#WrestleBuenosAires

Ecuador Sends Three to Women’s Freestyle Finals at #WrestleBuenosAires

Saturday, April 20, 2019 - 17:57 By Taylor Miller

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Pictured is Luisa VALVERDE MELENDRES (ECU). Photo by Lucia Cruz.

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – The Ecuador women’s freestyle team put together an impressive session on Saturday morning at the 2019 Pan American Championships in Buenos Aires, Argentina, sending three wrestlers to the finals.

The last time Ecuador had three Pan Am women’s freestyle finalists was in 2014 in Mexico City, where all three were champions.

2011 Junior World bronze medalist Luisa VALVERDE MELENDRES (ECU) will face 2018 Senior World silver medalist and returning Pan American champion Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) in the 53 kg finals.

Valverde is a six-time Senior Pan American medalist, winning gold in 2014.

To get to the finals, Hildebrandt took out 2018 World bronze medalist Diana WEICKER (CAN).

At 57 kg, Lissette ANTES CASTILLO (ECU) dominated her way to the finals, scoring a 9-0 decision and a fall to earn a chance to wrestle for gold.

Tonight, she will take on 2018 Junior Pan American champion Hannah TAYLOR (CAN).

Photo: Adeline GRAY (USA) against Erica WEIBE (CAN). Photo by Lucia Cruz.

The third wrestler from Ecuador representing in the finals is Genesis REASCO VALDEZ (ECU) at 76 kg. She will take on four-time World champion Adeline GRAY (USA) for gold.

En route to the finals, Gray defeated 2016 Olympic champion Erica WEIBE (CAN) in the quarterfinals, 10-0.

In addition to Hildebrandt and Gray, there are three other Americans in the women’s freestyle finals, including 2018 Senior World bronze medalists Mallory VELTE and Tamyra MENSAH-STOCK and three-time Junior World medalist Erin GOLSTON.

Velte will face Lais NUNES DE OLIVEIRA (BRA) in the 62 kg gold-medal bout. Velte defeated Nunes in the 2018 World bronze-medal match, 2-1, in October.

To advance to the finals, Nunes knocked off 2018 Pan American champion Yaquelin ESTORNELL ELIZASTIGUE (CUB), 15-7.

Waiting for Mensah-Stock on the other side of the 68 kg bracket is 2018 U23 World champion Yudari SANCHEZ RODRIGUEZ (CUB).

Mensah-Stock defeated Sanchez in the 2018 World Championships in an early round.

For 50 kg gold, Golston will take on 2016 Junior Pan Am champion Yusneylys GUZMAN LOPEZ (CUB).

Men’s freestyle also began today with round-robin brackets at 79 kg and 92 kg. Champions will be crowned tonight.

The medal matches will begin at 5 p.m. local time (4 p.m. EST) live on unitedworldwrestling.org.

Finals pairings

Women’s freestyle

50 kg
GOLD - Yusneylys GUZMAN LOPEZ (CUB) vs. Erin GOLSTON (USA)
BRONZE - Jacqueline MOLLOCANA ELENO (ECU) vs. Thalia MALLQUI PECHE (PER)
BRONZE - Patricia BERMUDEZ (ARG) vs. Mariana DIAZ MUNOZ (MEX)

53 kg
GOLD - Luisa VALVERDE MELENDRES (ECU) vs. Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA)
BRONZE - Carolina CASTILLO HIDALGO (COL) vs. Diana WEICKER (CAN)
BRONZE - Justina BENITES VASQUEZ (PER) vs. Lilianet DUANES ANDRES (CUB)

57 kg
GOLD - Hannah TAYLOR (CAN) vs. Lissette ANTES CASTILLO (ECU)
BRONZE - Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA) vs. Yessica OVIEDO PEREZ (DOM)
BRONZE - Betzabeth SARCO COLMENAREZ (VEN) vs. Nes RODRIGUEZ TIRADO (PUR)

62 kg
GOLD - Mallory VELTE (USA) vs. Lais NUNES DE OLIVEIRA (BRA)
BRONZE - Nathaly GRIMAN HERRERA (VEN) vs. Yaquelin ESTORNELL ELIZASTIGUE (CUB)
BRONZE - Abnelis YAMBO MIRANDA (PUR) vs. Mayra ANTES CASTILLO (ECU)

68 kg
GOLD - Tamyra MENSAH (USA) vs. Yudari SANCHEZ RODRIGUEZ (CUB)
BRONZE - Yanet SOVERO NINO (PER) vs. Olivia DI BACCO (CAN)
BRONZE - Andrimar LAZARO DIAZ (VEN) vs. Ambar GARNICA FLORES (MEX)

76 kg
GOLD - Genesis REASCO VALDEZ (ECU) vs. Adeline GRAY (USA)
BRONZE - Erica WIEBE (CAN) vs. Mabelkis CAPOTE PEREZ (CUB)
BRONZE - Diana CRUZ ARROYO (PER) vs. Gabriela CANALES HERRERA (MEX)

Men’s freestyle

79 kg – round three matches
Francisco GUZMAN VELAZQUEZ (PUR) vs. Chandler ROGERS (USA)
Santiago MARTINEZ RESTREPO (COL) vs. Jasmit Singh PHULKA (CAN)

92 kg – round three matches
J'den COX (USA) vs. Diego RAMIREZ FLORENTIN (PAR)

2026 World Championships

Maroulis, Dake, Snyder Make U.S. Team for 2026 World Championships

Saturday, June 20, 2026 - 08:53 By United World Wrestling Press

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NEWARK, New Jersey, United States -- Four-time world champion Kyle DAKE (USA) returned to the United States team for the World Championships after three years after beating defending world champion Zahid VALENCIA (USA) in best-of-three series at 86kg on Friday.

