#WrestleOttawa

Multiple World and Olympic Champions to Compete at Pan American Olympic Qualifier

Wednesday, March 11, 2020 - 02:27 By Taylor GREGORIO

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Photo of David TAYLOR (USA). 

The 2020 Pan American Olympic Qualifier is set for this March 13-15 in Ottawa, Canada. The event serves as a qualifier for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics as the top-two from each bracket will earn a bid for their country at the respective weight.

The Pan Am Olympic Qualifier is the second of three qualifying phases. The first was the 2019 World Championships, where the top-six from each Olympic weight qualified for Tokyo. The final event is the World Olympic Qualifier in Sofia, Bulgaria, scheduled for later this year.

Action begins on Friday with all six Greco-Roman weights, followed by women’s freestyle on Saturday and wrapping up with men’s freestyle on Sunday. Fans can watch the action live on unitedworldwrestling.org.

Men’s freestyle
Qualified: Colombia (86 kg), United States (74 kg, 97 kg)

57 kg
Highlighting this weight class is 2017 and 2019 U23 World champion Reineri ANDREU ORTEGA (CUB), who won the Pan American Championships last week in Ottawa.

Also in the mix is 2017 World silver medalist Thomas GILMAN (USA) and 2020 Pan Am bronze medalist Juan RAMIREZ BELTRE (DOM).

65 kg
Leading this weight class is 2017 and 2018 World bronze medalist Alejandro VALDES TOBIER (CUB), who is also a 2019 Pan American Games champion.

Three of last week’s medalists will compete this weekend, including silver medalist Mauricio Javier SANCHEZ SALTOS (ECU) and bronze medalists Agustin Alejandro DESTRIBATS (ARG) and Sixto Miguel AUCCAPINA PEDRAGAS (PER).

The 2020 Pan Am champion John Michael DIAKOMIHALIS (USA) is not registered for the Pan American Olympic Qualifier. Instead, it will be 2012 Cadet World champion Zain RETHERFORD (USA).

74 kg
There are two past World medalists registered at 74 kg, Jeandry GARZON CABALLERO (CUB) and Franklin GOMEZ MATOS (PUR).

Garzon is a 2007 World silver runner-up and three-time World bronze winner (2005, 2006, 2010), while Gomez won silver at the 2011 World Championships.

Last week, Gomez was the Pan Am runner-up, and Garzon finished with bronze. Both lost to Jordan BURROUGHS (USA), who qualified the United States at 74 kg with a bronze-medal finish at the 2019 World Championships.

Also wrestling this week is Anthony Jose MONTERO CHIRINOS (VEN), who won 2020 Pan American bronze.

86 kg
2018 World champion David TAYLOR (USA) returns to competition for the first time since his title run at the 2018 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

Joining him at the weight are 2020 Pan American champions Yurieski TORREBLANCA QUERALTA (CUB) and Angus Patrick ARTHUR (JAM). Torreblanca won at 86 kg, and Arthur became the first Jamaican to claim Pan Am gold, winning the 92 kg bracket last week.

Other medalists from the Pan Am Championships that will compete are silver medalist Pool Edinson AMBROCIO GREIFO (PER) and Clayton Steven PYE (CAN).

Already qualified at this weight for the Olympic Games is Carlos IZQUIERDO MENDEZ (COL) after taking fifth at the 2019 Worlds.

97 kg
The favorite at this weight is two-time World silver medalist and 2010 World bronze winner Reineris SALAS PEREZ (CUB). Last week, he fell in the 2020 Pan Am finals Kyle SNYDER (USA), who already qualified the United States for the Olympics with a bronze medal at 2019 Worlds.

Pan Am runner-up at 92 kg Maxwell Lemar LACEY GARITA (CRC) will bump up to 97 kg this week in attempt to qualify Costa Rica for the Games for the first time in the nation’s history.

Also competing is 2020 Pan Am bronze medalist Luis Miguel PEREZ SOSA (DOM).

125 kg
Nick GWIAZDOWSKI (USA) heads into the heavyweight bracket with the most freestyle success, owning 2017 and 2018 World bronze medals as well as the 2019 Pan Am Games title.

However, looking to dethrone him is three-time World medalist in Greco-Roman Oscar PINO HINDS (CUB), who won silver at the 2019 Worlds and bronzes in 2017 and 2018.

Because of his silver medal in Kazakhstan, Pino qualified Cuba for the 130 kg weight in Greco for the Olympics. This weekend, he looks to qualify another weight for Cuba, taking on freestyle this season. Last week, he won bronze at the Pan Am Championships.

