#WrestleAcapulco

Maroulis, Miracle post contrasting wins to clinch Pan-Am golds

Thursday, February 22, 2024 - 17:33 By Gaurav Bhatt

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ACAPULCO, Mexico (February 22) -- Kayla MIRACLE (USA) needed miraculous escapes while Helen MAROULIS' (USA) experience was on show as they struck gold for the United States at the Pan-American Championships on Thursday. Overall, the American women earned four gold and two bronze medals in a dominant display in Acapulco.  

Miracle defeated two-time champion Ana GODINEZ (CAN) 6-6 in the 62 kg final to win her second Pan-Am Championships gold. Maroulis beat Giullia PENALBAR (BRA) 4-1 in 57kg to grab her first medal at the event since the 55kg gold in 2012.

After a strong start in her opening bout, Miracle needed to rally back twice on her way to glory. The two-time world silver medallist pinned Astrid MONTERO (VEN) in a thrilling semifinal.

For the majority of the bout, Montero was the more aggressive wrestler. She earned the opening point after Miracle couldn't score on the shot clock, and followed it up with a takedown. Early in the second period, she added two more to take a 5-0 lead.

Miracle fought back with a fantastic sequence. The American went for a double-leg takedown, secured Montero's right leg, got her back and put on the work, eventually pinning her opponent with 90 seconds left on the clock.

Then Miracle got a measure of revenge against Godinez, who had defeated the American in the 62kg final two years ago at the same venue.

Miracle was again put on the shot clock further emboldening Godinez into attacking. Miracle instead reversed the Canadian's shot to pull off two chest wraps. Godinez then secured a single-leg takedown in a flash to finish the first period as the leader at 4-3.

Late in the second period, Godinez earned two points with a double leg, however, Miracle countered the move with another powerful chest wrap to lead 6-5. Godinez earned another point for a step out but Miracle's defense in the final seconds secured her the criteria win.

Godinez went for a desperate takedown and missed it as the clock ran out. The Canadian, who was gunning for a hat-trick of gold medals, sat on the mat in crushing disappointment.

Both wrestlers will take the mat at next week's Pan-Am Olympic qualifier.

Earlier, Maroulis — a three-time World champion and 2016 Olympic gold medallist — brought her big stage experience to the mat against Penalber. The two finalists had sailed into the final without giving up a single point.

Maroulis opened the scoring with a headlock, pushing Penalber out of bounds. The Brazilian was put on the shot clock and couldn't score, giving up a 2-0 lead to end the period.

In the second period, Maroulis conceded her first and only point of the day when she couldn't score on the shot clock. With 10 seconds left on the clock, Penalber went for a lunge onto Maroulis' right leg. The American defended and countered to bring the Brazilian down and finish the match with authority.

The silver was the seventh medal at the event for the two-time champion Penalber, who also won the gold at the Pan-American Games last November.

In the 50kg category, four-time medallist Jacqueline MOLLOCANA (ECU) won her first gold medal, defeating Mariana ROJAS (VEN) 4-3.

Alisha HOWK (USA) took home the 55kg gold with a 4-4 win over Zeltzin HERNANDEZ (MEX). The American had to miss out on a rematch from last year after defending champion Diana WEICKER (CAN) gave walkovers.

Brooklyn HAYS defeated Katie MULKAY (CAN) 6-4 and Edna JIMENEZ (MEX) 11-0 to clinch the 72kg gold while Olivia DI BACCO (CAN) won her first gold at the event with a walkover victory over Soleymi CARAVALLO (VEN).

In Greco-Roman action, the 20-year-old Alexis VARGAS (MEX) won the 72kg gold medal. Two-time champion Kevin MEJIA (HON) defeated last year's bronze medallist Alan VERA (USA) to take home the 97kg title.

