#WrestleBuenosAires

Burroughs wins sixth Pan Am C'ship title; Ecuador nets two women’s champions

Saturday, May 6, 2023 - 01:14 By Taylor GREGORIO

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BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (Mat 5) – Women’s action wrapped up on Friday, while freestyle began at the 2023 Pan American Championships in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Ecuador collected a pair of Pan Am titles in women’s freestyle today at 53kg and 57kg.

Lucia YEPEZ GUZMAN (ECU) won her first Senior Pan-Am title with an outstanding performance at 53kg. In the final, she defeated Betzabeth AGUELLO VILLEGAS (VEN). The Venezuelan was first on the board with a passivity point but Yepez soon scored a takedown from a counter. In the second period, Yepez was awarded a passivity point and a pair of caution-and-ones to win the bout, 5-1.

Earlier in the day, Aguello Villegas knocked off reigning world champion Dominique PARRISH (USA), 8-6, in the quarterfinals.

At 57kg, an early upset of Olympic champion and weight-class favorite Helen MAROULIS (USA) paved the way for another competitor to add “continental champion” to her resume. Luisa VALVERDE MELENDRES (ECU) capitalized on the opportunity, making her way to the finals, where she defeated Giullia OLIVEIRA (BRA), 4-2. The win marks her second Pan Am gold.

Canada earned a champion with Ana GODINEZ GONZALEZ (CAN) completing a title run at 62kg. In the finals, Godinez tallied a pin over Nathali GRIMAN HERRERA (VEN) in the first period. Despite Griman scoring first, Godinez stormed back with a throw near the edge, putting Griman to her back for a fall in 1:21.

One of the most promising up-and-coming heavyweights hails from Cuba— Milaimys MARIN POTRILLE (CUB). With U20 and U23 world gold as well as a Youth Olympic Games title, Marin Potrille added her first senior-level continental title. In the finals, she faced Tatiana RENTERIA RENTERIA (COL). Marin carried a 3-0 lead into the break, thanks to a buzzer-beating takedown. In the second period, Marin added a pair of step outs and a go-behind takedown to complete a decisive 7-0 win.

Between the two styles, the U.S. registered four gold-medal performances. Highlights from the day included Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) winning his sixth Pan-American championship title and Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) earning her seventh Pan-American championship gold.

Six-time world champion and Olympic gold medalist Burroughs dominated at 79kg, outscoring his competition, 30-0, to top the podium. In the finals, his shortest match of the day, Burroughs took just 74 seconds to earn the win over Jasmit PHULKA (CAN). Burroughs scored on a takedown into a leg lace followed by a four-point takedown from a blast double and ended it with another signature blast double.

Wrestling at 50kg in women’s freestyle, Hildebrandt, a world and Olympic medalist, went 3-0 on the day with all three wins coming in the form of 10-0 technical falls, including her finals win over Jacqueline MOLLOCANA ELENO (ECU). In just 48 seconds, Hildebrandt scored a takedown and locked up a tight leg lace for four turns to earn No. 8.  

Winning her third Pan-Am championship on Friday was Forrest MOLINARI (USA), who snatched the crown at 68kg. Molinari, a World bronze medalist, needed just 46 seconds to secure a pin in the finals over Ambar GARNICA FLORES (MEX). In a scramble, Molinari scored a takedown and bullied Garnica to her back for the fall.

In freestyle, Michael MACCHIAVELLO (USA) won the five-man round robin at 92kg. In the gold-medal matchup, Macchiavello went up early, 6-0, countering an attempted arm throw from Jeremy POIRIER (CAN) for a takedown into two turns from a gut wrench. Moments later, Macchiavello used a knee pick to get Poirier to his back for a fall in 1:39.

