#WrestleGuatemalaCity

Bravo-Young and Team USA Seek to Finish Strong on Final Day of #WrestleGuatemalaCity

Friday, June 7, 2019 - 23:18 By Taylor Miller

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Roman BRAVO-YOUNG (USA) and eight of his teammates will wrestle for gold tonight in the Junior Pan American Championships.

Competing at 61 kg in men’s freestyle, this is Bravo-Young’s first international tournament since the 2016 Cadet World Championships.

“International competition is good,” Bravo-Young said. “You get to wrestle different people. In the U.S., we wrestle the same people all the time. Getting a different feel while being able to experience a new country is good. I’m having a good time so far.”

In today’s action, Bravo-Young has collected three wins by technical fall. Tonight he will wrestle Carlos MENDOZA PENA (MEX) in his final match of the round-robin bracket.

If he continues his impressive performance without giving up a point, he will be in the running for the tournament’s Outstanding Wrestler award.

As he seeks gold, RBY, as he is called in the U.S., draws some of his motivation for international glory from his college wrestling room at Penn State University.

“Being in the Penn State room and being around David TAYLOR, watching him practice and knowing that he’s a world champion and has reached the pinacle just makes me look up to him. Being around Cael SANDERSON and all the talent and success in that room is definitely a good time.”

Bravo-Young and the rest of Team USA had goals of matching the success of USA’s Senior Pan Am team, which won all 10 gold medals in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in April.

“We just want to see the momentum keep going,” he said. “Nine out of 10 going for gold is pretty good. We wanted to get all 10 like our Senior team, but we’re just going to keep moving forward.”

En español

Roman BRAVO-YOUNG (USA) y ocho de sus compañeros de equipo lucharán por el oro esta noche en el Campeonato Panamericano Juvenil.

Compitiendo en los 61kg del estilo libre masculino, este es el primer torneo internacional de Bravo-Young desde el Campeonato Mundial de Cadetes 2016.

"Es una buena experiencia competir a nivel internacional” dijo Bravo-Young. "Tienes la oportunidad de luchar con diferentes personas. En los Estados Unidos, luchamos con las mismas personas todo el tiempo. La sensación diferente y explorar un nuevo país es interesante. Lo estoy pasando bien hasta ahora.”

En los combates de hoy, Bravo-Young ha ganado por superioridad técnica las tres veces. Esta noche se enfrentara a Carlos MENDOZA PENA (MEX) en su último combate.

Si continua con su actuación destacada y sin que sus oponentes puedan marcarle algún punto, el es el favorito a la Bota de Oro.

Mientras va en camino a obtener la medalla de oro, RBY, como se le llama en los EE. UU., extrae parte de su motivación para la gloria internacional de su gimnasio de lucha universitaria en la Universidad de Penn State.

"Estar en gimnasio de Penn State y estar cerca de David TAYLOR, verlo practicar y saber que es un campeón del mundo y que ha alcanzado el punto más alto en nuestro deporte, me hace admirarlo,” dijo Bravo-Young. “Estar cerca de Cael SANDERSON y todo el talento y el éxito en ese gimnasio es definitivamente una experienca única.”

Bravo-Young y el resto del equipo de EE. UU. tenían como meta igualar el éxito del equipo Panamericano de Mayores de EE. UU., que ganó 10 medallas de oro en Buenos Aires, Argentina, en abril.

"Solo queremos ver que el impulso continúe,” dijo. "Nueve de 10 vamos por el oro es bastante bueno. Queríamos tener a los 10 como nuestro equipo de mayores, pero seguiremos avanzando.”

 

#WrestleAthens

Olympic legend Icho returns to Athens to lead Japan’s next generation

Sunday, August 3, 2025 - 09:59 By Vinay Siwach

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ATHENS, Greece (August 2) -- In Athens, home of the Olympics, Kaori ICHO (JPN) is already one of the pantheon of greats.

Having once made history as an athlete here -- winning the first of four Olympic gold medals at the 2004 Olympics -- Icho now sets out to carve a new legacy, this time as coach to the next generation of Japanese talent.

In Athens, she is making her international debut as coach of the Japanese women's team at the World U17 Championships as she returns to the Ano Liossia Olympic Sports Hall, the same venue she won the Olympic gold.

"I have returned to this arena for the first time in 21 years," Icho told United World Wrestling. "I won an [Olympic] gold medal in this arena for the first time."

Icho, who ended her wrestling career in 2019, started coaching after the Tokyo Olympics. She has coached Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) domestically as both Morikawa and Icho are recruited with ALSOK.

Japan managed to win only one gold medal in Women's Wrestling at the World Championships and finished third in the team race. While Japan is not used to finishing at that position in Women's Wrestling, the third-place highlighted that even Japan's second-tier team poses a significant challenge to the world.

The presence of Icho definitely helped the wrestlers, who were not only helped by her experience but the presence of the four-time Olympic champion motivated them.

Japan's world champion in Athens, Hanano OYA (JPN), said that watching Icho win her record fourth gold medal in Rio 2016 inspired her to take up wrestling.

"The reason I started wrestling was because of the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics," Oya said. "It was when Kaori achieved her fourth consecutive victory, and I saw it on TV. I started wrestling myself, so I was very happy when she accompanied me and acted as my second coach, and I felt that I had to live up to her expectations."

Kaori ICHO (JPN)Kaori ICHO (JPN) coaches one of the members of the Japanese team. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

For Icho, not being on the mat and coaching from the corner was a different experience.

"I feel really strange being able to come back here as a coach," she said. "This tournament is the World Championships for those under 17 years old. I also became an Olympic gold medalist at this venue when I was 20 and I hope that the young athletes will work hard towards their Olympic dreams."

Back in 2004, the first Olympics when Women's Wrestling became part of it, Icho remembered the nervous and the excitement. The enjoyment, however, came only after she had won the gold.

"It was my first Olympics," she said. "I was very nervous and excited. I was here for about two weeks, from the opening ceremony to the closing ceremony. After winning, I went swimming in the Aegean Sea. It was a very enjoyable Olympics."

Kaori ICHO (JPN)Kaori ICHO (JPN) during a warm-up session of the Japanese team in Athens. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

When she landed at the airport in Athens on Monday, memories from the past came rushing back.

"I don't particularly feel it at the airport, but I wondered if it was this hot," she said. "I wondered what the venue will be like. I was reminiscing about 21 years ago."

Once at the venue, Icho was requested for photos from wrestlers and coaches which she obliged. With her first tournament as coach behind her, Icho is determined to work even harder as she prepares the senior Japan team for the World Championships in Zagreb, Croatia, this September.

"Coaches and players asked me to take pictures with them," she said. "I felt stronger coming here. I want to work harder as a coach."