RESULTS

Women's Wrestling

50kg
GOLD: Jacqueline MOLLOCANA (ECU) df. Mariana ROJAS DIAZ (VEN), 4-3

BRONZE: Audrey JIMENEZ (USA) df. Katie DUTCHAK (CAN),8-2
BRONZE: Moran YORLENIS MILAGROS (PAN) df. Kamila BARBOSA (BRA), 7-6

55kg
GOLD: Alisha HOWK (USA)
SILVER: Zeltzin HERNANDEZ (MEX)
BRONZE: Diana WEICKER (CAN)

57kg
GOLD: Helen MAROULIS (USA) df. Giullia OLIVEIRA (BRA), 4-1

BRONZE: Yocleidy RAMIREZ (DOM) df. Hannah TAYLOR (CAN), via inj. def.
BRONZE: Luisa VALVERDE (ECU) df. Andrea GONZALEZ (COL), 6-4

62kg
GOLD: Kayla MIRACLE (USA) df. Ana GODINEZ (CAN), 6-6

BRONZE: Lais NUNES (BRA) df. Arely NOVELO (MEX), 11-0
BRONZE: Astrid MONTERO (VEN) df. Katherine RENTERIA (COL), 11-1

68kg
GOLD: Olivia DI BACCO (CAN) df. Caraballo SOLEYMI (VEN), via inj. def.

BRONZE: Ayovi LEONELA (ECU) df. Alejandra RIVERA (MEX), 6-3
BRONZE: Alexandria GLAUDE (USA) df. Nicoll PARRADO (COL), 3-3

Greco-Roman

72kg
GOLD: Alexis VARGAS (MEX)
SILVER: Calebe CORREA (BRA)
BRONZE: Noah WACHSMUTH (USA)

97kg
GOLD: Kevin MEJIA CASTILLO (HON) df. Alan VERA GARCIA (USA), 8-0

BRONZE: Luillys PEREZ (VEN) df. Pedro BELLO (MEX), 5-1
BRONZE: Adames CARLOS (DOM) df. Gomez RICARDO (ARG), 8-0

#WrestleAthens

Greece gets Greco finalist at U17 Worlds; Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan keep up

Tuesday, July 29, 2025 - 15:26 By Vinay Siwach

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ATHENS, Greece (July 29) -- Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan continued their superb show in Greco-Roman at the World U17 Championships in Athens, Greece by earned two more spots in the finals.

On day one, the two countries, along with Georgia, were the only ones to enter multiple wrestlers in the final. On Tuesday, they added more while hosts Greece managed to enter one wrestler in the final, just the third-ever in Greco at World U17 Championships.

Asian U17 champion and returning bronze medalist at 71kg Behruzbek VALIEV (UZB) led the way for his country, reaching the final after beating returning silver medalist from 65kg Yusif AHMADLI (AZE), 9-5, in the semifinal.

Ahmadli raced to a 5-0 lead from par terre but Valiev scored two stepouts before the break to cut the lead to 5-2. He got par terre in the second but failed to score any points. However, another stepout made it 5-4. Valiev kept pushing the pace of the bout and managed an awkward throw for four points. Azerbaijan challenged in vain as Valiev got the win.

It is at this weight class that Greece will look to bag a gold medal as Dimitrios SOULIS (GRE) became just the third finalist for Greece at a World U17 Championships after he defeated Marlen MEIRBEKULY (KAZ), 9-8, in a thrilling semifinal. 

Soulis led 8-4 with 10 seconds remaining in the bout when Meirbekuly hit a four-pointer to make it 8-8. However, Soulis had the criteria with a scoring action of four points, two points and two points while Meirbekuly had actions of one point, one point, two points and four points.

The second finalist for Uzbekistan came at 51kg after Otabek TURSUNOV (UZB) reversed the par terre and then scored four gut-wrenches to beat Polat KARADENIZ (TUR), 9-1, in the semifinals. He will face Hikmat HAGVERDIYEV (AZE) in the final who got a stepout with 18 seconds left against Asian U17 champion Islam KURBANOV (KGZ) to beat him 4-3 in the other semifinal.

