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Four Olympic Champions Make Up 2019 Pan American Championships Field

Tuesday, April 16, 2019 - 01:16 By Taylor Miller

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Pictured: Erica WIEBE (CAN) at the 2018 World Championships. Photo by Martin Gabor.  

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – Six Olympic medalists, including four Olympic champions, highlight the field at the 2019 Senior Pan American Championships in Buenos Aires, Argentina, April 18-21. Each style has at least one Olympic champion in the field.

Men’s freestyle, April 20-21
Three of the four Olympic medalists in the men’s freestyle brackets come from USA, including 2012 champion Jordan BURROUGHS, 2016 champion Kyle SNYDER and 2016 bronze medalist J’den COX.

All three Americans own Senior World titles with Burroughs winning gold in 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2017, Snyder claiming the crown in 2015 and 2017 and Cox earning his first last October.  

The final Olympic medalist in men’s freestyle is Jaime Yusept ESPINAL (PUR). A 2012 Olympic silver medalist, Espinal, who will compete at 97 kg, will battle for his first Pan Am Championships medal.

The United States boasts three other World medalists.

David TAYLOR won gold in 2018, battling through a tough 86 kg bracket for his first World championship. Taylor looks to defend his 2018 Pan American title.

Two-time World bronze medalist Nick GWIAZDOWSKI and 2018 World bronze winner and returning Pan Am champion Joe COLON will represent the U.S. at 125 kg and 61 kg, respectively.

Both athletes will have World medalists in their brackets this week.

At 61 kg, reigning Senior World champion and two-time World bronze medalist Yowlys BONNE RODRIGUEZ (CUB) looks for his first Pan American Championships medal since 2016 and third overall. Bonne Rodriguez won the tournament in 2005 and 2012 and took bronze in 2016.

Looking to challenge Gwiazdowski is two-time World bronze medalist Oscar PINO HINDS (CUB), who is a three-time defending Pan Am champion.

In addition to Bonne Rodriguez and Pino Hinds, Cuba brings a strong freestyle roster to the tournament this weekend, including 2017 U23 World champion Reineri ANDREU ORTEGA at 57 kg and multiple-time Senior World medalist Reineris SALAS PEREZ at 97 kg. Both are returning Pan Am champions.

Women’s freestyle, April 19-20
2016 Olympic champion Erica WIEBE (CAN) will compete this week at 76 kg. Most recently, she finished fifth at the 2018 World Championships in Budapest. Winning the weight at Worlds last year was Adeline GRAY (USA), who looks to repeat 2018 Pan Am gold-medal performance.

Gray, a four-time World champion, defeated Wiebe in the World semifinals in October.

Canada also brings 2018 World bronze medalist Diana WEICKER at 53 kg and multiple-time age-group World medalist Braxton STONE at 62 kg.

In order to take the Pan Am crown at 53 kg, Weicker will have go through 2018 World silver medalist and returning Pan Am champion Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA).

Stone will have 2018 Senior World bronze winner Mallory VELTE (USA) and 2018 Pan Am champion Yaquelin ESTORNELL ELIZASTIGUE (CUB) in her bracket.

Also repping Cuba is 2018 Senior World bronze medalist Lianna MONTERO HERRERA at 57 kg and 2018 U23 World champion Yudari SANCHEZ RODRIGUEZ at 68 kg.

It’s possible that 2018 Pan American champion Sanchez Rodriguez could face 2018 World medalist Tamyra MENSAH-STOCK (USA) this weekend. Mensah-Stock defeated the Cuban at the 2018 Senior World Championships.

There are three other age-group World medalists in the field, counting 2011 Junior World bronze medalist Luisa VALVERDE MELENDRES (ECU), 2015 Junior World bronze medalist and 2018 Pan Am champion Alejandra ROMERO BONILLA (MEX) and 2013 Junior World runner-up and two-time Junior World bronze medalist Erin GOLSTON (USA).

