#GC2018

Nigerians Nab Two Golds On Second Day of Commonwealth Games

Friday, April 13, 2018 - 13:38 By Eric Olanowski

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GOLD COAST, Australia (April 13) - World finalist Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR) and two-time Olympian Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) captured 2018 Commonwealth Games gold for Nigeria on the second day of competition at the Carrara Sports Arena 1. 

Adekuoroye, the 2018 African champion sang and danced her way to the tune of a second consecutive Commonwealth Games gold medal. 

After an unnecessary hands to the face call to start the bout, Adekuoroye trailed 1-0 in the opening period. The long and lengthy defending champion used her hand pressure to set up her offense and pick up six consecutive points. The three-time medalist took a 6-1 lead over Pooja DHANDA (IND) into the final period. 

Dhanda, the Youth Olympic Judo silver medalist struggled noticeably to close the distance and get through the hand defense of the Nigerian. With under a minute to go, Pooja desperately looked for an opening and found a feet to back takedown for four points off a double leg which closed the gap in the score to 6-5.  Adekuoroye came out in the top position and secured the final point of the match, ultimately winning her second crown in as many tries, 7-5. 

At 68kg, Blessing Oborududu, the 29-year-old eight-time African champion won the battle of Olympians, as she defeated Danielle LAPPAGE (CAN), 4-3 to win her first Commonwealth Games championship. 

After a very limited first period, Oborududu escaped trailing 1-0 as she failed to score on the activity clock.

Trailing 3-0 after a second period Lappage takedown, the Nigerian remained patient and scored her first points of the bout off a failed Canadian offensive attack. With 13 seconds remaining, Lappage looked to close out the match with a final takedown, but the hips of Oborududu proved to be too heavy, as she spun around for the match-winning defensive takedown. 

Overcome with raw emotion after the final whistle, the first time champion barrel rolled from the center of the mat to the coaches corner where she had to be carried back to have her hand raised. 

In the 97kg freestyle finals, Martin ERASMUS (RSA), the 22-year-old African champion nullified Mausam KHATRI’s (IND) two inside trip attempts with two four-point throws and took the commanding 8-0 lead. Erasmus tacked on another takedown to secure South Africa's first Commonwealth Games wrestling gold medal since 1958.

Bajrang BAJRANG (IND), the silver medalist from the 2014 Games showed his transition wrestling skills in the 65kg finals by picking up a takedown and immediately jumping to a left side gut wrench. 

Bajrang would repeat the sequence before capping off his gold medal performance with a duck under at the 2:20 mark to take the technical superiority victory over Kane CHARIG (WAL), 10-0.

Also of note, Kane Charig, the 26-year-old silver medalist made Commonwealth Games history, becoming Wales’ highest finisher ever! 

RESULTS
65kg
GOLD - Bajrang BAJRANG (IND) df. Kane Daniel CHARIG (WAL) , 10-0. 

BRONZE  - Amas DANIEL (NGR) df. Vincent DE MARINIS (CAN), 4-4. 
BRONZE - Charlie James BOWLING (ENG) df. Jean Guyliane Joris BANDOU (MRI),10-0. 

97kg
GOLD - Martin ERASMUS (RSA) df. Mausam KHATRI (IND), 12-2

BRONZE - Jordan STEEN (CAN) df. Samuel Stephen BELKIN (NZL), 10-0. 
BRONZE - Alexios KAOUSLIDIS (CYP) df. Soso TAMARAU (NGR), 2-1.

57kg 
GOLD -  Odunayo Folasade ADEKUOROYE (NGR)  df. Pooja DHANDA (IND), 7-5. 

BRONZE - Emily Suzanne SCHAEFER (CAN) df. Joseph Emilienne ESSOMBE TIAKO (CMR),13-3.

68kg 
GOLD - Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) df. Danielle Suzanne LAPPAGE (CAN), 4-3. 

