#WomensDay2022

Olympic Champ Focken: Women Inspire Women

Monday, March 7, 2022 - 19:00 By Aline Focken

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CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (March 8) -- Happy International Women's Day to all the great women wrestlers worldwide! And to those great people who empower these women to live their dreams -- the mothers, grandmothers, sisters, coaches and friends who support our strong women in their internal and external development -- we could not do this wonderful sport without you. 

Now, to all of you strong girls and women worldwide; I know there's resistance, and there are so many obstacles that you have to overcome. I know that not everyone supports what you do and that it is much harder for women to convince people of our great potential. However, do not worry about them. I have experienced this for many years. Just know that these are not your limitations but theirs.

Germany is a modern and progressive country but women who wrestle are still a minority.

I started wrestling when I was four years old and was the only girl wrestling with 40-50 boys for over 15 years. Of course, it was hard. Many boys were always trying to beat me up, and they did. Nevertheless, I worked harder and listened to my coaches, ultimately becoming my country, state and club's most successful wrestler ever.

Moreover, I married, had many friends -- inside and outside the sport -- and earned a master's degree without being "a right woman."

Suddenly, I earned everyone's respect.

Smile at those critical people, pick the right individuals willing to help and work professionally with you, and show them what you got.

Yes, we are far from having the same rights and chances as men anywhere in the world but I think we are on the right path. It's getting better and better.

Just 18 years ago, the Olympic Games welcomed women's wrestling as a sport with four weight classes. Nine years later, we grew to six Olympic weight classes and our style is growing faster than ever. More and more countries are promoting and developing women's wrestling, which excites me to see where we'll be in 10 years.

But we need more strong and brave women going this way to show every critic that we are worth being promoted.

Despite the obstacles and years of hard work, I will never regret choosing this way. Nothing else has taught me more in life than wrestling. There's no better feeling than beating up on the boys and showing the entire world our capabilities!  

So, keep going, tell all the little girls how beautiful wrestling is and enjoy every minute of your journey! You are already the best role models for so many people out there and you should be proud of how far you have come!

[Aline FOCKEN (GER) won the 76kg gold medal at the Tokyo Games and became Germany's first-ever Olympic champion]

#WrestleMonterrey

Pan-American Championships 2025 Entries

Tuesday, April 29, 2025 - 17:09 By United World Wrestling Press

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MONTERREY, Mexico (April 29) -- The Pan-American Championships will be held from May 8 to 11 in Monterrey, Mexico.

The competition will see 201 wrestlers in 30 weight classes with the United States, Canada and Cuba bringing strong squads.

The Pan-Ams will be live on UWW+ and FloWrestling with live matches and highlights.

Follow United World Wrestling on Instagram, X, Facebook, YouTube and TikTok.

Note: The entries are preliminary and subject to change. For final entries on the day of the competition, refer to UWW Arena

Greco-Roman

55kg
Isaac MARIN MATA (MEX)
Jayden RANEY (USA)

60kg
Pedro DE SOUZA (BRA)
Patrick RODRIGUEZ QUINTO (ECU)
Diego TERRIQUEZ IBARRA (MEX)
Andres ANDRADE (PAN)
Maxwell BLACK (USA)
Yonaiker MARTINEZ CRAVO (VEN)

63kg
Matias MUNOZ RAMIREZ (CHI)
Jeremy PERALTA GONZALEZ (ECU)
Emerson FELIPE ORDONEZ (GUA)
Angel SEGURA TELLEZ (MEX)
Lisandro CABRERA ORTIZ (PAR)
Ellis COLEMAN (USA)

67kg
Joao DE JESUS SILVA (BRA)
Nestor ALMANZA TRUYOL (CHI)
Luis ORTA (CUB)
Andres MONTANO ARROYO (ECU)
Donavan SOLORZANO AMAYA (HON)
Osvaldo YANEZ SILVA (MEX)
Royglen TEMPLE BATISTA (PAN)
Marco FERNANDEZ CUBAS (PER)
Alston NUTTER (USA)
Neiser MARIMON HIDALGO (VEN)

72kg
Luis GUALLPA SUQUILEMA (ECU)
Cristian MEJIA TEPEN (GUA)
Luis BARRIOS ROCHEZ (HON)
Marquis LARMOND (JAM)
Jorge GOMEZ GARCIA (MEX)
Wilfrido SAMANIEGO QUIJADA (PAN)
Nilton SOTO GARCIA (PER)
Alejandro SANCHO (USA)

