London 2012 Olympian Ruth Gbagbi was one of four winners on the opening day of taekwondo’s African Olympic Qualification Tournament in Agadir City, Morocco ©Getty Images

London 2012 Olympian Ruth Gbagbi was one of four winners on the opening day of taekwondo’s African Olympic Qualification Tournament in Agadir City in Morocco.

The Ivorian beat Egypt’s Seham Elsawalhy in the women’s under 67 kilograms final, with the pair joined on the podium by Gabon’s Urgence Mouega.

The other women’s category, the under 49kg, saw the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Rosa Keleku get the better of Cape Verde’s Maria Andrade in the battle for top honours as Ethiopia’s Nardos Chifra took third place. 

There were also two male winners today with home favourite Omar Hajjami and Tunisia’s Yassine Trabelsi coming out on top in the under 58kg and over 80kg divisions respectively. 

Libya’s Yousef Shriha and Lesotho’s Marumo Moloisane rounded out the top three in the under 58kg, while Niger’s Abdoul Issoufou and the Central African Republic’s Remy Alazoula came behind Trabelsi in the over 80kg pecking order.

Tunisia's Yassine Trabelsi won the men's over 80kg category
Tunisia's Yassine Trabelsi won the men's over 80kg category ©Getty Images

Eighty-four athletes spanning 29 countries are due to compete in the two-day event.

Sixteen spots in this summer's Olympics and Paralympics are up for grabs, with finalists in each of the four male and four female divisions gaining a berth.

Three African fighters already secured a spot on the World Taekwondo Federation's Olympic ranking lists for 2015.

These consist of Ivorian under 80kg fighter Cheick Cissé as well as Gabon's 2013 over 80kg world champion Anthony Obame.

Egypt's under 67kg fighter Hedaya Malak has also already gained a spot.