Pan-Am OG Qualifiers: Canada, U.S. earn three WW quotas each

Friday, March 1, 2024 - 07:12 By Gaurav Bhatt

ACAPULCO, Mexico (February 29) -- The United States and Canada earned six out of the 12 Paris 2024 Olympic quotas on offer in women's wrestling on day two of the Pan-American Olympic Games Qualifier in Acapulco, Mexico.

The U.S. had qualified three weights at the World Championships in Belgrade last year and with three more qualifications on Thursday, it will send a full Women's Wrestling team to the Olympics for a second consecutive time.

Elor -- a two-time 72kg world champion -- dropped down to 68kg and lived up to the hype. The American, who has built a reputation for steamrolling her opponents in blink-and-you-miss bouts, faced a fierce challenge from Thamires MARTINS (BRA) in her semifinal and gave up a 4-0 lead.

Despite paying for her high-pressure approach initially, Elor kept her foot on the pedal, gradually wearing down Martins before unleashing a relentless scoring streak to seal the match, 10-4.

"I haven't had a match like that where I was down in the beginning for a long time, but it's something we practice for all the time," Elor said after the bout. "Nobody is happy to get down on their back. But at that moment, I was like, 'I have to prove to myself that all the training I've done in practice for this situation will pay off.'"

Elor has eight world titles across different age groups, including two senior, two U23, three U20, and one U17 world gold. The 20-year-old is now eager to check off the 'Olympics' box.

"It is my number one dream," she said. "Sometimes I'm driving my car and just daydreaming about it. And I'm looking at myself and I have goosebumps just thinking about it. So it's this unimaginable goal that I set for myself and I just can't wait to see how it feels as I get closer and closer to it."

In the other 68kg semi-final, Pan-Am silver medallist Soleymi CARABALLO (VEN) defeated Virginia JIMENEZ (CHI) 8-2 to secure a spot for her country.

Dominique PARRISH (USA) scored a 9-6 win in the semifinal. (Photo: UWW / William Bain)

Earlier, 2022 53kg world champion Dominiue PARRISH (USA) kicked off the U.S. success with an exhilarating 9-6 victory over Laura HERIN (CUB), a 2020 Olympian and 2023 Pan American Games silver medalist.

Though initially taken down, Parrish struck back to finish the first period with a 7-2 lead. Herin rallied in the second period with two takedowns, narrowing Parrish's lead to 7-6, but the American held on and thwarted the attacking Cuban to secure a buzzer-beating takedown.

Venezuela got a second Paris place as Pan-Am silver medallist Betzabeth ARGUELLO (VEN) pinned Sabrina GAMA (BRA) with a big move to secure the second spot at 53kg.

Completing the hat-trick for the U.S. was Kayla MIRACLE (USA), who won her 62kg semi-final. She had also won Pan-Am title last week. The Tokyo Olympian and two-time World finalist beat Astrid MONTERO (VEN) 3-0, her second win over the two-time age-group world medalist in as many weeks.

An emotional Ana GODINEZ (CAN) after winning her 62kg semifinal. (Photo: UWW / William Bain)

Ana GODINEZ (CAN), who suffered the criteria loss in the Pan-Am Championships final to Miracle last week, earned a criteria win over two-time Olympian Lais NUNES (BRA) to win the spot at 62kg. However, it was a bittersweet evening for the Godinez household as elder sister Karla lost her 53kg quarterfinal to Herin.

Genesis REASCO (ECU) dispatched Rio Olympian Maria ACOSTA (VEN) 5-0 in the 76kg semifinal, getting Ecuador its first Olympic berth in over 57/58kg. This continues a strong run for Reasco, whose Pan-Am gold-winning campaign last week saw the 25-year-old overpower six-time world champion Adeline GRAY (USA) in little over a minute.

In the other semifinal, 2018 world champion Justina DI STASIO (CAN) outmatched Linda MACHUCA (ARG) 8-4.

In the 50kg category, Alisson CARDOZO (COL) completed a 9-9 criteria win against Yorlenis MORAN (PAN). With this, Cardozo also got a measure of revenge against Moran, who had dumped her out of medal contention at last week's Pan American Championships. Tokyo Olympian Yusneylis GUZMAN (CUB) kept Genevieve HALEY (CAN) at bay to earn a 6-2 win in the second semifinal.

In the 57kg division, 10-time Pan-Am medallist Luisa VALVERDE (ECU) triumphed over Angela ALVAREZ (CUB) with a fall while Hannah TAYLOR (CAN) secured an 8-4 win against Tokyo Olympian Alma VALENCIA (MEX), getting Canada its third berth at the Paris Games on the day.

