#GuatemalaCityWrestle

Junior Pan Ams Set for Guatemala

Tuesday, June 4, 2019 - 16:39 By Taylor Miller

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En espanol

Los Campeonatos Panamericanos Junior están programados para el 5 al 7 de junio, en el gimnasio nacional Teodoro Palacios Flores en la ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala.

En los tres estilos olímpicos, el campo incluye ocho medallistas de los Campeonatos Mundial o los Juegos Olímpicos de la Juventud, con seis registrados en el estilo libre femenino. También hay varios campeones y medallistas panamericanos listos para competir en los campeonatos continentales.

Estilo libre masculino

Carson LEE (CAN) es el líder en logros individuales con una medalla de bronce del Campeonato mundial cadete de 2018. Buscará el título en 97 kg.

Solo hay uno campeón panamericano junior que regresara, Jonathan PRATA ALAS (ARG), quien gano el título en 57 kg el año pasado. Se le unieron dos campeones del Cadete Pan Am de 57 kg, entre ellos Lucas NAVARRETE VIDAL (ECU) y Roberto ALEJANDRO BLANCO (MEX).

Navarrete gano en 2016, y Alejandro clamo su título en 2017.

Además de Alejandro, hay dos otros campeones del Cadete Pan Am representando a México la próxima semana, incluyendo Luis LOPEZ VASQUEZ en 97 kg and Luis OROZCO CORTEZ en 125 kg. 

Peyton ROBB (USA), un campeón panamericano cadete en estilo libre masculino y grecorromana, está registrado por 70  kg.

Yendo a su segundo campeonato continental del ano es Cristian SOLENZAL LOPEZ (CUB), quien ganó una medalla de plata en los Campeonatos Panamericanos Senior de 2019. Competirá en 65 kg en el estilo libre masculino y en 67 kg en grecorromana.

La competición en estilo libre masculino empieza el 7 de junio.

Estilo libre femenina

La categoría de peso de 50 kg parece ser la más dura en todo el torneo, con tres medallistas mundiales.

En frente es la campeona mundial cadete y la campeona de los Juegos Olímpicos de la Juventud Emily SHILSON (USA). Ella también ganó una medalla de plata en los Campeonatos Mundiales de Cadete de 2017 y medallas de oro en los Campeonatos Panamericanos Cadete en 2017 y 2018.

Buscando a desafiarla es Julieta MARTINEZ GONZALEZ (MEX) and Lucia YEPEZ GUZMAN (ECU). Las dos tienen medallas de bronce de los Campeonatos Mundiales Cadetes de 2017.

Martínez González es una campeona panamericano cadete de 2017, y Yépez Guzmán gano títulos en los niveles de U15 y Cadete.

También en el campo de 50 kg es campeona panamericano junior de 2017 Alexia SEAL (CAN).

Martínez González no es la única campeona panamericano representando a México. También hay Atzimba LANDAVERDE MORENO (MEX), quien quiere defender su título panamericano junior en 68 kg.

Todas de las ocho luchadoras de México han Ganado una medalla panamericano.

Además de Shilson, E.E.U.U. tiene otra medallista mundial en Tiare IKEI (USA), quien competirá en 53 kg. Ella gano una medalla de bronce el año pasado en los Mundiales Cadetes.

En los pesos superiores, hay dos medallistas de los Juegos Olímpicos de la Juventud, incluyendo campeona Milaimys MARIN POTRILLE (CUB) en 76 kg y medallista de plata Linda MACHUCA (ARG) en 72 kg.

Katherine RENTERIA CUERO (COL) regresa a defender su título panamericano junior en 59 kg.

La competición en estilo libre femenina empieza el 6 de junio.

Grecorromana

El único medallista mundial en grecorromana es Nestor DELGADO RAMIREZ (MEX), quien va competir en 55 kg. Delgado posee una medalla de plata de los Campeonatos Mundiales Cadetes de 2016. También termino en quinto lugar en 2015.

También ganó una medalla de oro en los Campeonatos Panamericanos Cadetes en 2016 y una medalla de plata en los Campeonatos Panamericanos Junior el año pasado.

Hay siete otros quien han ganado títulos panamericanos.

El único campeón Panamericano Junior que regresa es Andrés CORTES HERRERA (COL). Busca defender su título en los 60 kg.

Los seis campeones Cadete Panamericanos en el campo representan a México o Estados Unidos: Miguel UGALDE AGUILAR (MEX) en 60 kg, Hunter LEWIS (USA) en 63 kg, Diego MARTINEZ DE LEIJA (MEX) en 72 kg, Calvin GERMINARO (USA) en 72 kg, Arturo CAMACHO VALENCIANO (MEX) en 82 kg and Jesus LOPEZ NINO (MEX) en 87 kg.

