Algeria at the 2020 Summer Olympics

Algeria competed at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Originally scheduled to take place in the summer of 2020, the Games were postponed to 23 July to 8 August 2021, because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[3] Since the nation's debut in 1964, Algerian athletes have appeared in every edition of the Summer Olympic Games, with the exception of the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal because of the African boycott. Unlike Algeria's previous successes in the Summer Olympics, they failed to secure a single medal.

Algeria at the
2020 Summer Olympics
IOC codeALG
NOCAlgerian Olympic Committee
Websitewww.coa.dz
in Tokyo, Japan
July 23, 2021 (2021-07-23) – August 8, 2021 (2021-08-08)
Competitors41 (28 men and 13 women) in 14 sports
Flag bearers (opening)Mohamed Flissi
Amel Melih[2]
Flag bearer (closing)Imane Khelif[1]
Medals
Gold
0
Silver
0
Bronze
0
Total
0
Summer Olympics appearances (overview)
Other related appearances
 France (1896–1960)

Competitors

The following is the list of number of competitors in the Games.

SportMenWomenTotal
Athletics415
Boxing538
Canoeing011
Cycling202
Fencing224
Judo112
Karate011
Rowing202
Sailing112
Shooting011
Swimming123
Table tennis101
Weightlifting101
Wrestling808
Total281341

Athletics

Algerian athletes achieved the entry standards, either by qualifying time or by world ranking, in the following track and field events (up to a maximum of 3 athletes in each event):[4][5]

Key
  • Note–Ranks given for track events are within the athlete's heat only
  • Q = Qualified for the next round
  • q = Qualified for the next round as a fastest loser or, in field events, by position without achieving the qualifying target
  • NR = National record
  • N/A = Round not applicable for the event
  • Bye = Athlete not required to compete in round
Track & road events
AthleteEventHeatSemifinalFinal
ResultRankResultRankResultRank
Yassine HethatMen's 800 m1:46.205Did not advance
Abdelmalik LahoulouMen's 400 m hurdles48.83 SB3 Q49.145Did not advance
Hicham BouchichaMen's 3000 m steeplechase8.44.7515Did not advance
Loubna BenhadjaWomen's 400 m hurdles57.19 PB8Did not advance
Field events
AthleteEventQualificationFinal
DistancePositionDistancePosition
Yasser TrikiMen's triple jump17.055 Q17.43 NR5

Boxing

Algeria entered eight boxers (five men and three women) into the Olympic tournament. Mohamed Flissi (men's flyweight), Chouaib Bouloudinat (men's super heavyweight), and three-time Olympian Abdelhafid Benchabla (men's heavyweight), along with four rookies (Nemouchi, Houmri, Boualam, and Khelif), secured their spots by advancing to the final match of their respective weight divisions at the 2020 African Qualification Tournament in Diamniadio, Senegal.[6] Ichrak Chaib completed the nation's boxing lineup by topping the list of eligible boxers from Africa in the women's middleweight division of the IOC's Boxing Task Force Rankings.

Men
AthleteEventRound of 32Round of 16QuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinal
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Rank
Mohamed FlissiFlyweightBye  Paalam (PHI)
L 0–5
Did not advance
Younes NemouchiMiddleweight  Ssemujju (UGA)
W 5–0
 Marcial (PHI)
L RSC–I
Did not advance
Mohammed HoumriLight heavyweight  Korbaj (VEN)
W 3–2
 López (CUB)
L 0–5
Did not advance
Abdelhafid BenchablaHeavyweight  Tursunov (UZB)
W 4–1
 Gadzhimagomedov (ROC)
L 0–5
Did not advance
Chouaib BouloudinatSuper heavyweightBye  Torrez (USA)
L 0–5
Did not advance
Women
AthleteEventRound of 32Round of 16QuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinal
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Rank
Roumaysa BoualamFlyweight  Jitpong (THA)
L 0–5
Did not advance
Imane KhelifLightweight  Homrani (TUN)
W 5–0
 Harrington (IRL)
L 0–5
Did not advance
Ichrak ChaibMiddleweight  Rani (IND)
L 0–5
Did not advance

Canoeing

Sprint

Algeria qualified a single boat (women's K-1 200 m) for the Games by receiving a spare berth freed up by South Africa at the 2019 African Games in Rabat, Morocco, marking the country's Olympic debut in this sporting discipline.[7]

AthleteEventHeatsQuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinal
TimeRankTimeRankTimeRankTimeRank
Amira KherisWomen's K-1 200 m48.3067 QF49.4128Did not advance
Women's K-1 500 m2:13.6267 QF2:07.5486Did not advance

Qualification Legend: FA = Qualify to final (medal); FB = Qualify to final B (non-medal)