RESULTS

50kg Paris Olympic Qualification Round

SF 1: Alisson CARDOZO (COL) df. Yorlenis MORAN (PAN), 9-9
SF 2: Yusnylis GUZMAN (CUB) df. Geneviève HALEY (CAN), 6-2

53kg Paris Olympic Qualification Round

SF 1: Dominique PARRISH (USA) df. Laura HERIN (CUB), 9-6
SF 2: Betzabth ARGUELLO (ARG) df. Sabrina GAMA (BRA), via fall

57kg Paris Olympic Qualification Round

SF 1: Luisa VALVERDE (ECU) df. Angela ALVAREZ (CUB), via fall
SF 2: Hannah TAYLOR (CAN) df. Alma VALENCIA (MEX), 8-4

62kg Paris Olympic Qualification Round

SF 1: Kayla MIRACLE (USA) df. Astrid MONTERO (VEN), 3-0
SF 2: Ana GODINEZ (CAN) df. Lais NUNES (BRA), 3-3

68kg Paris Olympic Qualification Round

SF 1: Amit ELOR (USA) df. Thamires MARTINS (BRA), 10-4
SF 2: Soleymi CARABALLO (VEN) df. Virgina JIMENEZ (CHI), 8-2

76kg Paris Olympic Qualification Round

SF 1: Justina DI STASIO (CAN) df. Linda MACHUCA (ARG), 8-4
SF 2: Genesis REASCO (ECU) df. Maria ACOSTA (VEN), 5-0

#BeachWrestling

Algeria sweeps African Beach Wrestling Championships

Saturday, September 13, 2025 - 12:23 By United World Wrestling Press

CASABLANCA, Morocco (September 12) -- Rising African heavyweight prodigies, Skander BENMOHAMED (ALG) and Billel BALI (ALG) guided Algeria to the team title of the U17 African Beach Wrestling Championship.

Algeria also bagged the women’s team title, led by a dominating double gold display by Meriem Safiya GRIB (ALG), thus completing a stellar show at the continental competition held in Casablanca, Morocco, on September 4 and 5.

The serene Ain Diab beach, with its gleaming sands and turquoise waters, hosted the best U15, U17, and U20 African talents for the two-day competition. The age-group tournaments were held before the Beach Wrestling World Series event, which was held for the first time in an African city, underlining United World Wrestling’s commitment to increasing the sport’s presence in Africa.

Over the two days of action, wrestling aficionados got a glimpse of some of the best talent from the continent. For many, this was also a build-up to the Dakar Youth Olympic Games, which are less than 500 days away.

From an African point of view, Algeria set an early marker. With two gold medals in the men’s events, in the 80 and 90 kg, and one in the women’s section, the country’s wrestlers dominated the proceedings and finished on top of the overall team rankings in the U17 age group.

Benmohamed, who won the U17 African Championships bronze medals earlier this year in mat wrestling, reigned supreme in the 90kg category.

In his first bout, the 17-year-old edged out Aboubacar Demba CAMARA (GUI) in a close affair before coming into his own and stamping his authority over Ali OUIDAD (MAR) 3-0 and Rihan BRITS (RSA) 3-0 to finish on top of the four-man round-robin draw. With three wins out of three, Benmohamed finished ahead of Ouidad to win the gold medal.

Benmohamed completed a super double by winning the gold medal in the U20 category as well. The Algerian defeated Lahcen AIT ELASRI (MAR) and Mohamed Amine EL MEKKAOUI (MAR) for a double podium finish.

Bali had a chance to follow in the footsteps of his compatriot. In the U17 80kg, Bali blanked Fahd RAZKANE (MAR) for a win by superiority in less than a minute-and-a-half to win the gold medal. However, in the U20 event, he could win just once and finished fourth in the five-man field.

Elbara BENAMMAR (ALG) added a third medal to Algeria's kitty in the men’s U17 category by winning the bronze in the 60kg category. Benammar began strongly by defeating Ernest DIATTA (SEN) and David Kanyimbu Mputu De DEUS (ANG) on technical superiority. However, he lost to Dan KEGODE (KEN) in the third round and then went down once again to Ibrahim DOSSO (CIV) in the semifinals.

Benammar shrugged off the disappointments to finish his campaign with another win by superiority over Hatim RAJAY (MAR) to take home the bronze medal.