BRONZE -  Divya KAKRAN (IND) df. Sherin SULTANA (BAN), via fall. 

#WrestleCoralville

Griman, 34, Wins Elusive Pan-Am Gold to Spoil U.S. Party

Saturday, May 9, 2026 - 09:50 By Vinay Siwach

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CORALVILLE, IOWA, United States (May 8) -- Nathali GRIMAN (VEN), 34, made her Pan-American debut in 2013, finishing fifth at 59kg in Panama City. 13 years later and wrestling at her 11th Pan-American Championships on Friday, Griman finally won the elusive gold medal.

At the Xtream Arena, Coralville, Griman's gold also spoiled what could have been a perfect day for the United States as it won the remaining five golds in Women's Wrestling.

UWW Plus

Greco-Roman also closed out with the remaining two weight classes on Friday at the Pan-American Championships as the United States won the team title with 216 points. Cuba finished second with 115 points and Brazil was third with 99 points.

The one Greco gold for the U.S. on Friday was won by Benjamin PEAK (USA) at 72kg while Olympic bronze medalist Gabriel ROSILLO (CUB) gave Cuba its third Greco gold of the tournament by reigning supreme at 97kg.

 

In the final at 62kg, Griman was up against former U20 world champion Jasmine ROBINSON (USA), who had dominated her way to the final, winning four bouts 11-1, 12-1, 10-0 and 11-0, and was clearly the favorite.

Robinson opened the final with a takedown for two points, tripping Griman at the edge of the zone. Griman was put on the activity clock soon after and as she failed to score, Robinson got a point and led 3-0 at the break. However, Griman used over-under set-up to throw Robinson and score four points 23 seconds into the second period.

Robinson scored a reversal and then a gut-wrench to quickly reclaim the lead 6-4 with 2:16 remaining in the final. Griman remained unfazed and hit a double-leg attack, lifted Robinson before slamming her on the mat for two points and a 6-6 criteria lead, thanks to her superior scoring sequence of four points earlier in the mat.

After a longish medical timeout, Robinson returned to the center but was not able to break the defense of Griman who held on and ended her wait for the gold medal.

Griman has six other medals in the tournament's history -- two silvers won in 2025 and 2023 and four bronze medals won in 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2019. It was also the first time ever that Griman won a gold medal at a United World Wrestling championships.

Amanda MARTINEZ (USA)Amanda MARTINEZ (USA) won the 57kg gold medal to be one of the five champions for the U.S. on Friday. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

The five gold-medal run for the U.S. began at 50kg as Katie GOMEZ (USA) won the final against Jacqueline MOLLOCANA (ECU), 5-3. The two were in a tangle and rolled through with both wrestlers getting two points each and Mollocana leading 2-2 on criteria.

But the Ecuador wrestler was put on activity clock in the second period and Gomez picked up a takedown during that period to lead 5-2. Mollocana kept the pressure and managed a stepout with 16 seconds remaining but could not get a takedown to win the bout.

At 55kg, U20 world champion Everest LEYDECKER (USA) won her first Pan-Am title in just 52 seconds. With only three wrestlers in the bracket, Leydecker won both her bouts with ease. She used a takedown against Josefina RAMIREZ (MEX) and then transitioned into a lace, finishing the bout.

Amanda MARTINEZ (USA) added the third gold for the U.S. by beating Luisa VALVERDE (ECU), 6-1, in the 57kg final. She scored a stepout to open the scoring and then doubled her lead with another. Valverde scored a stepout of her own just before the break, making the score 2-1.

Valverde was put on the activity clock in the second period and Martinez managed another stepout, though it was Valverde who just backpedaled out of bounds. Leading 4-1, Martinez countered a leg-attack from Valverde and scored a takedown to confirm her winning score with more than a minute left in the final.