Cycling

Road

Algeria entered two riders to compete in the men's Olympic road race, by virtue of their top 50 national finish (for men) in the UCI World Ranking.[8]

AthleteEventTimeRank
Azzedine LagabMen's road raceDid not finish
Men's time trial1:05:21.5336
Hamza MansouriMen's road raceDid not finish

Fencing

Algeria entered four fencers into the Olympic competition. Salim Heroui (men's foil), Akram Bounabi (men's sabre), Meriem Mebarki (women's foil), and Kaouther Mohamed Belkebir secured places on the Algerian team with a top finish in their respective individual events at the African Zonal Qualifier in Cairo, Egypt.[9]

AthleteEventRound of 64Round of 32Round of 16QuarterfinalSemifinalFinal / BM
Opposition
Score
Opposition
Score
Opposition
Score
Opposition
Score
Opposition
Score
Opposition
Score
Rank
Salim HerouiMen's foil  Mylnikov (ROC)
L 6–15
Did not advance
Akram BounabiMen's sabre  Streets (JPN)
L 9–15
Did not advance
Meriem MebarkiWomen's foil  Pásztor (HUN)
L 8–15
Did not advance
Kaouther Mohamed BelkebirWomen's sabre  Yang Hy (CHN)
L 1–15
Did not advance

Judo

Algeria qualified two judoka (one per gender) for each of the following weight classes at the Games. Fethi Nourine (men's lightweight, 73 kg) accepted a continental berth from Africa as the nation's top-ranked judoka outside of direct qualifying position based on the IJF World Ranking List of June 28, 2021, with two-time Olympian Sonia Asselah (women's heavyweight, +78 kg) receiving an additional slot to the nation's roster as the next highest-ranked judoka vying for qualification in her assigned weight category.[10]

Fethi Nourine withdrew, saying it was to avoid the prospect of possibly facing an Israeli judoka. If he had won against Mohamed Abdalarasool of Sudan in the round of 64, he would have faced Israeli judoka Tohar Butbul, who was ranked # 5 in the tournament. Nourine withdrew to support Palestine in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. In response, the International Judo Federation immediately suspended both Nourine and his coach Amar Benikhlef, and sent them back from Tokyo to Algeria.[11][12] The Federation explained:

"According to the IJF rules, in line with the Olympic Charter and especially with rule 50.2 that provides for the protection of the neutrality of sport at the Olympic Games and the neutrality of the Games themselves, which states that 'no kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas,' Fethi Nourine and Amar Benikhlef are now suspended and will face a decision by the IJF Disciplinary Commission, as well as disciplinary sanctions by the National Olympic Committee of Algeria back in their country.'"[13]

It continued: "Judo sport is based on a strong moral code, including respect and friendship, to foster solidarity and we will not tolerate any discrimination, as it goes against the core values and principles of our sport."[13] The Federation Disciplinary Commission will handle final sanctioning beyond the Olympics.[13][14]

AthleteEventRound of 64Round of 32Round of 16QuarterfinalsSemifinalsRepechageFinal / BM
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Rank
Fethi NourineMen's −73 kg  Abdalarasool (SUD)
L WO
Did not advance
Sonia AsselahWomen's +78 kg  Kalanina (UKR)
L 002–100
Did not advance

Karate

Algeria entered one karateka into the inaugural Olympic tournament. Lamya Matoub secured a place in the women's kumite +61-kg category, as the highest-ranked karateka vying for qualification from the African zone based on the WKD Olympic Rankings.[15]

AthleteEventRound robinSemifinalsFinal
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
RankOpposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Rank
Lamya MatoubWomen's +61 kg  Quirici (SUI)
L 1–2
 Abbasali (IRI)
L 0–4
 Gong L (CHN)
L 0–4
 Abdelaziz (EGY)
D 0–0
5Did not advance

Rowing

Algeria qualified one boat in the men's lightweight double sculls for the Games by winning the gold medal and securing an outright berth at the 2019 FISA African Olympic Qualification Regatta in Tunis, Tunisia.[16][17]

AthleteEventHeatsRepechageSemifinalsFinal
TimeRankTimeRankTimeRankTimeRank
Sid Ali Boudina
Kamel Ait Daoud
Men's lightweight double sculls6:57.326 R7:12.086 FCBye6:41.6217

Qualification Legend: FA=Final A (medal); FB=Final B (non-medal); FC=Final C (non-medal); FD=Final D (non-medal); FE=Final E (non-medal); FF=Final F (non-medal); SA/B=Semifinals A/B; SC/D=Semifinals C/D; SE/F=Semifinals E/F; QF=Quarterfinals; R=Repechage

Sailing

Algerian sailors qualified one boat in each of the following classes through the class-associated World Championships and the continental regattas.[18]

