wrestleOaxtepec

Four Different Countries Claim Junior Women’s Titles at #WrestleOaxtepec

By Taylor Miller

Photo of Nyla BURGESS (CAN). Photo by Osvaldo Aguilar. 

OAXTEPEC, Mexico – It was all women’s freestyle action today at the Cadet and Junior Pan American Championships, where 12 athletes claimed gold medals in Oaxtepec, Mexico.

This week, the top-eight in the Olympic weights of the Junior divisions will earn bids to the 2021 Junior Pan American Games in Cali, Colombia, in December.

Four different countries collected titles in the Junior women’s division. The champions included Amani JONES (USA) at 55 kg, Mayra PARRA ALVAREZ (VEN) at 57 kg, London HOUSTON (USA) at 59 kg, Yolanda CORDERO VARGAS (CUB) at 62 kg, Nyla BURGESS (CAN) at 68 kg and Yelena MAKOYED (USA) at 76 kg.

Parra’s win at 57 kg was the first gold for Venezuela since 2017.

In the Cadet division, USA won four of the six weights with gold medals from Brianna GONZALEZ (USA) at 46 kg, Faith COLE (USA) at 49 kg, Jaclyn DEHNEY (USA) at 53 kg and Marissa JIMENEZ (USA) at 61 kg.

Mexico picked up golds at the other two weights, with Bertha ROJAS CHAVEZ (MEX) winning at 57 kg and Melanie JIMENEZ VILLALBA (MEX) emerging victorious at 65 kg.

En español
OAXTEPEC, México – 12 más atletas ganaron medallas de oro en la competencia de hoy en solo estilo libre femenino en los campeonatos panamericanos cadete y juvenil en Oaxtepec, México.

En los torneos juveniles, los ocho mejores luchadores en las clases de peso olímpico califican para los Juegos Panamericanos Juveniles en diciembre en Cali, Colombia.

Ganando títulos en la división juvenil fueron Amani JONES (USA) en 55 kg, Mayra PARRA ALVAREZ (VEN) en 57 kg, London HOUSTON (USA) en 59 kg, Yolanda CORDERO VARGAS (CUB) en 62 kg, Nyla BURGESS (CAN) en 68 kg y Yelena MAKOYED (USA) en 76 kg.

La victoria de Parra fue la primera medalla de oro para Venezuela desde 2017.

En la division cadete, USA ganó cuatro de los seis pesos. Las campeonas estadounidenses fueron Brianna GONZALEZ (USA) en 46 kg, Faith COLE (USA) en 49 kg, Jaclyn DEHNEY (USA) en 53 kg y Marissa JIMENEZ (USA) en 61 kg.

México capturó oros en los otros dos pesos, con Bertha ROJAS CHAVEZ (MEX) ganando en 57 kg y Melanie JIMENEZ VILLALBA (MEX) superando en 65 kg.

JUNIOR WOMEN’S FREESTYLE RESULTS
55 kg
GOLD
- Amani JONES (USA)
SILVER- Victoria ROJAS CHAVEZ (MEX)

57 kg
GOLD - Mayra PARRA ALVAREZ (VEN)
SILVER - Yailin JIMENEZ (DOM)
BRONZE - Bronwyn MACGREGOR (CAN)
BRONZE - Yaynelis SANZ VERDECIA (CUB)

59 kg
GOLD - London HOUSTON (USA)
SILVER - Jolie BRISCO (CAN)
BRONZE - Lucero SANCHEZ SILVA (MEX)

62 kg
GOLD - Yolanda CORDERO VARGAS (CUB)
SILVER - Astrid MONTERO CHIRINOS (VEN)
BRONZE - Aliyah YATES (USA)
BRONZE - Alejandra RIVERA ARRIAGA (MEX)

68 kg
GOLD - Nyla BURGESS (CAN)
SILVER - Sandra ESCAMILLA MENCHACA (MEX)
BRONZE - Jamilex CUMBICOS CASTILLO (ECU)
BRONZE - Gloria SEGURA FEBLES (DOM)

76 kg
GOLD - Yelena MAKOYED (USA)
SILVER - Linda Marilina MACHUCA (ARG)

BRONZE - Neirili BANGUERO MARTINEZ (VEN)
BRONZE - Gabriela CANALES HERRERA (MEX)

CADET WOMEN’S FREESTYLE RESULTS
46 kg
GOLD - Brianna GONZALEZ (USA)
SILVER - Yusneiry AGRAZAL WEST (PAN)
BRONZE- Jaren Avril Marcela OSORIO IXPATA (GUA)

49 kg
GOLD - Faith COLE (USA)
SILVER - Yorlenis MORAN SANCHEZ (PAN)
BRONZE - Danna Edelmira MARTINEZ ORDONEZ (MEX)

53 kg
GOLD - Jaclyn DEHNEY (USA)
SILVER - Jelissa Jocelyn HERNANDEZ GOMEZ (MEX)
BRONZE- Ashly Nicole IBOY ESCOBAR (GUA)

57 kg
GOLD - Bertha ROJAS CHAVEZ (MEX)
SILVER - Alexis JANIAK (USA)
BRONZE - Leonela GRUEZO ORTIZ (ECU)

61 kg
GOLD - Marissa JIMENEZ (USA)
SILVER - Camila ROA ORTEGA (PER)
BRONZE - Makayla BROWNE (BAR)

65kg
GOLD - Melanie JIMENEZ VILLALBA (MEX)
SILVER - Madeline KUBICKI (USA)
BRONZE - Juliana NEPER OLIVEIRA SANTOS (BRA)

 

#WrestleBratislava

Adar, the woman of firsts in Turkiye wrestling, retires

By Vinay Siwach

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (April 10) -- Turkiye's first-ever Olympic medalist, first-ever world and European champion in Women's Wrestling, Yasemin ADAR (TUR)retired Thursday after 16 years of international wrestling.

A winner of seven gold medals at the European Championships did not have a fairytale ending as she lost the 76kg final against Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) on Thursday at the European Championships in Bratislava.

Despite the loss, Adar undoubtedly retires the trailblazer in Women's Wrestling for Turkiye. In 2016, she won her first European title to create history before adding the world title in 2017. In 2021, she became the first Turkish wrestler in Women's Wrestling to win the bronze medal when she pinned Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) to claim the medal at the Tokyo Olympics.

"I had an incredible career in the 76kg category," Adar said after the European Championships final. "I had many successes and many firsts. I became a two-time world champion. I was at the Olympics with bronze medal. So I have an incredibly beautiful career and I am proud of myself. I can't believe it. It's very difficult to describe. I am very emotional today."

Adar, who had tears in her eyes while was taking off her shoes on the mat to mark her retirement, is aptly called the "woman of firsts" in Türkiye. With her teammates and family in the stands cheering for her, the final match became even more emotional for Adar.

"I finished my wrestling and believe me it was not easy at all," she said. "I even rehearsed it many times before coming here. I said this is where I will finish my career. In my speech, I always wanted to be considered as the legend of 76kilograms. This match was more nervous for me. I had planned it beforehand, I knew that this match was the last match. Even though I couldn't earn the gold medal, I ended it with silver. But believe me, there are really great successes in my career."

On how she came to the decision of retiring at the European Championships, Adar was clear that she wanted to pass on the baton to the younger generation.

"Even if you don't want it, wrestling starts to leave you," she said. "Although there are those who say I am very good, I try to compare it to a situation like this. I am 34-years-old with an 18-year-old athlete and unfortunately we cannot have the same performance."