#WrestleGuatemala

Mejia Castillo Becomes Honduras' First Senior Pan-American Champ

Friday, May 28, 2021 - 13:51 By Taylor Miller

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GUATEMALA, Guatemala – For the first time in history, an athlete from Honduras will bring home a Senior Pan American gold medal, thanks to Kevin MEJIA CASTILLO (HON), who dominated the 97kg bracket in Greco-Roman on Thursday at the 2021 Pan American Championships. 

En route to his title, Mejia had to defeat young, up-and-coming American Braxton AMOS (USA) twice today, once in pool action and later in the final. Mejia controlled both matches, winning both in spectacular 9-0 fashion. The win marks his fifth Pan American medal with the last a bronze from the 209 Pan Am Championships. 

Taking the crown at 60kg was Dicther TORO CASTANEDA (COL), who took down 2020 Olympian Ildar HAFIZOV (USA) in the finals. Toro Castaneda led 5-0 at the break before sealing the match with exposure points after being put down in par terre. The Colombian won 7-3. This is his second-consecutive Pan Am title. He also owns a silver medal from the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima. 
Andres MONTANO ARROYO (ECU) also won his fifth Pan Am gold medal, defeating Randon MIRANDA (USA) for the second time today.

Earlier in the day, Montano Arroyo shut out Miranda, 5-0, but in the finals, Miranda closed the gap but it was not enough as Montano Arroyo ultimately won 7-6. Montano Arroyo adds to his collection of titles, including three Pan Am Championships golds (2017, 2019, 2021) and two Pan Am Games golds (2015, 2019). 
 

Xavier JOHNSON (USA) throws Nilton SOTO GARCIA (PER) in their quarterfinal meeting. (Photo: Tony Rotundo)

Two athletes from the United States scored titles on Thursday: Xavier JOHNSON (USA) and Jamel JOHNSON (USA) at 67kg and 72kg, respectively. 

X. Johnson dominated Enyer FELICIANO (DOM) in just 1:12 with three huge throws, including a five-pointer for an 11-0 win in the 67kg finals. This is his first international gold medal and first appearance at the Pan American Championships. 

J. Johnson competed at 72kg, where he suffered an injury in one of his earlier bouts. However, he overcame the challenge to win the weight in round-robin action. In his last match of the day, J. Johnson was trailing 5-0 to Gerardo OLIVA MONTES (PER) but registered two four-point throws to emerge victorious, 8-5.  
 


Leo SANTANA HEREDIA (DOM) scores a fall against Steven RIANO CATANO (COL) in their opening-round meeting. (Photo: Tony Rotundo)

At heavyweight, Leo SANTANA HEREDIA (DOM) collected his third Pan Am medal, winning gold at 130kg. In the finals, he controlled Donald LONGENDYKE (USA) in a low-scoring match to win 3-0. Santana Heredia also has bronze medals from the 2019 Pan Am Games and the 2020 Pan Am Championships. 

The competition continues tomorrow with the Greco-Roman and women’s freestyle. Wrestling begins at 12 p.m. local time. Fans can watch all the action live at uww.org.

GUATEMALA, Guatemala – Por la primera vez, un atleta de Honduras logró una medalla de oro panamericana en la categoría Senior cuando Kevin MEJIA CASTILLO (HON) dominó la competencia en 97 kg en estilo grecorromana el jueves en el Campeonato Panamericano. 
Mejia Castillo derroto a Braxton AMOS (USA) dos veces el jueves, primero en el acción pool y luego en el final. Los dos veces, Mejia Castillo ganó 9-0. Esto marca su quinta medalla panamericana. La última vino en 2019 cuando metió una medalla de bronce.  

En 60 kg, Dicther TORO CASTANEDA (COL) ganó el gran premio. En el final, encontró al olímpico estadounidense Ildar HAFIZOV (USA). Toro Castaneda estaba ganando 5-0 en el periodo del descanso, y en el segundo periodo, aprovechó a una situación para sumar más puntos y sellar la victoria, 7-3. Esta es su segunda victoria consecutiva en el campeonato panamericano. Ganó la misma categoría en 2020. También tiene una medalla de plata de los los Juegos Panamericanos de Lima 2019.

Andres MONTANO ARROYO (ECU) ganó su quinta medalla de oro panamericana, derrotando a Randon MIRANDA (USA) por la segunda vez del día. Esta mañana, Montano Arroyo ganó 5-0 contra Miranda, pero en la final de 63 kg Miranda cerró la brecha pero no fue suficiente. Montano Arroyo salió victorioso, 7-6. Ahora, Montano Arroyo tiene tres oros en campeonatos panamericanos (2017, 2019, 2021) y dos oros de los juegos panamericanos (2015, 2019). 
Dos estadounidenses ganaron medallas de oro: Xavier JOHNSON (USA) y Jamel JOHNSON (USA) en las categorías 67 kg y 72 kg. 

