“Thank you France”, jubilant Ibrahim Ghanem after his world champion title

Six years ago, Ibrahim Ghanem still represented Egypt. Having become French, the wrestler made “La Marseillaise” resonate on Saturday in Belgrade to become world champion of less than 72 kilos, non-Olympic category, at the world wrestling championships. He is the 4th Frenchman in history to have such an honor in Greco-Roman wrestling. Ghanem told RMC about his emotion and his desire to try to qualify for the Olympic Games in another category.

Ibrahim Ghanem, what do you feel after this title and having heard La Marseillaise, you who were Egyptian not long ago?

I’m really happy for this medal and this belt but also for the team. We work hard. The work pays now. I’m really happy because the last title was Mélonin Noumonvi in ​​2014. He joined the staff as a coach. It’s classy that I succeed him. The Marseillaise was incredible. Finally ! Finally for me and it’s not the last!

You only conceded one point in your entire competition. What state of mind did you manage to stay in to be intractable like that?

The first match against the Bulgarian (4-1) was tough. It’s normal, it’s the first fight after leaving the diet. I wasn’t 100% then with the Kazakh I won 9-0. Against the Turk in the semi-final, I remembered that he had beaten me in our last confrontation. There, I repeated to myself ‘I have to, I win’ (4-0). In the final against the Hungarian, it was war (3-0). All the matches were tough.

What has France brought you in your career?

I say in my heart ‘Thank you France!’ In 2017, I thought I was going to stop wrestling. I had a lot of problems with the Egyptian federation. For me it was over. Then I found myself in France where I started with the team events. I have no other words than thank you. Thank you France, thank you the staff, the federation, thank you the partners.

Under 72 kilos is not an Olympic category. Are you going to try to go to another category to qualify for the Olympics?

We’re going to have a big party tonight with the medal and the world champion belt. We are going to return to France and rest for two or three weeks. We will then see about the Olympic qualifying tournaments. You have to talk with your partners, with your doctors too, to see if you go down to 67 kilos or if you go up to 77 kilos.