AthleteEventRaceNet pointsFinal rank
123456789101112M*
Hamza BourasMen's RS:X21232425DNF18252425252525EL26025
Amina BerrichiWomen's RS:X232624DNFDNF262727DNF272627EL28927

M = Medal race; EL = Eliminated – did not advance into the medal race

Shooting

Algeria received an invitation from ISSF to send a shooter in the women's 10 m air rifle to the Olympics, following the disqualification of Egypt's Shimaa Hashad from the 2019 African Championships over a doping offense.[19] The athlete named to the team must have obtained a minimum qualifying score (MQS) by 31 May 2020[20]

AthleteEventQualificationFinal
PointsRankPointsRank
Houda ChaabiWomen's 10 m air rifle619.539Did not advance

Swimming

Algerian swimmers further achieved qualifying standards in the following events (up to a maximum of 2 swimmers in each event at the Olympic Qualifying Time (OQT), and potentially 1 at the Olympic Selection Time (OST)):[21][22]

AthleteEventHeatSemifinalFinal
TimeRankTimeRankTimeRank
Oussama SahnouneMen's 50 m freestyle22.6137Did not advance
Men's 100 m freestyle49.6537Did not advance
Souad CherouatiWomen's 10 km open water2:17:21.625
Amel MelihWomen's 50 m freestyle25.77=35Did not advance
Women's 100 m freestyle56.6539Did not advance

Table tennis

Algeria entered one athlete into the table tennis competition at the Games. Larbi Bouriah scored a semifinal victory to occupy one of the four available spots in the men's singles at the 2020 African Olympic Qualification Tournament in Tunis, Tunisia.[23]

AthleteEventPreliminaryRound 1Round 2Round 3Round of 16QuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinal / BM
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Rank
Larbi BouriahMen's singles  Majoros (HUN)
L 0–4
Did not advance

Weightlifting

Algeria entered one male weightlifter into the Olympic competition. Two-time Olympian Walid Bidani topped the list of weightlifters from Africa in the men's +109 kg category based on the IWF Absolute Continental Rankings.

AthleteEventSnatchClean & jerkTotalRank
ResultRankResultRank
Walid BidaniMen's +109 kgWithdrew ‌‌‌‌‌after testing positive for COVID-19

Wrestling

Algeria qualified eight wrestlers for each of the following classes into the Olympic competition; all of whom advanced to the top two finals to book Olympic spots in the men's freestyle (57, 86, 97, and 125 kg) and men's Greco-Roman wrestling (60, 67, 87, and 97 kg) at the 2021 African & Oceania Qualification Tournament in Hammamet, Tunisia.[24][25]

Key:

  • VT (ranking points: 5–0 or 0–5) – Victory by fall.
  • VB (ranking points: 5–0 or 0–5) – Victory by injury (VF for forfeit, VA for withdrawal or disqualification)
  • PP (ranking points: 3–1 or 1–3) – Decision by points – the loser with technical points.
  • PO (ranking points: 3–0 or 0–3) – Decision by points – the loser without technical points.
  • ST (ranking points: 4–0 or 0–4) – Great superiority – the loser without technical points and a margin of victory of at least 8 (Greco-Roman) or 10 (freestyle) points.
  • SP (ranking points: 4–1 or 1–4) – Technical superiority – the loser with technical points and a margin of victory of at least 8 (Greco-Roman) or 10 (freestyle) points.
Freestyle
AthleteEventRound of 16QuarterfinalSemifinalRepechageFinal / BM
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Rank
Abdelhak KherbacheMen's −57 kg  Vangelov (BUL)
L 0–4 ST
Did not advance16
Fateh BenferdjallahMen's −86 kg  Reichmuth (SUI)
L 1–3 PP
Did not advance11
Mohammed FardjMen's −97 kg  Yergali (KAZ)
L 0–5 VA
Did not advance16
Djahid BerrahalMen's −125 kg  Shala (KOS)
L 0–5 VT
Did not advance14
Greco-Roman
AthleteEventQualificationRound of 16QuarterfinalSemifinalRepechageFinal / BM
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Opposition
Result
Rank
Abdelkarim FergatMen's −60 kg  Funita (JPN)
L 0–3 PO
Did not advance  Walihan (CHN)
L 1–3 PP
Did not advance13
Abdelmalek MerabetMen's −67 kg  Ryu H-s (KOR)
L 0–4 ST
Did not advance16
Bachir Sid AzaraMen's −87 kg  Peng F (CHN)
W 4–1 SP
 Beleniuk (UKR)
L 1–3 PP
Did not advance  Datunashvili (SRB)
L 1–3 PP
Did not advance7
Adem BoudjemlineMen's −97 kg  Saravi (IRI)
L 0–4 ST
Did not advance15

References