Women’s wrestling
50kg
GOLD – Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) df. Jacqueline MOLLOCANA ELENO (ECU), 10-0
BRONZE – Yusneylis GUZMAN LOPEZ (CUB) df. Thalia OLIVEIRA DE FREITAS (BRA), fall 1:45
BRONZE – Patricia BERMUDEZ (ARG) df. Madison PARKS (CAN), fall 5:24

53kg
GOLD – Lucia YEPEZ GUZMAN (ECU) df. Betzabeth AGUELLO VILLEGAS (VEN), 5-1
BRONZE – Karla ACOSTA MARTINEZ (MEX) df. Dominique PARRISH (USA), 4-2
BRONZE – Laura HEERIN AVILA (CUB) df. Thalia MALLQUI PECHE (PER), 11-0

57kg
GOLD – Luisa VALVERDE MELENDRES (ECU) df. Giullia OLIVEIRA (BRA), 4-2
BRONZE – Angela ALVAREZ MARTINEZ (CUB) df. Nes RODRIGUEZ TIRADO (PUR), fall 1:53
BRONZE – Betzabeth SARCO COLMENAREZ (VEN) df. Camila AMARILLA (ARG), fall 0:38

62kg
GOLD – Ana GODINEZ GONZALEZ (CAN) df. Nathali GRIMAN HERRERA (VEN), fall 1:21
BRONZE – Kayla MIRACLE (USA) df. Javiera ROCO PARDO (CHI), 10-0
BRONZE – Lais NUNES (BRA) df. Katherine RENTERIA CUERO (COL), fall 2:04

68kg
GOLD – Forrest MOLINARI (USA) df. Ambar GARNICA FLORES (MEX), fall 0:46
BRONZE – Hangelen LLANES ECHEVARRIA (CUB) vs. Soleymi CARABALLO HERNANDEZ (VEN), 8-3
BRONZE – Yanet SOVERO NINO (PER) vs. Saidy CHAVEZ FIGUEROA (HON), 3-1

76kg
GOLD – Milaimys MARIN POTRILLE (CUB) df. Tatiana RENTERIA RENTERIA (COL), 7-0
BRONZE – Justina DI STASIO (CAN) df. Maria Jose ACOSTA ACOSTA (VEN), 4-1
BRONZE – Genesis REASCO VALEZ (ECU) df. Emelyn BAUTISTA CORCINO (DOM), 11-0

Freestyle
79kg
GOLD – Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) df. Jasmit PHULKA (CAN), 10-0
BRONZE – Shane JONES (PUR) df. Victor HERNANDEZ LUNA (MEX), 11-0
BRONZE – Nestor TAFUR BARRIOS (COL) df. Alexander CUSINGA GOMEZ (PER), 10-0

92kg
GOLD – Michael MACCHIAVELLO (USA)
SILVER – Jeremy POIRIER (CAN)
BRONZE – Luis VILLAGOMEZ PAREDES (ECU)

#WrestleTirana

U23 Euros: Yakushenko grabs 97kg gold; Georgia wins GR team title

Friday, March 14, 2025 - 21:27 By United World Wrestling Press

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TIRANA, Albania (March 14) -- Ukraine was out of the top five in Greco-Roman team rankings before the 97kg gold medal bout Friday at the U23 World Chamionships. But Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR) made sure that Ukraine improves, he helped it climb to number two spot.

Yakushenko won the 97kg gold medal after beating Richard KARELSON (EST) 4-1 in the final to take Ukraine's tally to 99 points, more than third-placed Turkiye (98 points), Azerbaijan (91 points) and Moldova (85 points).

Georgia won the team title, its fifth at the U23 European Championships in 10 editions, with 133 points. It won two golds, one silver and three bronze medals.

Yakushenko, who won his third consecutive gold internationally, would be proud of his campaign in Tirana, Albania as he gave no chance to his opponents in four bouts.

His four victories included one over former world U20 champion and Paris Olympian Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (UWW) in the first bout. He defeated the senior European bronze medalist 7-3.

In the final, Yakushenko denied Karelson a piece of history. Karelson was hoping to became the first Estonian to win the U23 European gold in Greco, adding to his historic U20 European gold from 2022.

Karelson got the first par terre advantage however Yakushenko calmly defended the position. When he got the chance in the second period, Yakushenko turned Karelson to lead 3-1. He lifted Karelson, hoping for a throw but managed only a out-of-bounds for one point to make it 4-1.

That was enough for Yakushenko to win the gold medal, adding to his collection of U20 world and European golds from last year. Karelson, too, would take some confidence with his campaign despite the loss in the final as the silver medal was his first in three years of international competitions.

