Lamjed Maafi of Tunisia, in red, claimed gold in the men's 77kg category - one of four wrestlers from the home nation to secure spots at Tokyo 2020 today ©Getty Images

Host nation Tunisia booked four places at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics on the opening day of the United World Wrestling (UWW) Africa and Oceania Olympic qualifier in Hammamet.

Action took place in the men’s 60 kilograms, 67kg, 77kg, 87kg, 97kg and 130kg categories with the wrestlers winning their semi-finals in each category securing spots at the Olympic Games.

The 60kg gold medal match was a clash between two African champions as Haithem Mahmoud of Egypt beat Abdelkarim Fergat of Algeria 10-3, with a throw-by and a pair of left-sided guts helping Mahmoud seal a comfortable victory.

The battle for bronze saw Fouad Fajari of Morocco run out a comfortable 8-0 victor against Mehdi Jouini of Tunisia.

In the 67kg category competition took place using the Nordic-style bracket system, with gold going to Tunisia’s Souleymen Nasr, silver to Abdelmalek Merabet of Algeria and bronze to Gert Coetzee of South Africa.

In the 77kg category, Tunisia claimed another gold courtesy of Lamjed Maafi who beat Zied Ait Ouagram of Morocco in a contest that ended 3-3.

The bronze medal went to Wael Abdelrahman of Egypt who triumphed 8-4 against Abd Elkrim Ouakali of Algeria.

The 87kg category saw gold go to Mohamed Metwally of Egypt who had already qualified for Tokyo 2020 along with Bachir Sid Azara of Algeria by virtue of both wrestlers reaching the final.   

Sid Azara opted not to contest the gold medal bout, handing gold to Metwally courtesy of an injury default.

Bronze went to Mohamed Missaoui of Tunisia who overcame Edward Lessing of South Africa by fall.

The men’s 97kg category was also decided using the Nordic-style bracket system, with gold going to Adem Boudjemline of Algeria, silver to Haikel Achouri of Tunisia and bronze going to Mohamed Ali Elsayed Gabr of Egypt.

In the 130kg category, also decided using the Nordic-style bracket system, gold went to Abdellatif Mohamed of Egypt, silver went to Amine Guennichi of Tunisia and bronze was claimed by Hichem Kouchit of Algeria.

The team title went to hosts Tunisia by five points ahead of Algeria.

The women’s categories are set to take centre stage tomorrow in Hammamet, after the competition was moved to Tunisia from El Jadida in Morocco last month, after UWW did not receive assurances the event could safely be held there.