In a low scoring final at 62kg, Adaugo NWACHUKWU (USA) held off Melanie JIMENEZ (MEX), 3-1, to claim the fourth gold of the night for the U.S. Nwachukwu was the first to go on the activity clock and she did not score in the 30-second window, giving a point to Jimenez. But the scores reversed in the second period when Jimenez was put on the activity clock and Nwachukwu also scored a stepout to lead 2-1 with 1:58 remaining.

Jimenez challenged at the end for Nwachukwu's fleeing but it was not confirmed on review, adding another point to the U.S. wrestler's score.

Precious BELL (USA) won both her bouts at 72kg via technical superiority to claim the gold medal in the three-wrestler bracket. She first defeated Michelle OLEA (MEX) and then Ellise DAYNES (CAN), winning the fifth gold for the host nation.

Rosillo Wins 3rd Pan-Am Title

In the two Greco-Roman weight categories that were competed on Friday, former world champion Rosillo defended his Pan-Am gold medal at 97kg while Peak gave the U.S. its seventh Greco gold of the tournament.

The 97kg final went on for only 2:15 but it was an action-packed bout with Rosillo securing a fall over Paris Olympian Kevin MEJIA (HON) to win the gold medal. Rosillo got the par terre position in the first period and turned Mejia to lead 3-0.

As he was trying another gut-wrench, Mejia blocked him and scored two points for exposure. He then lifted Rosillo to set up a big throw but the Cuban turned to face Mejia who, instead of a suplex, managed a bodylock throw.

Rosillo fell on top of Mejia and then held him on the mat to secure the fall with 3:45 remaining in the final. Rosillo joined Kevin DE ARMAS (CUB) at 60kg and Luis ORTA (CUB) at 67kg as Pan-Am champions for Cuba.

Peak at 72kg was in a three-wrestler bracket and won both his bouts to claim the gold medal, seventh for U.S. Greco team in Coralville. He first defeated Mauri VICENTE (BRA), 8-0, and then held on to a 4-2 win over Emerson FELIPE (GUA) to secure the title. 

Photo

RESULTS

Greco-Roman

72kg
GOLD:  Benjamin PEAK (USA)
SILVER: Emerson FELIPE (GUA)
BRONZE: Mauri VICENTE (BRA)

97kg
GOLD: Gabriel ROSILLO (CUB) df. Kevin MEJIA (HON), via fall (6-2)

BRONZE: Carlos ADAMES (DOM) df. Ricardo GOMEZ (ARG), 12-11
BRONZE: Timothy YOUNG (USA) df. Jhonny ARIAS (COL), 7-2

Women's Wrestling

50kg
GOLD: Katie GOMEZ (USA) df. Jacqueline MOLLOCANA (ECU), 5-3

BRONZE: Thalia OLIVEIRA (BRA) df. Nohalis LOYO (VEN), 7-6
BRONZE: Madison PARKS (CAN) df. Nathaly HERRERA (PER), 8-0

55kg
GOLD: Everest LEYDECKER (USA)
SILVER: Josefina RAMIREZ (MEX)
BRONZE: Amber WIEBE (CAN)

57kg
GOLD: Amanda MARTINEZ (USA) df. Luisa VALVERDE (ECU), 6-1

BRONZE: Bertha ROJAS (MEX) df. Yocleidy RAMIREZ (DOM), 5-2
BRONZE: Yaynelis SANZ (CUB) df. Giullia PENALBER (BRA), 4-0

62kg
GOLD: Adaugo NWACHUKWU (USA) df. Melanie JIMENEZ (MEX), 3-1

BRONZE: Astrid MONTERO (VEN) df. Lais NUNES (BRA), 2-1

68kg
GOLD: Nathali GRIMAN (VEN) df. Jasmine ROBINSON (USA), 6-6

BRONZE: Virginia JIMENEZ (CHI) df. Maria CEBALLOS (COL), 9-0

72kg
GOLD: Precious BELL (USA)
SILVER: Ellise DAYNES (CAN)
BRONZE: Michelle OLEA (MEX)