Hay tres medallistas de Pan Am Senior registrados para la próxima semana, incluyendo campeón de 2019 Gabriel ROSILLO KINDELAN (CUB) en 97 kg, subcampeón en estilo libre masculino de 2019 Cristian SOLENZAL LOPEZ (CUB) en 65 kg y subcampeón de 2018 Gerardo OLIVA MONTES (PER) en 67 kg.

Solenzal Lopez competirá en estilo libre masculino y grecorromana.

El competición grecorromana empieza el 5 de junio.

 

 

 

 

 

In English

The Junior Pan American Championships are set for next week, June 5-7, Teodoro Palacios Flores National Gym in Guatemala City, Guatemala.

Across all three Olympic styles, the field includes eight World or Youth Olympic Games medalists, with six registered in women’s freestyle. There are also several past Pan American champions and medalists ready to compete at the continental championships.

Men’s Freestyle

Carson LEE (CAN) leads the field in individual accomplishments, with a 2018 Cadet World bronze medal to his name. He’ll seek the title at 79 kg.

There is only one returning Junior Pan American champion, Jonathan PRATA ALAS (ARG), who won the title at 57 kg last year. He is joined by two past Cadet Pan Am champions at 57 kg, including Lucas NAVARRETE VIDAL (ECU) and Roberto ALEJANDRO BLANCO (MEX).

Navarrete Vidal won in 2016, while Alejandro Blanco claimed his title in 2017.

In addition to Alejandro Blanco, there are two other Cadet Pan Am champs representing Mexico next week, Luis LOPEZ VASQUEZ at 97 kg and Luis OROZCO CORTEZ at 125 kg.  

Peyton ROBB (USA), a 2017 Cadet Pan American champion in freestyle and Greco-Roman, is registered at 70 kg. He is the only wrestler entered that has won titles in both styles.

Heading to his second continental championships of the year is Cristian SOLENZAL LOPEZ (CUB), who won silver at the 2019 Senior Pan American Championships. He will compete at 65 kg in freestyle and 67 kg in Greco-Roman.

The men’s freestyle competition will take place on June 7.

Women’s Freestyle

The 50 kg weight class seems to be the toughest in the entire tournament, featuring three World medalists.

Leading the pack is 2018 Cadet World and Youth Olympic Games champion Emily SHILSON (USA). She is also a 2017 Cadet World silver medalist and won Cadet Pan Am championships in 2017 and 2018.  

Looking to challenge her is Julieta MARTINEZ GONZALEZ (MEX) and Lucia YEPEZ GUZMAN (ECU). Both won bronzes at the 2017 Cadet World Championships.

Martinez Gonzalez is a 2017 Cadet Pan Am champion, and Yepez Guzman won U15 and Cadet Pan Am titles in 2016.

Also lurking at 50 kg is 2017 Junior Pan Am champion Alexia SEAL (CAN).

Martinez Gonzalez is not the only Pan Am champion representing Mexico. Her teammate Atzimba LANDAVERDE MORENO (MEX) looks to defend her 2018 Junior Pan Am title at 68 kg.

Of note, all eight of Mexico’s entrants in women’s freestyle have won at least one medal at a Pan American Championships.

In addition to Shilson, the USA boasts another World medalist in Tiare IKEI (USA), who will compete at 53 kg.

In the upper weights, there are two Youth Olympic Games medalists, including 2018 champion Milaimys MARIN POTRILLE (CUB) at 76 kg and 2018 silver medalist Linda MACHUCA (ARG) at 72 kg.

At 59 kg, be on the lookout for returning Junior Pan Am champion Katherine RENTERIA CUERO (COL).

The women’s freestyle competition will take place June 6.  

Greco-Roman

The lone World medalist in Greco-Roman is Nestor DELGADO RAMIREZ (MEX), who is slated to wrestle at 55 kg. Delgado won World silver at the 2016 Cadet World Championships. He also registered a fifth-place finish at the 2015 Cadet World Championships.

In addition to his World silver, Delgado owns a gold from the 2016 Cadet Pan American Championships and silver from last year’s Junior Pan American Championships in Brazil.

Apart from Delgado, seven others have won Cadet or Junior Pan Am titles.

The only returning Junior Pan American champion is Andres CORTES HERRERA (COL). He looks to defend his title at 60 kg.

The six Cadet Pan American champions in the field represent either Mexico or USA: Miguel UGALDE AGUILAR (MEX) at 60 kg, Hunter LEWIS (USA) at 63 kg, Diego MARTINEZ DE LEIJA (MEX) at 72 kg, Calvin GERMINARO (USA) at 72 kg, Arturo CAMACHO VALENCIANO (MEX) at 82 kg and Jesus LOPEZ NINO (MEX) at 87 kg.