Nurkerim KUMARBEKOV (KGZ) became the star for Kyrgyzstan as he surprised European champion Abdurrahman HUSEYNLI (AZE) with a big headlock throw for four points to start the semifinal. A lost challenge from Azerbaijan made it 5-0 for Kumarbekov.

With no passivity call in the second period, Kumarbekov kept his pace and Huseynli tried some desperate moves, getting for a takedown which gave Kumarbekov a 7-0 win.

It would have been an Kyrgyzstan-Iran final but Kuanyshbek ZHANGAZHOL (KAZ) had other ideas. He rallied from behind to beat Benyamin KHEZLI (IRI).

The Iranian took just 20 seconds to get on board with a takedown and turn that was only awarded after a challenge from Iran. He took a 4-0 lead against Kuanyshbek ZHANGAZHOL (KAZ) who used some solid arm-drags to score a stepout and then a takedown to cut it to 4-3.

As the time ran out, Zhangazhol dished out one more attack and got the headlock for four points. While Khezli got a counter turn, that was not enough for a win as Zhangazhol kept his 7-6 lead. Iran challenged the final move but it was a clear throw from Zhangazhol. The loss left Khezli in tears.

At 60kg, European bronze medalist Denys SEREDIN (UKR) suffered a heartbreaking loss in the semifinals as Amangeldi YSAKBAEV (KGZ) used a front headlock throw for four points with just 00:03 left on the clock to win 5-1 and earn a place in the final.

Seredin had defended well for the full match and was leading 1-1 on criteria but he let his guard down for the final five seconds of the bout.

Ysakbaev will take European silver medalist Ali NAZAROV (AZE) in the final after the Azerbaijani defeated Abolfazl ZARE (IRI) 1-1 in the other semifinal. Nazarov was winner based on the criteria that he scored the first point in an 1-1 scoreline match.

At 92kg, Kanstantsin KASYAN (UWW), who was seventh last year, booked a spot in the final this year after a 3-1 win over Ionut PATRU (ROU). Both wrestler got par terre positions but Patru was docked two points for headbutting in the second period which proved to be the difference between the two.

Winning the gold, however, will be a big ask for Kasyan as he faces Amirsam MOHAMMADI (IRI) in the final after he cleaned up Ahmet UZUN (TUR) 7-0 in the other semifinal.

RESULTS

45kg
GOLD: Nurkerim KUMARBEKOV (KGZ) vs. Kuanyshbek ZHANGAZHOL (KAZ)

SF 1: Nurkerim KUMARBEKOV (KGZ) df. Abdurrahman HUSEYNLI (AZE), 7-0
SF 2: Kuanyshbek ZHANGAZHOL (KAZ) df. Benyamin KHEZLI (IRI), 8-6

51kg
GOLD: Otabek TURSUNOV (UZB) vs. Hikmat HAGVERDIYEV (AZE)

SF 1: Hikmat HAGVERDIYEV (AZE) df. Islam KURBANOV (KGZ), 4-3
SF 2: Otabek TURSUNOV (UZB) df. Polat KARADENIZ (TUR), 10-1

60kg
GOLD: Ali NAZAROV (AZE) vs. Amangeldi YSAKBAEV (KGZ)

SF 1: Amangeldi YSAKBAEV (KGZ) df. Denys SEREDIN (UKR), 6-1
SF 2: Ali NAZAROV (AZE) df. Abolfazl ZARE (IRI), 1-1

71kg
GOLD: Behruzbek VALIEV (UZB) vs. Dimitrios SOULIS (GRE)

SF 1: Behruzbek VALIEV (UZB) df. Yusif AHMADLI (AZE), 9-5
SF 2: Dimitrios SOULIS (GRE) df. Marlen MEIRBEKULY (KAZ), 9-8

92kg
GOLD: Amirsam MOHAMMADI (IRI) vs. Kanstantsin KASYAN (UWW)

SF 1: Amirsam MOHAMMADI (IRI) df. Ahmet UZUN (TUR), 7-0
SF 2: Kanstantsin KASYAN (UWW) df. Ionut PATRU (ROU), 3-1