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)

 

#WrestleZagreb

Zagreb Open 2026 Day 2 Highlights: Yazdani in 97kg final

By Vinay Siwach

ZAGREB, Croatia (February 5) -- The Ranking Series event, Zagreb Open, enters day two and it will be Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) making his 97kg debut for Iran. The Olympic champion at 74kg in 2016, and two-time Olympic silver medalist at 86kg, is chasing that second gold, this time at 97kg.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 1 RESULTS

13:45: 55kg WW semifinals - World silver medalist Verbina EKATERINA (UWW) with a 1-1 victory over Nagisa HARADA (JPN) in the semifinals. She got an activity point in the second period to keep the criteria lead. Ekaterina will face Karla GODINEZ (CAN) in the final after the Canadian defeated Areana VILLAESCUSA (USA), 2-1, in another low scoring semifinal.

13:30: 50kg WW semifinals - Haruna MORIKAWA (JPN) with a controlled 8-2 win over Elizaveta SMIRNOVA (UWW) at 50kg. She will wrestle NEELAM (IND) for the gold medal. Neelam defeated MUSKAN (IND), 7-4, in an all-Indian semifinal

13:20: 125kg semifinals - A fall for Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN) over Kamil KOSCIOLEK (POL) in just over two minutes as he reaches the final at 125kg. He will face Wyatt HENDRICKSON (USA) in the final after the U.S. wrestler scored an 11-1 win over Robert BARAN (POL).

13:10: 97kg semifinals - Stephen BUCHANAN (USA) with a quick fall over Adlan VISKHANOV (FRA) in the first semifinal. Now he earns himself a chance to wrestle against Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) after Iranian managed another technical superiority win. While it's rare on Yazdani, Andro MARGISHVILI (GEO) scored two takedowns on Yazdani but failed to keep the pressure before losing 14-4

12:55: 92kg semifinals - Mobin AZIMI (IRI) gets a dominant 11-0 win over Dustin PLOTT (USA) as he used a double-leg for four to finish. He earns a chance to avenge his 5-5 loss to Trent HIDLAY (USA) in the final after the American scored another come-from-behind victory. He defeated Michael MACCHIAVELLO (USA), 3-3, to setup the gold medal bout against Azimi

12:40: 79kg semifinals - Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA) is back in the Ranking Series final with a 10-1 victory over Otari ADEISHVILI (GEO). He looked in complete control of the bout. Khadjiev will face Dean HAMITI (USA) for the gold medal after he defeated Evan WICK (USA), 6-5, in a thrilling semifinal

12:15: Trent HIDLAY (USA) once again shows how to come back and win a bout. Down 6-0 against Abofazl RAHMANI (IRI), he scores a four-pointer and keeps the pressure on the Iranian to win 11-9 and make his spot in the semifinal at 92kg.

11:45: Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) gives up a takedown against Richard VEGH (HUN) but that is the only slip in an otherwise dominant bout at 97kg. Two four point throws for Yazdani as he advances to the semifinals.

11:35: Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW) with a big four-pointer in her 5-0 win against Beatrice FERENT (ROU) at 55kg. The world silver medalist is the favorite to win gold here.

11:25: Mobin AZIMI (IRI) bounces back from his loss to Trent HIDLAY (USA) and beats Abolfazl RAHMANI (IRI) in his second bout at 92kg round robin. Azimi managed to score a takedown with less than 30 second left to beat Rahmani 4-3.

11:10: Two quick results at women's 50kg. Haruna MORIKAWA (JPN) beats Kendra RYAN (USA) 12-1 at 50kg before NEELAM (IND) also wins via technical superiority, 10-0, against Agata GOLUCHOWSKA (POL). 

11:00: 92kg world champion Trent HIDLAY (USA) makes a comeback from 5-0 down to beat Mobin AZIMI (IRI) 5-5 in the group stage bout. Hidlay scored a takedown in the second period before adding two stepouts. Iran challenged the second one but lost which gave the criteria lead to Hidlay

10:50: Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) doesn't the trademark jump before entering the mat but his bout against Merab SULEIMANISHVILI (GEO) is a typical Yazdani bout. He uses the underhook to start scoring and then rallies to score takedowns at will before turning Suleimanishvili and winning his bout 11-0

10:45: Magomed SHARIPOV (BRN) wrestled well but it is Yaraslau SLAVIKOUSKI (UWW) who manages to win 6-4 at 97kg and win the opening bout.

10:30: Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) will be on Mat B but before that, a few big results in Zagreb. Richard VEGH (HUN) manages to hang on for a 3-0 victory over Kamil KURUGLIYEV (KAZ) at 97kg.