With that, Algeria finished with a total of 77 points, ahead of second-placed Morocco (62) and Angola (35), who finished third.

In the women’s U17 category, Grib won both her bouts without conceding a point to reign supreme in the 45kg weight class. Grib defeated Islam BENZBIRIA (MAR) 3-0 in the first round and then got the better of Tahirisoa Tinah ANDRIANAMBININA (MAD) by a similar margin.

Like Benmohamed, Grib too won two titles as she claimed the gold in the U15 category as well, conceding just one point in the three wins.

Algeria came close to a second women’s gold medal in the U17 category but Dounia ZITOUNI was beaten by Hajar KANEB (MAR) 4-2 in the 55kg final. Zitouni won the gold medal in style, after she remained undefeated throughout the competition.

Jemimah Maghumicha WANJALA (KEN) won the 65kg gold medal without conceding a single point. In the final, which lasted less than a minute, Wanjala beat Malak Khaled Fahmy Abdelhamid ABDELGAUL (EGY) on technical superiority, just like her two wins en route to the title clash.

The gold medal in the 75kg category went to Khady Diandy BADJI (SEN), with Dune van ZYL (RSA) taking the silver while Malak SABRY (MAR) won the bronze.

Algeria were close to a gold medal clean sweep in the U20 category. They won gold medals in three out of the four weight categories in the men’s competition to win the team title. But Omar LAMBARRAA (MAR) halted their juggernaut by winning the 80kg title ahead of Bakary SOM (CIV) and Ivan LOUW (RSA).

While Bali could not finish among the medals in U20, his compatriots looked in sublime form.

Watik Aymen TITOUS (ALG) defeated Luvaan LOUW (RSA) 3-1 in the final of the 70kg category to finish on the top of the podium. Titous was largely untested throughout the competition, beating Eugine Osale OMULULE (KEN) and Saad MARIRE (MAR) without conceding a point to storm into the semifinals, where he defeated Nathan Lee STOLTZ (RSA) by technical superiority.

In the +90kg category, Noureddine BOUROUFA (ALG) won two bouts out of two without conceding a point to take home the gold medal ahead of Ruan BRITS (RSA) and Ayoub BELGADI (MAR).

In the women’s event, Kenyan wrestlers were dominant, winning two out of the three gold medals on offer. Ivyone Lusike MASIBO (KEN) reigned supreme in the 60kg class, defeating Fatima Zahra BOUCHIBI (ALG) and Hiba KABIL (MAR) to finish on top in a tough four-wrestler field. At 70kg, Faith Nanjala WAMALWA (KEN) defeated Dyvonter Ashly ODONGO (KEN) in an all-Kenyan affair to win the gold medal.

Yasmine BOUREGBA (ALG) won the title in the +70kg category, defeating Hafsa ECH CHABBI by technical superiority.

Algerian women and men, meanwhile, won two gold medals each as they won the team titles in the U15 sections to extend their dominance on the beach.

Younes MOUSSI (ALG) set the ball rolling by finishing on top in the 50kg category, winning both his bouts in dominating fashion. Later, Houdaifa BARKAT (ALG) defeated Mignane NDONG (SEN) to win the 55kg gold medal.

Senegalese beach wrestlers showed spunk after Mbaye NIANG and Ibrahima SARR picked up the 60kg and 75kg titles, with Michael OOSTHUIZEN (RSA) rallying to the top of the podium in 65kg.

Senegal won two more gold medals in the women’s section. Fatou Bintou COLY (SEN) ensured Algeria did not complete a golden hat-trick as she defeated Soudjoud BOULEBDA (ALG) in a crucial third-round bout to win the gold medal. Both wrestlers had won their opening two matches. In the winner-takes-all Round 3, Coly beat her Algerian rival on superiority for the title. Similarly, Elisabeth DIATTA beat Tasnim CHOUIHI (ALG) to win the 60kg gold medal.

Algerian wrestlers, meanwhile, won the two lightest weight categories. While Grib opened Algeria’s account with the 45kg gold medal, Maram Yamna BOUKHIBAR (ALG) finished ahead of Shalying JOY (KEN) and Ndeye Codou SENGHOR (SEN) to win the 50kg title.

Kenya’s Janet Inwesi OMUMASABA won the 65 kg gold, beating Higidia Januario De Gouveia LEITE (ANG) by technical superiority.

Pan-Am OG Qualifiers: Canada, U.S. earn three WW quotas each

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Algeria sweeps African Beach Wrestling Championships