#panam2018

Cuba and USA Sweep Freestyle Gold Medals in Lima

Monday, May 7, 2018 - 02:22 By Taylor Miller

Share this article

LIMA (May 6) – The top of the podium was flooded with wrestlers clad in red, white and blue all night as USA produced five men’s freestyle Pan American champions, while Cuba claimed the other three gold medals in the final night of competition at the 2018 Pan American Championships.

The two nations went head-to-head in four of the night’s finals, trading gold-medal wins to split them 2-2.

2012 Olympic bronze medalist and three-time World medalist Livan LOPEZ AZCUY (CUBA) gave his nation a win in the first Cuba/USA final of the night with a convincing 6-1 victory against Nazar KULCHYTSKYY (USA) in the 74 kg gold-medal match.

The win marked Lopez’s third Pan American Championships title. His last one came in 2016.

At 86 kg, Yarygin champion David TAYLOR (USA) outlasted two-time Pan Am champion Yudenny TORREBLANCA (CUB) in a 3-2 win. Torreblanca struck first with a takedown but it was not enough as Taylor scored a takedown of his own to close out the first period. A second-period step out sealed the win for the American.

Three-time World medalist Reineris SALAS PEREZ (CUB) put up a decisive win against Kyven GADSON (USA) to take the crown at 92 kg. His 8-2 victory gave Salas Perez his fifth Pan American Championships title.

Closing out the night in the 125 kg final was 2017 World bronze medalist Nick GWIAZDOWSKI (USA), who shut out two-time Pan Am silver medalist Yudenny ALPAJON ESTEVEZ (CUB) with a 9-0 performance.

Other U.S. wrestlers winning gold included Logan STIEBER (USA) at 65 kg and James GREEN (USA) at 70 kg.

2016 World champion Stieber claimed top prize at 65 kg, wrapping up a 10-0 tech fall early in the first period over home crowd favorite Abel HERRERA PASTOR (PER). Stieber improved upon his third-place finish from last year.

For his efforts, Stieber was named the tournament’s outstanding wrestler.

Green, a 2017 World silver medalist and 2015 World bronze medalist, captured his second-consecutive Pan Am gold at 70 kg. In Sunday night’s finals, Green dominated Hernan GUZMAN IPUZ (COL) with a 10-0 victory. It was his second tech fall over the Colombian as the two met earlier in the day in pool action.

Joseph COLON (USA) also won a gold medal for the U.S. defeating Joshua Bodnarchuk of Canada in their second meeting of the day with a 10-0 technical fall.

Reineri ANDREU ORTEGA (CUB) won the first gold medal of the night for Cuba with first-period tech fall over Oscar TIGREROS URBANO (COL) in the 57 kg final. It was the Cuban’s second tech fall of day.

His day was highlighted by a 7-4 win over 2017 World silver medalist Thomas GILMAN (USA).

The USA ran away with the team title, scoring 230 points, which was 100 points more than runner-up Cuba. Taking home bronze in the team race was Canada with 123 points.

MEN’S FREESTYLE RESULTS
57 kg
GOLD - Reineri ANDREU ORTEGA (CUB) df. Oscar Eduardo TIGREROS URBANO (COL), 10-0
BRONZE - Thomas Patrick GILMAN (USA) df. Pedro Jesus MEJIAS RODRIGUEZ (VEN), 11-4
BRONZE – Juan Rubelin RAMIREZ BELTRE (DOM) win by forfeit Victor Manuel BARRON CARDENAS (MEX)

61 kg
GOLD - Joseph Daniel COLON (USA) df. Joshua BODNARCHUK (CAN), 10-0
BRONZE - Juan Antonio RODRIGUEZ JOVEL (ESA) df. Alexis OLVERA MAGALLANES (MEX), 8-6

65 kg
GOLD - Logan Jeffery STIEBER (USA) df. Abel Gerald HERRERA PASTOR (PER), 10-0
BRONZE - Alejandro Enrique VALDES TOBIER (CUB) df. Michael Stanley David ASSELSTINE (CAN), 10-0
BRONZE – Albaro RUDESINDO CAMACHO (DOM) df. Freddy Leonardo VERA FAJARDO (ECU), 10-0