77kg
Arsen JULFALAKYAN (ARG)
Calebe CORREA FERREIRA (BRA)
Eduardo BERNAL MOLINA (CHI)
Oscar BARRIOS ROCHEZ (HON)
Alexis VARGAS RAMIREZ (MEX)
Ryan CUBAS CASTILLO (PER)
Kamal BEY (USA)
Leomar CORDERO DEPOOL (VEN)

82kg
David CHOC HUOC (GUA)
Diego MACIAS TORRES (MEX)
Beka MELELASHVILI (USA)

87kg
Sosruko KODZOKOV (BRA)
Ariel ALFONSO RODRIGUEZ (HON)
Omar MENDOZA DE RAMON (MEX)
Eduardo VEGA GARCIA (PAN)
Carlos ESPINOZA CASTRO (PER)
Payton JACOBSON (USA)
Luis AVENDANO ROJAS (VEN)

97kg
Ricardo GOMEZ (ARG)
Igor ALVES DE QUEIROZ (BRA)
Gabriel ROSILLO KINDELAN (CUB)
Kevin MEJIA (HON)
Dorian TREJO OLGUIN (MEX)
Gabriel LEE SKINNER (PAN)
Michial FOY (USA)
Luillys PEREZ MORA (VEN)

130kg
Eduard SOGHOMONYAN (BRA)
Diego ALMENDRAS RODRIGUEZ (CHI)
Oscar PINO (CUB)
Leonidas MANZABA QUINONEZ (ECU)
Gino AVILA DILBERT (HON)
Juan HERRERA (MEX)
Cohlton SCHULTZ (USA)
Moises PEREZ HELLBURG (VEN)

Lucia YEPEZ (ECU)Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) will compete for the first time since winning the silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Women's Wrestling

50kg
Kamila BARBOSA (BRA)
Madison PARKS (CAN)
Yusneylis GUZMAN LOPEZ (CUB)
Jacqueline MOLLOCANA (ECU)
Linda CASTANEDA GAONA (MEX)
Yorlenis MORAN SANCHEZ (PAN)
Antuaneth CASUSOL CASAS (PER)
Audrey JIMENEZ (USA)
Nohalis LOYO JIMENEZ (VEN)

53kg
Adrianny CASTILLO (ARG)
Sabrina GAMA TAPAJOS (BRA)
Serena DI BENEDETTO (CAN)
Yaynelis SANZ VERDECIA (CUB)
Lucia YEPEZ (ECU)
Josefina RAMIREZ DUARTE (MEX)
Yusneiry AGRAZAL (PAN)
Nathaly HERRERA HUACRE (PER)
Jaslynn GALLEGOS (USA)
Mariana ROJAS (VEN)

55kg
Geisa RAPHAEL VELOSO (BRA)
Karla GODINEZ (CAN)
Andrea AVELINO BARRIENTOS (MEX)
Louisa SCHWAB (USA)

57kg
Camila AMARILLA (ARG)
Ana PEREIRA FRANCA (BRA)
Mia FRIESEN (CAN)
Yaynelis SANZ VERDECIA (CUB)
Luisa VALVERDE (ECU)
Bertha ROJAS (MEX)
Martha OLIVARES BENDEZU (PER)
Amanda MARTINEZ (USA)
Mayra PARRA ALVAREZ (VEN)

59kg
Laurence BEAUREGARD (CAN)
Karla RAMOS (MEX)
Abigail NETTE (USA)

62kg
Juliana NEPER (BRA)
Ana GODINEZ (CAN)
Leonela GRUEZO ORTIZ (ECU)
Melanie JIMENEZ (MEX)
Savannah COSME (USA)
Astrid MONTERO (VEN)

65kg
Leticia GAION (BRA)
Miki ROWBOTTOM (CAN)
Elide CASTANON BUENDIA (MEX)
Macey KILTY (USA)

68kg
Grabriela PEDRO (BRA)
Vanessa KEEFE (CAN)
Virginia JIMENEZ (CHI)
Debanhi TAPIA GARCIA (MEX)
Kennedy BLADES (USA)
Nathaly GRIMAN HERRERA (VEN)

72kg
Nyla BURGESS (CAN)
Michelle OLEA RUIZ (MEX)
Tiffani BAUBLITZ (USA)