Greco-Roman, April 18-19
Seven of the 10 2018 Pan American champions in Greco-Roman return to the continental championships this year, with Cuba, USA and Venezuela each brining two.

For Cuba, it’s Luis ORTA SANCHEZ at 60 kg and five-time Pan American champion Ismael BORRERO MOLINA at 67 kg.

In addition to his Pan Am success, Borrero Molina is a 2016 Olympic champion and 2015 World champion.

USA returns Ryan MANGO, the continental champ at 63 kg, and RaVaughn PERKINS, who won it at 72 kg last year.

The United States also boasts 2018 Senior World silver medalist Adam Coon at 130 kg, 2017 Junior World champion Kamal Bey at 77 kg and Junior World medalists Ellis COLEMAN at 67 kg and G’Angelo HANCOCK at 97 kg.

Representing Venezuela are 2018 Pan Am champions Luis AVENDANO ROJAS at 87 kg and Luillys PEREZ MORA at 97 kg. Avendano Rojas moves up a weight after winning the title at 82 kg last year.

Others to watch out for in Greco-Roman are 2018 Pan Am champion Sargis KHACHATRYAN (BRA) at 55 kg and two-time age-group medalist Kevin MEJIA CASTILLO (HON) at 97 kg.

Schedule
Thursday, April 18
10 a.m. – Qualification rounds (GR 55-60-63-67-72-97-130kg)
4:30 p.m. – Opening Ceremonies
5 p.m. – Finals (GR 55-60-63-67-72-97-130kg)

Friday, April 19
10 a.m. – Qualification rounds (GR 77-82-87kg & WW 55-59-65-72kg)
5 p.m. – Finals (GR 77-82-87kg & WW 55-59-65-72kg)

Saturday, April 20
10 a.m. – Qualification rounds (WW 50-53-57-62-68-76kg & FS 79-92kg)
5 p.m. – Finals (WW 50-53-57-62-68-76kg & FS 79-92kg)

Sunday, April 21
10 a.m. – Qualification rounds (FS – 57-61-65-70-74-86-97-125kg)
5 p.m. – Finals (FS – 57-61-65-70-74-86-97-125kg)

 

#WrestleBudapest

Budapest Ranking Series: Day 3, GR and WW Live Blog

Saturday, July 19, 2025 - 08:43 By Vinay Siwach

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BUDAPEST, Hungary (July 19) -- The Budapest Ranking Series enters day three with five Women's Wrestling weight classes and three Greco-Roman weight classes.

Till the World Championships, every competition will follow this rule for Greco-Roman

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 2 RESULTS

15:00: Another Hungarian Greco wrestler in the final as Darius Attila VITEK (HUN) pins Sarkhan MAMMADOV (AZE) in the semifinal. Marat KAMPAROV (UWW) beats Elias KUOSMANEN (FIN), 3-1 to book a place in the final against Vitek

14:45: It's Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) vs David LOSONCZI (HUN) final at 87kg. Bisultanov beats Tamas LEVAI (HUN), 7-2, in the semifinal while Losonczi blanks Islam ABBASOV (AZE), 4-0.

14:35: Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) drops his 72kg semifinal to Abdullo ALIEV (UZB), 5-3, and the Uzbekistan wrestler makes his way to the final. He will face Iuri LOMADZE (GEO) who beats Giorgi CHKHIKVADZE (GEO).

14:25: Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) suffers a upset loss to Thamires MARTINS (BRA) who beat the Kyrgyz 10-5 and enter the final. Martins will have PRIYA (IND) for the gold-medal bout.

14:15: Noemi SZABADOS (HUN) gives the local fans a huge moment to cheer by beating Brooklyn HAYS (USA) 10-0 in the 68kg semifinal. She will face Kennedy BLADES (USA) in the final after Blades beat Yuliana YANEVA (BUL) 6-2.