Dake overcame a round one loss to take two straight matches from Valencia at the 2026 Final X, the World Championships selection tournament for the U.S.

Apart from Dake, world champions Kyle SNYDER (USA) and Helen MAROULIS (USA) also made the team and will look to defend their gold medals in Astana, Kazakhstan from October 24 to November 1.

Paris Olympic champion will also be eyeing her third world title after she got a forfeit in her matches to make the team the at 72kg. Now a mother of four-month old child, Elor has not wrestled internationally since the gold medal win in Paris in August 2024.

United StatesThe eight winners of Final X on Friday. (Photo: USA Wrestling / Tony Rotundo)

Dake, who lost the first bout to Valencia 3-2, returned to win 4-1 and 4-0 in second and third bouts to lock up his place at 86kg.

Snyder also had to go the distance to beat Stephen BUCHANAN (USA) at 97kg. Buchanan snuck in a 5-5 criteria win in round two, before Snyder rebounded with a controlled 9-3 decision in round three.

For a second-straight year, Maroulis faced Amanda MARTINEZ (USA) at 57kg in Women's Wrestling and it was much closer this time around. Maroulis defeated Martinez, 8-1 and 6-0, for two straight wins.

A few young stars also made the team and will be taking their first trip to the senior World Championships.

Among the top battles was at 61kg in which U20 world champion Marcus BLAZE (USA) defeated U23 world champion Jaxen FORREST (USA) in three bouts.

Blaze managed a 2-2 criteria win over Forrest in the first bout before the latter bounced back with a 6-1 win in the second. Blaze locked the third bout with a 5-2 win.

United StatesThe eight Final X winners in Women's Wrestling on Friday. (Photo: USA Wrestling / Tony Rotundo)

At 50kg in Women's Wrestling, U17 world champion Morgan TURNER (USA) took out Katie GOMEZ (USA) in three bouts. The 18-year-old won the first bout over Gomez 7-2 before dropping the second 3-2. However, dictated the third one and finished as an 8-2 winner.

With the win, Turner has qualified to represent the U.S. at the U20, U23 and Senior World Championships this year.

A second 18-year-old high school graduate, Everest LEYDECKER (USA), won at 55kg in straight matches. The U20 world champion defeated Areana VILLAESCUSA (USA), 2-1 and 3-1, to make her first senior-level world team.

In other Women's Wrestling matches, former world medalist Kayla MIRACLE (USA) got the better of Jennifer PAGE (USA) in two matches, 7-2 and 5-1.

At 59kg, Abigail NETTE (USA) dominated Alexis JANIAK (USA) in both matches, beating her via fall in first and 10-0 in the second. Former U20 world champion Cristelle RODRIGUEZ (USA) also dominant in her bouts at 53kg, beating Elena IVALDI (USA), 10-0 and 9-0.

The 62kg series went back-and-forth as Adaugo NWACHUKWU (USA) defeated Macey KILTY (USA). She pinned Kilty in the first bout before losing the second 4-0. In a thrilling third bout, Nwachukwu held on to a 4-3 win.

In Freestyle, Olympic silver medalist Spencer LEE (USA) will being once again look to win his first world medal after making the team at 57kg. He won 7-1 and 8-4 over Luke LILLEDAHL (USA) who had defeated Lee at the U.S. Open.

World silver medalist Levi HAINES (USA) went 6-1 and 6-3 against Chance MARSTELLER (USA) at 79kg to secure his spot. He will look to change the colour of his medal that he won in his debut World Championships last year.

Veteran James GREEN (USA) will represent the U.S. at 74kg after he defeated David CARR (USA), two bouts to one. James won the first bout 6-3 before Carr levelled it with a 6-5 win. But Green defeated Carr 4-1 to secure his spot.

At 70kg, former world champion Zain RETHERFORD (USA) will also return to the mega event after blanking Ridge LOVETT (USA), 2-1 and 8-2.

Wyatt HENDRICKSON (USA) will wrestle at 125kg after he defeated former world medalist Mason PARRIS (USA), 9-5 and 7-1.

World champion Trent HIDLAY (USA) had already secured his spot at 92kg spot last week with a series win over Michael MACCHIAVELLO (USA) as the series was rescheduled earlier due to Hidlay's wedding.

The 65kg selection between 2025 world bronze medalist Real WOODS (USA) and Bowen BASSETT (USA) has been delayed and will be contested at a date and location to be determined.

In a similar case, 2025 world bronze medalists Kennedy BLADES (USA) and Kylie WELKER (USA) requested and received medical delays for their match-ups against Isabella MIR (USA) at 68kg and Dymond GUILFORD (USA) at 76kg, respectively.