70 kg
GOLD - James Malcolm GREEN (USA) df. Hernan Dario GUZMAN IPUZ (COL), 10-0
BRONZE - Alexander CHAVES (CAN) df. Marcos PEREIRA DE OLIVEIRA JUNIOR (BRA), 10-0

74 kg
GOLD - Livan LOPEZ AZCUY (CUB) df. Nazar KULCHYTSKYY (USA), 6-1
BRONZE - Nestor Joaquin TAFUR BARRIOS (COL) dec. Jevon BALFOUR (CAN), 8-6
BRONZE – Jorge Ivan LLANO (ARG) df. Carlos Eduardo ROMERO MILLAQUEO (CHI), 9-1

86 kg
GOLD - David Morris TAYLOR III (USA) df. Yurieski TORREBLANCA QUERALTA (CUB), 3-2
BRONZE - Pool Edinson AMBROCIO GREIFO (PER) df. Julio Rafael RODRIGUEZ ROMERO (DOM), 10-0
BRONZE – Pedro Francisco CEBALLOS FUENTES (VEN) win by forfeit Carlos Arturo IZQUIERDO MENDEZ (COL)

97 kg
GOLD - Reineris SALAS PEREZ (CUB) df. Kyven Ross GADSON (USA), 8-2
BRONZE - Jordan STEEN (CAN) df. Charles Zachary MERRILL (PUR), 11-1
BRONZE – Jose Daniel DIAZ ROBERTTI (VEN) df. Miguel Javier SANCHEZ GERALDO (MEX), 11-0

125 kg
GOLD - Nicholas Edward GWIAZDOWSKI (USA) df. Yudenny ALPAJON ESTEVEZ (CUB), 9-0
BRONZE - Catriel Pehuen MURIEL (ARG) df. Carlos Jose FELIX GARCIA (DOM), 13-3
BRONZE - Korey JARVIS (CAN) df. Jose Noel ERAZO HENRIQUEZ (ESA), 10-0

#WrestleAthens

Turner back on top with second U17 title; India wins 2 golds

Thursday, July 31, 2025 - 20:30 By Vinay Siwach

Share this article

ATHENS, Greece (July 31) -- There have been dominant runs in Women's Wrestling at the World U17 Championships history and now Morgan TURNER (USA) has joined that list as well.

After winning the world title in 2023, Turner had to be satisfied with a bronze medal in 2024. However, that bronze made Turner more determined to end her U17 age-group career on high.

Wrestling at the U17 Worlds for the third time, Turner won her second world title at this age-group. She won the 49kg gold medal in Athens, Greece on Thursday, giving United States the first gold of the tournament.

"I definitely wanted to come back harder coming from bronze last year," Turner said. So my goal was to win it. I just preparing eventually, physically and emotionally. The bronze shadowed over the gold. So I had to come back and I had to get gold. I love it."

Turner, facing Yu KATAOKA (JPN) in the 49kg final, showed how to counter those Japanese low-single attacks. Every time Kataoka tried to go for them, Tuner would sit low and block with counterattacks.

Kataoka even tried getting behind but Turner held such good positions that she was able to counter and score, eventually winning 6-1. In four bouts, the final was the only one in which did not finish with technical superiority.

Now with two golds, Turner said that Thursday's gold proved that she has evolved as a wrestler and could perform moves other than the double-legs that she has been famous for.

"Two years ago was a lot a lot more nerves. I was on cloud nine. I was 14. I was super nervous," she said. "I feel like I need to grow as a wrestler. I left the double. I don't need to do a double all the time. I can shoot sweeps. I can do little singles. I can do cradles, I can do throws, I can do different things."

With her U17 career finished, Turner will now be focused on U20 and perhaps the senior level as well.

RACHANA (IND)RACHANA (IND) won the gold medal at 43kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Mixed day for India

India, the defending team champions, had a mixed day in the field. It had four wrestlers in the finals but only two came back with gold medals.