14:00: Irina RINGACI (MDA) takes less than a minute to gut-wrench Eniko ELEKES (HUN) and storm into the 65kg final. She will face Grace BULLEN (NOR) in the final after the Norwegian secured a come-from-behind fall over Macey KILTY (USA). Bullen was leading 6-5 before she tried a throw from bad position and conceded four points. Kilty had her in fall position but did not finish. Both tried a headlock in the second period and while Kilty scored four, Bullen scored reversal and kept the headlock to pin Kilty just in time.

Last time Ringaci and Bullen met, Bullen defeated the Moldovan.

13:50: Amina TANDELOVA (UWW) rolls to an 11-0 win over Krystsina SAZYKINA (UWW) in the first semifinal at 62kg. She will face Alina KASABIEVA (UWW) in the final after she defeated Ana GODINEZ (CAN) 12-9 in the other semifinal.

Semifinals will begin shortly

13:25: David LOSONCZI (HUN) uses all his strength to get past world U20 champion Islam YEVLOYEV (KAZ) and reach the 87kg semifinals. Yevloyev scored a suplex from par terre to lead 5-0 before Losonczi rallied back.

He scored a stepout and then from par terre, he scored a correct throw for two points. Yevloyev committed a foul and was docked two points. Losonczi ultimately won 9-5.

13:10: Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) gets a correct challenge with 3 seconds left in the bout to win his 72kg quarterfinal against Merey MAULITKANOV (KAZ). Jafarov was down 3-3 on criteria but scored exposure points with 3 second left which were not awarded and Azerbaijan challenged.

12:55: Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) with a first-period victory over Alan OSTAEV (UWW) to make it to the 87kg semifinal. A big four-pointer at the start and then scoring from par terre for the win for Bisultanov.

12:50: Ana GODINEZ (CAN) with a reversal takedown on Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) after a scramble and Godinez scores a fall! What an incredible victory for Godinez after Dudova had taken a 4-4 criteria lead.

12:45: A fall for Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) over Dymond GUILFORD (USA) at 76kg with six seconds left. Guilford was leading 4-0 and but Medet Kyzy scores a takedown to cut it to 4-2 before getting Guilford on the mat and securing the fall

12:35: Grace BULLEN (NOR) survives a pin against Kadriy AKSOY (TUR) to recover and win 12-2 in her 65kg bout. That was really close for Bullen there.

12:20: Macey KILTY (USA) takes up all six minutes of her bout but manages to beat Aleah NICKEL (CAN) 10-0 at 65kg.

11:45: Marcel STERKENBURG (NED) got the first point against Islam ABBASOV (AZE) but then told the referee that he is unable to continue. He had suffered a rib injury at the Thor Masters.

11:40: Kennedy BLADES (USA) can't stop doing the suplex! She opens her Budapest campaign with a suplex, this time over Alina SHEVCHENKO (UWW) and then laces her for a 10-0 win in just over a minute at 68kg.

11:30: Turpal BISULTANOV (USA) with a correct throw from par terre and he easily manages to beat Bachir SID AZARA (ALG), 4-1, at 87kg.

11:20: Brooklyn HAYS (USA) with a takedown in the final 10 seconds to beat world champion Buse TOSUN (TUR) at 68kg, 6-5. Tosun really disappointed with that and takes her time to return to center

11:10: Ana GODINEZ (CAN), who will be in Zagreb for the World Championships, pulls off a 6-5 win over Adaugo NWACHUKWU (USA) at 62kg. Big win for Godinez over U.S. representative for the World Championships.

10:55: Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB) and David LOSONCZI (HUN) are paired in the opening round at Greco-Roman 87kg. Losonczi gets the first par terre advantage but fails to turn. However, he had criteria having the first point. Losonczi scored a stepout to take a clear 2-1 lead and won.

10:40: Former world U23 champion Exauce MUKUBU (NOR) gets a turn from par terre and beats Payton JACOBSON (USA) 4-1 at 87kg to get things going.

10:30: Women's Wrestling in 55kg, 62kg, 65kg, 68kg, and 76kg and Greco-Roman 72kg, 87kg and 130kg in action in Budapest on Saturday.