76kg
Linda MACHUCA (ARG)
Thamires MARTINS MACHADO (BRA)
Vianne ROULEAU (CAN)
Milaimy MARIN POTRILLE (CUB)
Genesis REASCO (ECU)
Edna JIMENEZ (MEX)
Kylie WELKER (USA)
Neirili BANGUERO MARTINEZ (VEN)

Agustin DESTRIBATS (ARG)Agustin DESTRIBATS (ARG) is one of the favorites to win gold at 65kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / William Bain)

Freestyle

57kg
Davi SILVA GIOVANNETTI (BRA)
Christopher MERLO (CAN)
Esteban MORALES MAYANCHA (ECU)
Edwin SEGURA GUERRA (GUA)
Roman BRAVO YOUNG (MEX)
Eduardo PALAS SEQUEIROS (PER)
Lucas RODRIGUEZ (PUR)
Liam CORNIN (USA)
Pedro MEJIAS RODRIGUEZ (VEN)

61kg
Garette SAUNDERS (CAN)
Peter HAMMER (CRC)
Joshua KRAMER (ECU)
Esteban PEREZ (GUA)
Enrique OLVERA (MEX)
Andres ANDRADE (PAN)
Diego VILLALBA (PAR)
Joseph SILVA (PUR)
Jaxen FORREST (USA)

65kg
Agustin DESTRIBATS (ARG)
Matheus DA LUZ (BRA)
Peiman BIABANI (CAN)
Matias MUNOZ (CHI)
Jonnathan PEREZ (GUA)
Jordan MITCHELL (JAM)
Diego PERAZA AGUILAR (MEX)
Joseph MCKENNA (USA)
Wilfredo RODRIGUEZ (VEN)

70kg
Edvanilson CONCEICAO (BRA)
Jacob ALEXANDER TORRES (CAN)
Jorge GATICA (CHI)
Enrique PEREZ CASTELLANOS (GUA)
Donavan SOLORZANO (HON)
Marquis LARMOND (JAM)
Austin GOMEZ (MEX)
Royglen TEMPLE BATISTA (PAN)
Sixto AUCCAPINA PEDRAGAS (PER)
Francisco GUZMAN VELAZQUEZ (PUR)
Ian PARKER (USA)

74kg
Paulo GONCALVES DA SILVA (BRA)
Adam THOMSON (CAN)
Geannis GARZON (CUB)
Mauricio SANCHEZ SALTOS (ECU)
Luis BARRIOS ROCHEZ (HON)
Alonzo SMILEY GARCIA (MEX)
Wilfrido SAMANIEGO QUIJADA (PAN)
Jhon CHUNGA CARRENO (PER)
Ladarion LOCKETT (USA)
Anthony MONTERO CHIRINOS (VEN)

79kg
Jasmit PHULKA (CAN)
Victor HERNANDEZ LUNA (MEX)
Jose AMBROCIO GREIFO (PER)
Shane JONES (PUR)
Evan WICK (USA)

86kg
Jorge LLANO (ARG)
Giovanni GAION (BRA)
Taran GORING (CAN)
Jorge ANDY TIWI (ECU)
Cesar UBICO ESTRADA (GUA)
Kevin DE LEON TREVINO (MEX)
Jesus LANDA CESPEDES (PER)
Ethan RAMOS (PUR)
Zahid VALENCIA (USA)
Steven RODRIGUEZ TORREYES (VEN)

92kg
Andrew JOHNSON (CAN)
Miguel LAVIELLE RAMIREZ (MEX)
Eduardo VEGA GARCIA (PAN)
Edwin MORALES (PUR)
Trent HIDLAY (USA)

97kg
Ricardo BAEZ (ARG)
Ailton BRITO ROCHA (BRA)
Nishan RANDHAWA (CAN)
Arturo SILOT TORRES (CUB)
Juan ITURRIZA RUIZ (MEX)
Justin RADEMACHER (USA)
Cristian SARCO COLMENAREZ (VEN)

125kg
Gabriel DE SOUSA SILVA (BRA)
Richard DESCHATELETS (CAN)
Maxwell LACEY GARITA (CRC)
Gino AVILA DILBERT (HON)
Nicolas SANTACRUZ RABAGO (MEX)
Jonovan SMITH (PUR)
Wyatt HENDRICKSON (USA)
Jose DIAZ ROBERTTI (VEN)