2020 Pan Am silver medalist Amarveer DHESI (CAN) is also expected to compete at the weight. Dhesi is a 2014 Junior World champion.

Photo of Erica WIEBE (CAN). 

Women’s freestyle
Qualified: United States (68 kg, 76 kg)

50 kg
This weight features World champion Jessica Anne Marie MACDONALD (CAN), who also owns bronze medals from the 2011 and 2013 World Championships.

Looking to shake up the bracket is 2018 World runner-up at 53 kg Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA), who is making the transition down to 50 kg for the Olympic year. Hildebrandt was the 2019 Pan Am Games champion and holds four Pan Am Championships gold medals.

There are three medalists from last week that are entered, including silver medalist Carolina CASTILLO HIDALGO (COL) and bronze medalists Kamila BARBOSA VITO DA SILVA (BRA) and Jacqueline Del Rocio MOLLOCANA ELENO (ECU).

Additionally, 2019 Pan American Championships winner and 2019 Pan Am Games silver medalist Yusneylis GUZMAN LOPEZ (CUB) will compete.

53 kg
The 2019 World champion at 55 kg, Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA), is also moving down a weight class and is registered at 53 kg.

She’ll be met with other talents like past Pan Am medalists Samantha Leigh STEWART (CAN), Lianna de la Caridad MONTERO HERRERA (CUB) and Luisa Elizabeth VALVERDE MELENDRES (ECU).

Stewart is a 2016 Pan American champion. This weekend will mark her first continental event since she won her title.

2019 Pan Am Games bronze medalist Montero enters the bracket fresh off a silver-medal finish at the 2020 Pan Am Championships.

Winning the 2020 title was Valverde, who is also a 2011 Cadet World bronze medalist.

57 kg
Highlighting this weight is 2016 Olympic champion Helen MAROULIS (USA), who is competing in her first Pan Am event since 2012. Maroulis is also a 2015 and 2017 World champion. She took the 2019 season off, and is back for the Olympic year.

Reigning World champion and 2016 World bronze medalist Linda MORAIS (CAN) is also in the mix as well as 2019 Pan Am Games champion Lissette Alexandra ANTES CASTILLO (ECU) and 2020 Pan Am bronze medalist Betzabeth Rebeca SARCO COLMENAREZ (VEN).

62 kg
Leading the way in international credentials is two-time Olympic bronze medalist and 2017 World bronze winner Jackeline RENTERIA CASTILLO (COL). Last week, Renteria was seventh at the 2020 Pan Am Championships.

Another World medalist set to compete is 2017 bronze winner Michelle Christina FAZZARI (CAN).

2019 Pan American Games champion Kayla MIRACLE (USA) will represent the United States, rather than the 2020 Pan Am winner Mallory VELTE.

68 kg
There are a pair of World medalists entered at 68 kg, including Danielle Suzanne LAPPAGE (CAN) and Yudari SANCHEZ RODRIGUEZ (CUB).

Lappage is a 2018 Senior World silver medalist. This week marks her first Senior Pan American event as she seeks to qualify her country for Tokyo.

Fresh off a silver-medal finish performance, Sanchez goes into the weekend with three age-group World medals: 2018 U23 gold, 2017 Junior silver and 2017 U23 bronze.

Also at this weight is 2020 Pan Am champion Yanet Ursula SOVERO NINO (PER) and 2020 Pan Am bronze winner Maria Jose ACOSTA ACOSTA (VEN).

The United States is already qualified at this weight, thanks to a Tamyra MENSAH-STOCK, who won gold at the 2019 Worlds.

76 kg
Another Olympic champion in the women’s field comes at 76 kg, where Erica WIEBE (CAN) is slated to compete this weekend. The Canadian is also a 2018 World bronze medalist.

An up-and-coming talent hitting the mat this week is 2019 Junior and U23 World champion Milaimys de la Caridad MARIN POTRILLE (CUB), who had a strong effort in a loaded Pan Am Championships bracket and finished fifth last week.

Marin fell in the bronze-medal match to 2014 World silver medalist Aline DA SILVA FERREIRA (BRA), who will also compete in Ottawa this week.

2020 Pan Am bronze medalist Andrea Carolina OLAYA GUTIERREZ (COL) is also registered.

The United States also earned a bid to Tokyo at 76 kg, when Adeline GRAY claimed gold at the 2019 World Championships. It was her fifth World title.