Former world U17 silver medalist RACHNA (IND) held her own lead against Xin HUANG (CHN) and secured the gold medal at 43kg. She scored a takedown in the first period to lead 2-0 and Huang was called passive in the second to give one more point to Rachna.

Huang did get a couple of attacks going but was not able to finish. Rachana's gold was the first for India of the night.

Ashvini VISHNOI (IND)Two-time Asian U17 champion Ashvini VISHNOI (IND) is now a world U17 champion at 65kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Two-time Asian U17 champion Ashvini VISHNOI (IND) added the second as she defeated Mukhayyo RAKHIMJONOVA (UZB) at 65kg with a similar score and scoring actions. With the win, Vishnoi also denied Rakhimjonova a chance of history as she could have become the first-ever world champion for Uzbekistan in Women's Wrestling at any level.

Wenjin QIU (CHN)Wenjin QIU (CHN) defeated KAJAL (IND) in the 73kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Returning world U17 champion from 69kg KAJAL (IND), now at 73kg, suffered a loss to Wenjin QIU (CHN) in the final. This was Kajal's second loss in two months to Qiu who had defeated the Indian 10-0 in the Asian U17 Championships final in Vietnam.

Kajal began on an attacking note and raced to a 4-0 lead with two takedowns. However, in the second period, Qiu was able to counter better. Qiu scored a four-pointer and then exposure as she was looking to pin Kajal. After the sequence, Qiu led 6-5. 

Still, Kajal got Qiu locked from behind and was about to throw her for four points but the Chinese managed to block that and land Kajal in danger for two points, extending her lead to 8-5, which became the winning score for her.

The second loss for India came in the 57kg final after a bizarre sequence of events. MONI (IND), who won the Asian U17 gold over Madkhiya USMANOVA (KAZ), faced her again in the finals in Athens.

Moni scored the first takedown of the bout but Usmanova hit a headlock for four to lead 4-2. The scramble continued and Moni got a point for reversal. However, Usmanov got another exposure for two more points and led 6-3 as the referee asked the wrestlers to return to center.

Moni does a double arm lock throw for two points to cut the lead to 6-5 with just over a minute left in the bout. Moni, who perhaps thought that she was leading the bout, did not engage with Usmanova for the next 50 seconds. Even Usmanova, who was leading, did not bother to get into a tangle.

Ultimately, Moni went for the attack with only 10 seconds left but Usmanova was not letting her score with gold on line. With her 6-5 win, Usmanova became the first Women's Wrestling world champion for Kazakhstan in 13 years and avenged her loss to Moni from the Asian U17 Championships final.

RESULTS

43kg
GOLD: RACHANA (IND) df. Xin HUANG (CHN), 3-0

BRONZE: Madison HEALEY (USA) df. Mareim ABDELAAL (EGY), via fall
BRONZE: Inzhu BAKKOZHA (KAZ) df. Raniia RAKHMANOVA (UWW), via fall

49kg
GOLD: Morgan TURNER (USA) df. Yu KATAOKA (JPN), 6-1

BRONZE: Polina BOCHKAREVA (UWW) df. Azema KALIDINOVA (KGZ), 6-6
BRONZE: Komal VERMA (IND) df. Anhelina BURKINA (UWW), 8-3

57kg
GOLD: Madkhiya USMANOVA (KAZ) df. MONI (IND), 6-5

BRONZE: Sayuki TANADA (JPN) df. Sophie RITTER (ITA), 4-4
BRONZE: Alina BAROEVA (UWW) df. Marta MANKOWSKA (POL), 6-1

65kg
GOLD: Ashvini VISHNOI (IND) df. Mukhayyo RAKHIMJONOVA (UZB), 3-0

BRONZE: Feenja HERMANN (GER) df. Alexandra MOISEI (MDA), 4-2
BRONZE: Lilia ERMOKHINA (UWW) df. Anujin ERKHEMBAATAR (MGL), 9-2

73kg
GOLD: Wenjin QIU (CHN) df. KAJAL (IND), 8-5

BRONZE: Ella Jo POALILLO (USA) df. Anna GODELASHVILI (GEO), via fall
BRONZE: Eylem ENGIN (TUR) df. Deborah GARCIA (MEX), 9-1