There are three Senior Pan Am medalists registered for next week, including 2019 champion Gabriel ROSILLO KINDELAN (CUB) at 97 kg, 2019 runner-up in freestyle Cristian SOLENZAL LOPEZ (CUB) at 65 kg and 2018 runner-up Gerardo OLIVA MONTES (PER) at 67 kg.

Solenzal Lopez will compete in both Greco-Roman and men’s freestyle.

The Greco-Roman competition will take place on June 5.

#WrestleNoviSad

U23 Worlds: Fujinami ready for first international test at 57kg

Friday, October 10, 2025 - 10:32 By Ken Marantz

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TOKYO, Japan (October 9) -- She already has an Olympic gold and two senior world titles, not to mention a 141-match winning streak that dates back to her junior high school days. And there is that undefeated record against non-Japanese opponents.

So what has compelled Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) to even bother entering the U23 World Championships, a tournament that, on paper at least, she should have no problem winning?

Rest assured there is method to what she would not regard as madness. It is all part of a grand plan, centered on the 21-year-old's much-publicized move from 53kg directly up to the next Olympic weight of 57kg with eyes firmly on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

"This will by my first world tournament since I moved up in weight class," Fujinami said in an interview via social media. "I want to try out what I have been practicing, and get an idea of where I stand in terms of my current ability. I also want to identify areas to work on ahead of the All-Japan Championships in December."

Fujinami tops the marquee as she makes her debut at the U23 World Championships, to be held October 20-27 in Novi Sad, Serbia. Currently in her senior year at Nippon Sports Science University, it will be just her third competition since she cruised to the 53kg gold at the Paris Olympics, where she won all four matches by either fall or technical superiority.

The two other outings -- one a collegiate team event in November 2024 and the other the Japan Queen's Cup in April at which she qualified for the U23 Worlds -- did not provide much of a workout. She won a total of four matches in a combined time of 7:11 without giving up a point.

Fujinami expressed no concerns about her extended absence from top-level competition. "This will be my first tournament in six months," she said. "I'm not worried about regaining my match feeling. For the Olympics, I had about a seven-month blank."

Fujinami had at first planned to try for the senior worlds, but decided she would not be ready as she makes the physical adjustment to 57kg. So will we see a bulked-up Fujinami in Novi Sad?

"Compared with the time when I was in the 53kg class, my natural weight is more than then," Fujinami said. "I am also going to have cut weight before the tournament at 57kg. I'm also working hard on weight training, and I'll try to show the effects of that in the matches."

Despite her exalted status, Fujinami knows not to take any opponent lightly – a lesson she learned fully well when she won her second senior world title in 2023. In the quarterfinals, she was stunned when Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) tagged her for five points early in the match and seven overall, marking the most points ever scored upon her by a non-Japanese.

Although Fujinami came back to take the lead and win by fall, it showed any lapse can lead to disaster – which, ironically, makes the sport more appealing for her.

“You never know what will happen in a match,” Fujinami said. “But I think that’s what makes it interesting. For me, a match is like a presentation of yourself, so I will go into it aiming to win while having fun.”

In Novi Sad, Fujinami may have to share some of the spotlight with compatriot, fellow Paris Olympic gold medalist and recently crowned senior world champion Sakura MOTOKI (JPN).

A victory by Motoki at 62kg would make her the third member of the “Golden Grand Slam” club -- those who have combined an Olympic gold with titles on the senior and all three age-group levels. The two current members are Yui SUSAKI (JPN) and Amit ELOR (USA).

Ironically, circumstances beyond her control worked against Fujinami ever having a chance to also gain entry into the club.

A world U17 champion in 2018, she was deprived twice of chances to win a U20 world title – first in 2021 when Japan opted to not send a team during the pandemic, and again in 2022 when an injury forced her to withdraw. Those same years she qualified for the U23 worlds, but missed out for the same reasons.

This time, her preparations have gone without a hitch. "I've been able to continue to train and practice without any major injuries," she said.

Prior to securing a second Olympic gold in Los Angeles, Fujinami has a more immediate goal — winning her first at the Asian Games, to be held next October in Nagoya / Aichi Prefecture, which borders her native Mie Prefecture. Because of the early deadline for entries, she needs a victory at the All-Japan Championships in December to make the Japanese squad.

“My goals are to win gold at the Asian Games in Nagoya and at the Los Angeles Olympics,” she said. “To achieve those goals, I’ve dedicated myself to strengthening myself during this period. It’s been a time for me to look inside myself and explore my wrestling. Now the time has come to show the results.”