Photo of Gabriel ROSILLO KINDELAN (CUB). 

Greco-Roman
Qualified: Cuba (67 kg, 130 kg)

60 kg
There are multiple Pan American champions that will compete for a qualification spot at 60 kg, including 2020 champion Dicther Hans TORO CASTANEDA (COL), 2019 champion Luis Alberto ORTA SANCHEZ (CUB) and 2015 and 2019 Pan Am Games champion Andres Roberto MONTANO ARROYO (ECU).

Also competing is 2019 Pan Am Games bronze medalist Ildar HAFIZOV (USA) and 2020 bronze medalists Jancel Miguel PIMENTEL GONZALEZ (DOM) and Emerson Isaias FELIPE ORDONEZ (GUA).

67 kg
There are three 2020 Pan American Championships medalists returning to competition this weekend.

Joilson DE BRITO RAMOS JUNIOR (BRA) won silver at 72 kg last weekend and will move down to 67 kg this weekend.

Cristhian Alberto RIVAS CASTRO (ECU) and Alejandro SANCHO (USA), who each won bronze at the championships are scheduled to compete in the Olympic Qualifier.

The 2020 Pan Am champ Ismael BORRERO MOLINA (CUB) will not compete as he already qualified Cuba for Tokyo after winning gold at the 2019 Worlds. Borrero is a 2016 Olympic champion and also won the 2015 World title.

77 kg
Yosvanys PENA FLORES (CUB) and Patrick SMITH (USA) traded wins at the 2020 Pan American Championships, with Smith winning the matchup in pool action and Pena ultimately claiming the title over Smith in the finals.

Pena also won the 2019 Pan American Championships, and later that year, Smith emerged with gold at the 20019 Pan American Games.

Both will wrestle again this weekend.

Also expected to compete is 2020 Pan Am bronze medalist Wuileixis de Jesus RIVAS ESPINOZA (VEN), who is a 2019 Pan Am Games runner-up.

87 kg
Bringing World medals to the weight is Daniel GREGORICH HECHAVARRIA (CUB), who is a 2018 U23 silver medalist and 2019 U23 bronze winner. Last week, he finished fifth at the Pan Am Championships, forfeiting in the bronze match.

Winning the 2020 Pan Am title was Josef RAU (USA. En route to his win last week, Rau defeated 2019 Pan Am Games champion Luis Eduardo AVENDANO ROJAS (VEN), who will also wrestle in the Qualifier.

Two other 2020 Pan Am medalists will compete, including silver medalist Carlos Andres MUNOZ JARAMILLO (COL) and bronze medalist Lesyan Osvaldo COUSIN OTOMURO (JAM).

97 kg
We will likely see another entertaining rivalry at 97 kg as the 2020 Pan Am champion G’Angelo HANCOCK (USA) and 2020 runner-up Gabriel Alejandro ROSILLO KINDELAN (CUB) will be back at it this weekend.

Similar to Pena and Smith at 77 kg, Hancock and Rosillo went head-to-head twice in the Pan Am Championships, with Rosillo winning in the pool action but Hancock getting the victory in the finals.

Both own age-group World medals with Rosillo claiming gold at the 2019 Junior Worlds and Hancock owning bronze from the 2016 Junior Worlds.

Another World medalist in the mix is Kevin MEJIA CASTILLO (HON), who finished fourth at the Pan Am Championships. Defeating Mejia in the bronze match was Luillys Jose PEREZ MORA (VEN), who is also registered for this weekend.

130 kg
Two World medalists highlight the field in Yasmani ACOSTA FERNANDEZ (CHI) and Adam COON (USA).

Acosta won bronze at the 2017 World Championships, and Coon earned silver in the 2018 Worlds.

The American is fresh off producing a silver medal at the 2020 Pan Ams, while Acosta entered the event but did not compete.

Both 2020 Pan Am bronze winners are registered: Leo Dalis SANTANA HEREDIA (DOM) and Moises Salvador PEREZ HELLBURG (VEN).

Cuba is already qualified at the weight, thanks to a silver medal from Oscar PINO HINDS at the 2019 World Championships. This weekend, Pino will compete in freestyle in attempt to qualify Cuba for the Olympic Games at 125 kg.

