headline the WKF wrap underlined, and it matches the verified finals.
Tunisia’s double — Chanoufi and Msekni
Between Egypt’s titles, Tunisia wrote two of its own. Fatma Chanoufi won the female weight category −50 kg, beating Lesly Carelle Tueno Fotso 4–0 — the same Cameroonian athlete who had already taken silver in female kata. Two finals, two silvers for Tueno Fotso on the U21 day; Tunisia took the −50 kg gold through Chanoufi. For Cameroon it was a hard afternoon of near-misses. For Tunisia it was the first of two clean hits.
Later, in the female weight category +68 kg, Tasnim Msekni defeated Algeria’s Aicha Rouichi 5–1. Two Tunisian titles at opposite ends of the women’s U21 weight map — lightest and heaviest kumite categories — marked a clear Maghreb answer. Tunisia did not only appear on the sheet; Tunisia struck twice, from −50 kg to +68 kg.
Senegal — Gaye’s margin, Seck’s shutout
West Africa answered in the men’s middle and upper weights. Mouhamadou Moustapha Gaye took the male weight category −67 kg in a 3–2 final against Morocco’s Samir Sadini — the kind of one-point continental bout that stays with the reader after the list is closed. Serigne Mbacke Seck followed in the male weight category −84 kg, defeating Egypt’s Omar Osman 3–0. Two Senegalese U21 golds on the same day deepen Senegal’s presence in Algiers after Babacar Kobar’s first senior gold on Day 1: Senegal’s colours kept finding the gold step on the U21 board as well.
Host gold — Louni at −55 kg
Home success arrived where the crowd under La Coupole feels it most. Massilya Louni claimed the female weight category −55 kg for the hosts, defeating Morocco’s Roumayssae Tarkou 6–1. One clear U21 gold gave Algeria its home headline on the younger board — not a mirror of the senior 4–4 split already told on karate.news, but a title that belonged to the Coupole as much as to the federation that filled it. Algeria also reached three U21 finals for silver — Ala Eddine Kichou, Rouichi and Achouri. Presence was not only gold. On Day 2, Louni’s title was the line that mattered most for the home crowd.
Morocco’s Afife — and a long silver trail
Ali Afife secured Morocco’s U21 gold in the male weight category −60 kg, edging Algeria’s Ala Eddine Kichou 6–4. A two-point final against the host needed no embroidery: Maghreb rivalry, decided late, under the home roof. Morocco’s day was wider than one title. Chakir (kata), Tarkou (−55 kg), Sadini (−67 kg), Choukri (−61 kg) and Oufkir (−75 kg) all reached U21 finals and left with silver. One gold, several finals — Morocco stayed on the sheet from morning kata through the heavier kumite belts.
Day 2 in the 10–13 September window
Twelve U21 champions, then. Egypt leading — kata double through Elshorbagy and Dahy, then Tolba, Farag, Elsayed and Elhassan. Tunisia’s double through Chanoufi and Msekni. Senegal’s Gaye and Seck. Host Louni. Morocco’s Afife. Finals that also carried Cameroon and Kenya onto the silver step.
When the WKF published its Day-2 wrap on 13 September, other age categories were still on the programme that week inside the 10–13 September window. Under #KarateArgel2026, Day 2 was the U21 chapter under La Coupole: Egypt led the younger board, while Tunisia, Senegal, Morocco and the hosts still took titles of their own.
Sources
- WKF — Egypt Leads U21 Medals as African Karate Stars Shine on Day Two of UFAK Championships (13 Sep 2026)
- WKF — Egypt and Algeria Lead Opening Day of 2026 UFAK Championships in Algiers (12 Sep 2026)
- WKF — 2026 UFAK Championships Set to Bring Africa’s Best Karatekas to Algiers (9 Sep 2026)
- WKF — 2026 UFAK Championships Argel
- Photo: wkf.net / UFAK
