Lima, Peru

Olympic Champion Ismael Borrero Molina Seeks Fourth Pan Am Title

By Taylor Miller

LIMA, Peru – 2016 Olympic champion Ismael BORRERO MOLINA (CUB) heads to the Pan American Championships finals for the fourth time, looking to claim his fourth Pan Am gold, after a dominant day on Thursday in Lima, Peru.

Borrero, who last competed in the event in 2014, dominated the 67 kg bracket without surrendering a single point. In his first match, he rolled through 2017 Pan Am silver medalist Luis Alfredo DE LEON (DOM) with a 10-0 technical fall. He followed it up with tech falls over Joseph DASHOU (CAN) and 2017 Junior Pan Am winner Joilson DE BRITO RAMOS JUNIOR (BRA).

Borrero will face off against Manuel Alejandro LOPEZ SALCERO (MEX), a two-time Pan American Championships medalist.

Two other Cubans sealed spots in the finals, including Luis Alberto ORTA SANCHEZ (CUB) at 60 kg and 2017 World bronze winner Oscar PINO HINDS (CUB) at 130 kg.

Pino, who defeated fellow 2017 World bronze medalist Yasmani ACOSTA FERNANDEZ (CHI) earlier today, is competing for his third-consecutive Pam Am gold. He’ll face Robert SMITH (USA), who has produced two top-five finishes at the World Championships.

In addition to Smith, three Americans will be fighting for gold tonight, including Max NOWRY, Ryan MANGO and Ravaughn PERKINS. All three were perfect in round-robin action on Thursday morning.

At 55 kg, Nowry, a 2012 University champion, will take on Sargis KHACHATRYAN (BRA), who is a native of Armenia. Khachatryan was also perfect in the morning session. Winner of this matchup takes gold.

Perkins will also face an undefeated opponent in Wuileixis de Jesus RIVAS ESPINOZA (VEN) in the 72 kg finals. Rivas Espinoza is a 2014 Pan Am Championships gold medalist, 2015 Pan Am Games gold medalist and three-time Pan Am bronze winner.

Regardless of the outcome of his match against Adam MACFADYEN (CAN), undefeated Mango will be named the winner at 63 kg based on head-to-head wins.

At 97 kg, Luillys Jose PEREZ MORA (VEN) is heading to the finals for the third year in a row. He owns silver medals form the 2016 and 2017 tournaments. In search of his first title, Perez will face Kevin MEJIA CASTILLO (HON), who won the 2017 Central American and Carribbean Games in both freestyle and Greco-Roman.

The finals are set for 7 p.m. U.S. ET and can be watched live on unitedworldwrestling.org.

FINALS MATCHUPS
55 kg – Round five matches
Sargis KHACHATRYAN (BRA) vs. Max Emiliano NOWRY (USA)
Mauricio David PLAZA SANCHEZ (MEX) vs. Javier Eduardo BARRERA PALACIOS (PER)

60 kg
GOLD - Jancel Miguel PIMENTEL GONZALEZ (DOM) vs. Luis Alberto ORTA SANCHEZ (CUB)
BRONZE - Andres Roberto MONTANO ARROYO (ECU) vs. Dicther Hans TORO CASTANEDA (COL)
BRONZE - Cristhian PARAVECINO NAVARRO (PER) vs. Marat GARIPOV (BRA)

63 kg – Round five matches
Ryan Robert MANGO (USA) vs. Adam Takahashi MACFADYEN (CAN)
Gerardo Francisco OLIVA MONTES (PER) vs. Mauri VICENTE SILVERIO JUNIOR (BRA)

67 kg
GOLD - Manuel Alejandro LOPEZ SALCERO (MEX) vs. Ismael BORRERO MOLINA (CUB)
BRONZE - Luis Alfredo DE LEON (DOM) vs. Joilson DE BRITO RAMOS JUNIOR (BRA)
BRONZE - Jose Alejandro VARELA GARCIA (GUA) vs. Mario Bernardo MOLINA CORTEZ (PER)

72 kg – Round five matches
Ravaughn Richard Ravelle PERKINS (USA) vs. Wuileixis de Jesus RIVAS ESPINOZA (VEN)
David PEREIRA BARBOSA (BRA) vs. Fernando VICENTE GOMEZ (MEX)