 

#JapanWrestling

Two-time Olympic champ Risako Kinjo brings curtain down on stellar career

Sunday, October 12, 2025 - 23:14 By Ken Marantz

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TOKYO, Japan (October 12) -- Risako KINJO (JPN), who won two Olympic gold medals under her maiden name of Kawai before capturing a fourth world title last year after giving birth, officially announced her retirement over the weekend.

"I felt that I had experienced everything that was good about being a wrestler," the 31-year-old Kinjo told the Japanese media Sunday on bringing down the curtain on one of wrestling's most sterling careers. "I felt fulfilled and happy with a life in which wrestling was my passion."

Kinjo also revealed that she is pregnant with her second child as she spoke to the media at the Japan Women's Open in Akitsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, where she was coaching younger sister Yukako TSUNEMURA (JPN), who was returning to the mat for the first time since becoming a mother herself.

Kinjo first announced her retirement on her Instagram account on Saturday night, stating that in the 24 years since she started wrestling at age 7, "I have had good experiences and bad, highs and lows. But to win four world championships and two consecutive Olympics was all due to the support and encouragement of many people. I thank them all."

Kinjo first struck Olympic gold at 63kg at Rio in 2016, then won out in a duel that captivated the wrestling world with fellow Rio and four-time Olympic champion Kaori ICHO (JPN) for the 57kg spot at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, where she took home a second gold.

Of the clash of the titans with Icho, Kawai remarked, "I had no more difficult period than that. I'm glad I was able to experience it."

In the Tokyo semifinals, Kinjo had to face yet another Rio gold medalist in Helen MAROULIS (USA), who had moved up from 53kg. Kinjo came away with a 2-1 win, then defeated Iryna KURACHKINA (UWW) 5-0 for the gold.

With Yukako also winning the 62kg gold, it elevated the Kawai sisters to celebrity status in the host country. The two got their start in the sport at the kids' club run by their mother. Both of their parents were national-level wrestlers.

Soon after Tokyo, Risako married former wrestler Kiryu KINJO, and in May 2022, gave birth to a baby girl. Instead of settling down to a domestic life, motherhood lit a fresh flame to continue the sport.

"I had originally planned to win the Tokyo Olympics and then retire gracefully," Kinjo said. "I even told people around me that I would quit after the Tokyo Olympics. But when I got married and got pregnant, I felt that my body wasn't only my own, and I wanted to continue wrestling.

"While I was pregnant, I watched Yukako's matches and thought to myself, 'If it were me, I would do it like this,' so after my child was born, I decided to try it again."

Her bid to win a third straight Olympic gold in Paris, however, was derailed by the reigning world 57kg champion Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN), who went on to triumph in the French capital.

Rebuffing speculation that the loss would mark her swan song, she showed her passion for the sport by sticking around. With the incentive of wanting to have her daughter see her compete and make some history, she had no qualms about moving into the non-Olympic weight of 59kg.

She suffered a setback of sorts at the Asian Championships in April 2024, when she lost to Qi ZHANG (CHN) in the semifinals and had to settle for a bronze medal.

But she righted the ship at the Non-Olympic Weight World Championships in October that year in Tirana, Albania, where she cruised into the 59kg final and defeated Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL) 4-2.

"No one from Japan had ever achieved becoming a 'world No. 1 as a mama', and it would be ideal if I could do it," Kinjo recalled thinking. "When I accomplished it at the World Championships last October, as soon as it was over I thought there is nothing else that I want."

That victory added to the three consecutive senior world golds that she won from 2017 to 2019. She also has a silver from 2015, and her laurels include a world cadet (U17) gold and two world junior (U20) titles, and she was a four-time Asian champion.

Kinjo was a star at Shigakkan University during its golden era as the elite powerhouse of women's wrestling in Japan, also producing such greats as Icho, Saori YOSHIDA (JPN), Eri TOSAKA (JPN), Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN) and Sara DOSHO (JPN).

Looking ahead, she says her focus will be on raising her new baby while staying involved in the sport.

"Right now I am eight months pregnant, and first and foremost I will put my full efforts into proper childcare. And at the same time, I will be Yukako's coach and always maintain a link to wrestling," she said.

At the Japan Women's Open, a second-tier event that offers qualifying spots at the All-Japan Championships, Yukako showed she still has some rust to be knocked off. Entered at 59kg, she won her first two matches before falling to high schooler Miuna KIMURA (JPN) 4-1 in the semifinals.

The tournament also saw the return of Sakurai for her first competition since winning the gold in Paris. She needed three wins to take the 57kg title, defeating collegian Himeka HASEGAWA (JPN) 5-0 in the final.