Karate: Ihsane Adjanonhoun crowned African champion, Kpadonou takes silver
Benin secured the junior gold in +76 kg with Ihsane Adjanonhoun at the African Karate Championships in Algiers. Martial Kpadonou added a silver medal in the senior category.
Ihsane Adjanonhoun has won the title of African champion in junior kumite +76 kg at the 2026 African Karate Championships in Algiers. The 17-year-old from Benin dominated South Africa’s Rio Cruz 6-0 in the final, securing Benin’s first continental crown in the discipline since 2017.
The young karateka completed his journey without conceding a single point. He defeated Libyan Salamah Mohammed 3-0 in the quarter-finals, followed by a 2-0 victory over Egyptian Sultan Mohamed Sherif in the semi-finals before his clear win for gold.
The Beninese delegation also saw Martial Kpadonou reach the podium in the senior category. Competing in kumite -60 kg, he earned a silver medal at the tournament held in the Algerian capital.
Adjanonhoun thus confirms an international season already marked by several top results in the junior category. His ranking and recent performances place him among the world references in the +76 kg category.
The next major event announced for the Beninese athlete is the Cadet, Junior, and U21 World Championships, scheduled from October 14 to 18, 2026, in Bielsko-Biała, Poland.
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