97 kg
GOLD - Luillys Jose PEREZ MORA (VEN) vs. Kevin MEJIA CASTILLO (HON)
BRONZE - Charles Zachary MERRILL (PUR) vs. Oscar LOANGO SOLIS (COL)
BRONZE - Lester Josue ENRIQUEZ CALDERON (GUA) vs. Gabriel Alejandro ROSILLO KINDELAN (CUB)

130 kg
GOLD - Robert Timothy David SMITH (USA) vs. Oscar PINO HINDS (CUB)
BRONZE - Edgardo Juan LOPEZ MORELL (PUR) vs. Yasmani ACOSTA FERNANDEZ (CHI)
BRONZE - Jose Noel ERAZO HENRIQUEZ (ESA) vs. Luis Alberto ROMAN BARRIOS (MEX)

#WrestleTirana

Ukraine Puts Four in Women's Finals at Europeans

By Vinay Siwach

TIRANA, Albania (April 22) -- Ukraine kicked off Women's Wrestling at the European Championships with four finalists in five weight classes, including two defending champions in Tirana.

Oksana LIVACH (UKR), defending champion at 50kg, and Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR), defending champion at 76kg, returned to the finals, while Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR) and Mariia VYNNYK (UKR) made it to the 55kg and 59kg gold-medal bouts.

At 68kg, the only weight class in which Ukraine did not get a finalist, a blockbuster final is set between U23 world champion Nesrin BAS (TUR) and defending champion Alina SHAUCHUK (UWW).

Livach used her aggressive style to score multiple stepouts in her 6-2 victory over Elizaveta SMIRNOVA (UWW), setting up a rematch of the 2025 European final against Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR), who was at her defensive best against Emilia GRIGORE VUC (ROU) and won 6-0.

Alpyeyeva reached the final after a clinical 4-0 victory over Martina KUENZ (AUT) in the semifinal. She will now face former European champion Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU), who moved past Enrica RINALDI (ITA), 3-1, in a low-scoring semifinal.

Malanchuk at 55kg came alive in the second period, scoring six points and securing a fall over U23 world silver medalist Tuba DEMIR (TUR). She led 1-1 on criteria at the break, then hit a double-leg attack and tried to hold Demir on the mat for a fall, but she survived.

Demir tried a leg attack, but Malanchuk countered and held her on the mat to secure the fall with 1:45 remaining.

She will now face former European champion Andreea ANA (ROU), who saw off Mihaela SAMOIL (MDA), 10-0, in the other semifinal.

Vynnyk, who was all but beaten in the semifinal against Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE), 6-2, tripped the Azerbaijan wrestler with less than 10 seconds remaining to claim a stunning victory and reach the 59kg final. After the trip, Vynnyk also scored exposure points.

She will now face Jowita WRZESIEN (POL), who defeated Svetlana LIPATOVA (UWW), 4-2, in a low-scoring bout. Wrzesien led 3-1 and was in danger of giving up a takedown when Lipatova attacked on a single leg. However, the Polish wrestler defended well and gave up only a stepout. Lipatova challenged but lost, conceding one more point to Wrzesien.

Bas vs Shauchuk

Defending champion at 68kg, Shauchuk defeated Kateryna ZELENYKH (ROU), 4-3, scoring two second-period takedowns. She had beaten the Romanian in last year’s final. For gold this year, Shauchuk will face Bas, a U23 world champion and returning silver medalist from 72kg.

Bas had no trouble completing a 12-1 technical superiority win over Alina SHEVCHENKO (UWW) in the other semifinal.

RESULTS

50kg
SF 1: Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) df. Emilia GRIGORE VUC (ROU), 6-0
SF 2: Oksana LIVACH (UKR) df. Elizaveta SMIRNOVA (UWW), 6-2

55kg
SF 1: Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR) df. Tuba DEMIR (TUR), via fall
SF 2: Andreea ANA (ROU) df. Mihaela SAMOIL (MDA), 10-0

59kg
SF 1: Mariia VYNNYK (UKR) df. Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE), 6-2
SF 2: Jowita WRZESIEN (POL) df. Svetlana LIPATOVA (UWW), 4-2

68kg
SF 1: Alina SHAUCHUK (UWW) df. Kateryna ZELENYKH (ROU), 4-3
SF 2: Nesrin BAS (TUR) df. Alina SHEVCHENKO (UWW), 12-1

76kg
SF 1: Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) df. Martina KUENZ (AUT), 4-0
SF 2: Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU) df. Enrica RINALDI (ITA), 3-1