Senegal is set to host the 2021 African Judo Championships ©Getty Images

Senegal's Mbagnick Ndiaye is set to defend his men's over-100-kilogram category at the 2021 African Judo Championships, as he eyes winning a third straight title in Dakar.

Ndiaye defeated Algeria's Mohamed Sofiane Belrekaa in the final in December in Antananarivo in Madagascar.

It was held late last year after the COVID-19 pandemic postponed the Championships twice, when they were due to be held in the Moroccan cities Casablanca and Rabat respectively.

He could once again face Belrekaa in the final, who is seeded second behind Ndiaye.

Ndiaye is also an African Games champion in the sport, winning in Rabat in 2019.

The highest-ranked athlete at the Championships is Nihel Cheikh Rouhou of Tunisia, who is 10th in the world in the women's over-78kg.

Nihel Cheikh Rouhou is the highest-ranked athlete at the African Judo Championships ©Getty Images
Nihel Cheikh Rouhou is the highest-ranked athlete at the African Judo Championships ©Getty Images

In what could be regarded the highest-calibre of competition this week, Rouhou will look to defeat reigning champion Hortence Vanessa Mballa Atangana of Cameroon who is just four places below her in the rankings.

The Tunisian is a 10-time gold medallist at the Championships as well as a four-time African Games champion, while Atangana is two-time African champion.

Algeria's Sonia Asselah is a two-time African champion too and will look to better her silver medal from last year.

A total of 36 nations and 200 athletes are set to compete at the Championships in 14 weight categories.

The Championships are set to start tomorrow and end on Sunday (May 23).