Georgia won two gold medals Friday to reach the top of the podium. Dimitri KHACHIDZE (GEO) and Anri KHOZREVANIDZE (GEO) won the 60kg and 67kg finals respectively to add to Georgia's tally.

Khachidze gave no chance to Melkamu FETENE (ISR) in the 60kg final and needed only 50 seconds to win 9-0. He launched an arm throw for four before using an arm-drag to take control and launch another four-point throw. Fetene challenged but in vain.

The gold medal an improvement for Khachidze who finished fifth last year while Fetene was a silver medalist. With another silver, Fetene now has five age-group European medals, none of them gold.

Khozrevanidze needed a successful challenge to keep his lead in the 67kg final against Hleb MAKARANKA (UWW). After taking a 3-1 lead by turning Makaranka from par terre, Khozrevanidze was docked two points for offensive head-butting but he challenged the decision and on review, there was no foul.

The successful challenge restored Khozrevanidze's 3-1 lead which he held for the remaining one minute to win, completing the set of U17, U20 and U23 European golds for the 20-year-old.

At 82kg, Alexandru SOLOVEI (MDA) also completed his set of age-group European medals with gold after beating Gamzat GADZHIEV (UWW), 3-1, in the final.

The world U17 champion and world U20 silver medalist had a lacklusture 2024, winning only a silver medal [U20 European Championships] in five competitions. But he began 2025 with bronze at the Zagreb Open and now added a gold medal.

After both wrestlers had had their par terre positions, Solovei led 1-1 on criteria. But Gadzhiev was called passive again and put in par terre. As the third passivity in the match doesn't offer any points, Solovei, who led the bout, scored a turn to steer clear with a 3-1 lead.

It was too much for Gadzhiev to cover and Solovei was happy to pocket the gold medal, a huge confidence booster before steps on the mat at 77kg  in Bratislava, Slovakia for the senior European Championships in second week of April. He was chosen ahead of Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) who has shown slump in his form. Gutu won the 77kg bronze medal in Tirana.

Returning bronze medalist at 72kg Ruslan NURULLAYEV (AZE) climbed to the top of the podium this year after he defeated Danil GRIGOREV (UWW), 3-2, in the gold-medal bout.

Nurullayev, a former world U23 medalist, scored a turn from par terre and before giving up a stepout but held on to his 3-2 to lead to win gold for Azerbaijan.

Photo

RESULTS

60kg
GOLD: Dimitri KHACHIDZE (GEO) df. Melkamu FETENE (ISR), 9-0

BRONZE: Papik DZHAVADIAN (UWW) df. Suren AGHAJANYAN (ARM), 9-3
BRONZE: Mert ILBARS (TUR) df. Bohdan HRYSHYN (UKR), 5-0

67kg
GOLD: Anri KHOZREVANIDZE (GEO) df. Hleb MAKARANKA (UWW), 3-1

BRONZE: Daniial AGAEV (UWW) df. Bredi SLINKERS (NED), 9-0
BRONZE: Azat SARIYAR (TUR) df. Arslanbek SALIMOV (POL), 5-2

72kg
GOLD: Ruslan NURULLAYEV (AZE) df. Danil GRIGOREV (UWW), 3-2

BRONZE: Oleh KHALILOV (UKR) df. Rokas CEPAUSKAS (LTU), 5-1
BRONZE: Arionas KOLITSOPOULOS (GRE) df. Vasile ZABICA (MDA), 7-2

82kg
GOLD: Alexandru SOLOVEI (MDA) df. Gamzat GADZHIEV (UWW), 3-1

BRONZE: Jonni SARKKINEN (FIN) df. Elmin ALIYEV (AZE), 4-1
BRONZE: Frederik MATHIESEN (DEN) df. Data CHKHAIDZE (GEO), 12-4

97kg
GOLD: Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR) df. Richard KARELSON (EST), 4-1

BRONZE: Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (UWW) df. Muhittin HELVACI (TUR), via fall (7-0)
BRONZE: Luka GABISONIA (GEO) df. Luka KATIC (SRB), 9-0