X. Johnson dominó a Enyer FELICIANO (DOM) en solo 1:12 con tres lanzamientos para terminar con una victoria, 11-0, en el final de 67 kg. Es la primera medalla de oro internacional para él y fue su debut panamericano. 

J. Johnson compitió en 72 kg donde sufrió una herida más temprano en el día, pero él se la superó para ganar la categoría. Fue un grupo de round robin. En su final combate del día, J. Johnson estaba perdiendo contra Gerardo OLIVA MONTES (PER), pero usó dos lanzamientos valiendo cuatro puntos para asegurar el oro, 8-5. 

En 130 kg, Leo SANTANA HEREDIA (DOM) recibió su tercera medalla panamericana, ganando el oro. En el final, derrotó a Donald LONGENDYKE (USA) en un combate de pocos puntos pero Santana Heredia controló el partido para ganar 3-0. También tiene dos medallas de bronce de los Juegos Panamericanos de Lima 2019 y del campeonato panamericano de 2020. 
La competencia sigue mañana con el estile grecorromana y el estil femenino. Empieza a las 12 p.m. hora local. Se puede ver toda la acción en uww.org. 

Greco-Roman Results

60kg
GOLD – Dicther TORO CASTANEDA (COL) df. Ildar HAFIZOV (USA), 7-3
BRONZE – Maikol JOSEFA (DOM) df. Victor LOPEZ MIRANDA (ESA), 9-0
BRONZE – Marat GARIPOV (BRA) df. Joshua MEDINA (PUR), 9-0

63kg
GOLD – Andres MONTANO ARROYO (ECU) df. Randon MIRANDA (USA), 7-6
BRONZE – Emerson FELIPE ORDONEZ (GUA) df. Joao BENAVIDES ROCHABRUN (PER), 6-4
 

67kg
GOLD – Xavier JOHNSON (USA) df. Enyer FELICIANO (DOM), 11-0
BRONZE – Diego MARTINEZ DE LEIJA (MEX) df. Juan PALMA FRANCIS (ECU), 9-0
BRONZE – Calebe CORREA FERREIRA (BRA) df. Nilton SOTO GARCIA (PER), 6-1

72kg
GOLD – Jamel JOHNSON (USA)
SILVER – Juan RUIZ LUGO (MEX)
BRONZE – Carlos FUENTES PERALTA (GUA)

97kg
GOLD – Kevin MEJIA CASTILLO (HON) df. Braxton AMOS (USA), 9-0
BRONZE – Igor ALVES DE QUEIROZ (BRA) df. Ricardo MANCILLA GALINDO (MEX), 7-3

130kg
GOLD – Leo SANTANA HEREDIA (DOM) df. Donald LONGENDYKE (USA), 3-0
BRONZE – Isaque MEDEIROS CONSERVA (BRA) df. Luis ROMAN BARRIOS (MEX), fall

#WrestleZagreb

Lee strikes gold as U.S., Iran shine at Zagreb Open

Thursday, February 6, 2025 - 01:15 By Vinay Siwach

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ZAGREB, Croatia (February 5) -- Spencer LEE (USA) did not compete internationally, for circumstances beyond his control, for eight years after winning his U20 world title in 2016. But in a year since he came back in February 2024, Lee has competed in six tournaments in less than a year.

Lee competed at the Henri Deglane Grand Prix in January and won gold. Two weeks later he won the Zagreb Open gold medal at 57kg on Wednesday, marking his debut at a Ranking Series event.

The Paris Olympic silver medalist led a strong performance of the wrestlers from United States as they won two gold medals as six weight classes concluded on day one of the Zagreb Open at Arena Zagreb.

Lee did not look as dominant as he did in Paris before the final but still managed to pull out a good defensive game and win the gold medal with rather ease.

In the final, Lee defeated Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE), 6-2, after a similar win over Roman BRAVO YOUNG (MEX) in the semifinals. He opened the day with an 11-0 drubbing of Luka GVINJILIA (GEO).

"It's good to get competition right now," Lee said. "[It] showed that I'm really not ready yet."

Though Lee was not convinced about his readiness, his coach Dan DENNIS kept pushing Lee and reminded him of the progress he is making bout after bout.

"I think it [progress] comes from being more successful early and then I was in on three shots, kicked out of all three of them," he said. "He's (Dan Dennis) just saying that you just kind of kept progressing. You even got taken down, good counter from him, got to keep wrestling, keep moving."

In the final, Lee scored two takedowns, first one a double-leg and second a counter, as his scoring actions to beat Bazarganov, a bronze medalist at the European Championships last year.

The win takes second-ranked Lee to 43000 ranking points, same as top ranked Rei HIGUCHI (JPN), the gold medalist from Paris Olympics. If Lee can finish top eight at any other Ranking Series or Pan-Am Championships, he will move to the top. However, Lee was not sure if he will be in action internationally before the World Championships.

"I think that ranking tournaments are awesome because good guys come," he said. "The points are obviously a nice bonus to that just because you can get seeded in the bracket. I love competing. Obviously I need more of it. So maybe. This tournament was tough. So good for me."

Zahid VALENCIA (USA)Zahid VALENCIA (USA) won the 86kg gold medal in Zagreb. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Zahid VALENCIA (USA) was the second gold medalist for the U.S. as he won gold medal at 86kg after beating Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE), 8-0, in the final. Valencia was good with his counters and after building a 4-0 lead at the break, he scored two more takedown in the second period to win the gold medal.

The two bronze medals at this weight class went to Nathan JACKSON (USA) and Trent HIDLAY (USA), making sure all three U.S. wrestlers finish on the podium at the weight class.

Ahmad JAVAN (IRI)Ahmad JAVAN (IRI) defeated Ibrahim KHARI (IRI) 10-0 in the 61kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Iran wins 2 golds

Iran also won two gold medals but the tournament left it with more questions than answers for the Asian Championships team.

At 61kg, Ahmad JAVAN (IRI) defeated Ebrahim KHARI (IRI) 10-0 to confirm his spot for the Asian Championships. Khari, who won silver at the U20 World Championships last year, failed to give Javan a fight in the final.

Prior to the final, Javan defeated Nashon GARRETT (USA) 7-2 in the quarterfinals and Giorgi GONIASHVILI (GEO) 9-3 in the semifinals.

Abbas EBRAHIM (IRI)Abbas EBRAHIM (IRI) defeated Joseph MC KENNA (USA) 8-6 in the 65kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Abbas EBRAHIM (IRI) undoubtedly gave Iran its biggest win of the day as he came back to beat Joseph MC KENNA (USA) 8-6 in the 65kg final.

McKenna got the first two takedowns to lead 4-0 before Ebrahim answered with his own to lead 4-4 at the break. Ebrahim began the second period with another takedown to go ahead 6-4 but with less than a minute to go, McKenna hit ankle pick and transitioned into a leg-attack. He scored a takedown to lead 6-6 on criteria.

In the dying seconds of the bout, Ebrahim  tried a front headpinch but McKenna defended it as he had Ebrahim's one leg locked. However, the Iranian managed to get his leg out of McKenna's hands, he tried to circle back and complete a takedown but McKenna held his knee pad which was penalized as one point, giving the win to Ebrahim 7-6.

The United States challenged that call but it remained and McKenna was docked one more point for lost challenge, making the score 8-6.

Both Iran and the U.S. had two silver medalists as well after Sina KHALILI (IRI) lost the final at 70kg and David CARR (USA) dropped the final at 74kg.

Kanan HEYBATOV (AZE), a former U20 world champion, gave no chance to Sina KHALILI (IRI) in the final and shut him down for a 12-1 win victory.

The weight class also had Paris Olympian and 2023 world champion Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) who was stunned in the first bout of the day by Jarrett JACKQUES (USA) who scored a takedown in his 3-2 win Muszukajev.

Carr ran into three-time world medalist Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) in the final and finished with a silver medal at 74kg.

Salkazanov scored a takedown on each side of the break to complete a 4-0 win.

RESULTS

57kg
GOLD: Spencer LEE (USA) df. Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE), 6-2

BRONZE: Roman BRAVO YOUNG (MEX) df. Luka GVINJILIA (GEO), 11-2 
BRONZE: Azamat TUSKAEV (SRB) df. Ahora KHATERI (IRI), 11-0

61kg
GOLD: Ahmad JAVAN (IRI) df. Ebrahim KHARI (IRI), 10-0

BRONZE: Nahshon GARRETT (USA) df. Giorgi GONIASHVILI (GEO), 16-11
BRONZE: Nuraddin NOVRUZOV (AZE) df. Reza MOMENI (IRI), 8-4

65kg
GOLD: Abbas EBRAHIM (IRI) df. Joseph MC KENNA (USA), 8-6

BRONZE: Khamzat ARSAMERZOUEV (FRA) df. Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR), 2-2
BRONZE: Ali RAHIMZADA (AZE) df. Goga OTINASHVILI (GEO), 6-0

70kg
GOLD: Kanan HEYBATOV (AZE) df. Sina KHALILI (IRI), 12-1

BRONZE: Austin GOMEZ (MEX) df. Ebrahim ELAHI (IRI), 9-3
BRONZE: Vasile DIACON (MDA) df. James GREEN (USA), via inj. def.

74kg
GOLD: Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) df. David CARR (USA), 4-0

BRONZE: Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN) df. Kamil RYBICKI (POL), 10-0
BRONZE: Giorgi ELBAKIDZE (GEO) df. Aghanazar NOVRUZOV (AZE), 3-2

86kg
GOLD: Zahid VALENCIA (USA) df. Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE), 8-0

BRONZE: Nathan JACKSON (USA) df. Matthew FINESILVER (ISR), 12-2
BRONZE: Trent HIDLAY (USA) df. Tariel GAPHRINDASHVILI (GEO), 10-4