Pan-Am Olympic Qualifiers Preview: Elor gets ready for 68kg

Monday, February 26, 2024 - 12:52 By United World Wrestling Press

ACAPULCO, Mexico (February 26) -- The first Paris Olympic qualifying event will kick off February 28 in Acapulco, Mexico. The Pan-American Olympic Qualifying tournament is the first of the four continental qualifiers.

The three-day event will see six Greco-Roman Olympic weight classes on February 28, followed by Women's Wrestling on February 29 and Freestyle on March 1.

The qualification rounds will begin at 1000 hours local time while the Paris 2024 Qualification bouts i.e. the semifinals, will begin at 1700 hours local time. The winners of each semifinal will earn a Paris Games ticket for the respective nation. Four wrestlers per weight class will be seeded in each weight class and there will be no gold and bronze medal bouts and repechage bouts.

The Pan-American Championships last week at the same venue gave some insight into how the United States can dominate all three styles. But some of the most intense competitions are expected to take place in Women's Wrestling in Acapulco.

All eyes will be on Amit ELOR (USA) as the 72kg world champion makes the descent to the Olympic weight class of 68kg. Elor is undeniably the favorite to win the weight class and qualify the U.S. Since she is not seeded, Elor will be drawn at random in the bracket.

Former world champion Linda MORAIS (CAN) will also hope to get the quota for Canada at 68kg.

Another world champion from the U.S. is Dominique PARRISH (USA) who is looking to get the spot at 53kg. She won the World Championships in 2022 but fell in the first round in 2023. She is yet to repeat her performance from 2022 and the Pan-Am qualifiers will be a big test for her.

Parrish will be seeded number one at 53kg and can face a stiff challenge from former Pan-Am champion Karla GODINEZ (CAN) who will not have a seed in the bracket.

At 50kg, Jacqueline MOLLOCANA (ECU) and Mariana ROJAS (VEN), the finalists from the Pan-Am champs will be happy to repeat the performance and claim the spot for their countries. But top seed Alisson CARDOZO (COL) will look to bounce back after a medalless Pan-Ams.

Top seed Giullia PENALBER (BRA) and Hannah TAYLOR (CAN) have a chance to win the quotas at 57kg if the two can repeat their performances from the Pan-Ams. Penalber was the finalist, while Taylor reached the semifinals before suffering an injury. She will have to quickly recover from the injury she suffered in the semifinal.

Former Pan-Am champ and third seed Luisa VALVERDE (ECU) can also spring a surprise in the qualifiers along with second seed Alma VALENCIA ESCOTO (MEX).

Another top battle can ensue at 62kg as Pan-Am champ Kayla MIRACLE (USA) and Ana GODINEZ (CAN) step up for their countries and qualify for the Paris Games. The two met in the final last week and are the favorites to repeat.

Lias NUNES (BRA) will, however, look to spoil the party for Godinez and earn a spot for Brazil. She is seeded third and can only meet Godinez in the semifinal.

The 76kg class had three qualifications from the World Championships. This will leave Justina DI STASIO (CAN) and Pan-Am champ Genesis REASCO (ECU) hoping to get a win in the semifinals. The two are seeded number one and two, so they will not meet each other in the bracket.

Pan-Am champ Nicholas LEE (USA) will be the one of the favorites to qualify at 65kg. (Photo: UWW / William Bain)

Freestyle

The U.S. has already qualified for the 74kg, 86kg, 97kg and 125kg in Freestyle and will look to complete the line up in Acapulco with 57kg and 65kg. Zane RICHARDS (USA) at 57kg and Nicholas LEE (USA) at 65kg will be the favorite to win these weight classes.

At 57kg, Pedro MEJIAS RODRIGUEZ (VEN) will be seeded number one while Richards will be number two and can only meet in the final. If the two seeds hold, both will win a quota for their respective countries.

But Roman BRAVO YOUNG (MEX) and Darian CRUZ (PUR) will look to win a quota as well. Bravo has been wrestling in the NCAA in the U.S. for a few years while Cruz has racked up international wins.

For Pan-Am champ Lee, Agustin DESTRIBATS (ARG) would have been the biggest challenge, but since the two are seeded number one and two, both can meet only in the final. That makes two-time world medalist Alejandro VALDES (CUB) another favorite to win the semifinal and qualify. Austin GOMEZ (MEX) will also be keen on winning his semifinal.

In the weight classes with no U.S. wrestlers, veteran Jeandry GARZON (CUB) will look to qualify for his second Olympics at the age of 40 years. He has four World Championships medals but the last came in 2010.

It will be interesting to see who manages to win the semifinals but Cesar BORDEAUX (BRA) and Sonny SANTIAGO (PUR) will back themselves if they reach the last-four.

Cuba will also back former Pan-Am champion Yurieski TORREBLANCA (CUB) to qualify the 86kg spot. But it won't be an east bath for him. Ethan RAMOS (PUR), seed number one Pedro CEBALLOS (VEN) and Anthony VALENCIA (MEX) will also be in the fray to win the spot.

Canada can hope that Nishan Preet RANDHAWA (CAN) at 97kg and Amarveer DHESI (CAN) at 125kg will be the favorites in their respective weight classes. Randhawa will have to be careful as Maxwell LACEY (CRC), Arturo SILOT (CUB) and Cristian SARCO (VEN) are entered as well.

Dhesi won the Pan-Am Games last year and has the experience to go all the way but Ibrain TORRES (CUB), Jonovan SMITH (PUR) and Jose DIAZ (VEN) will be his biggest challengers.

Arsen JUFALAKYAN (ARG) wrestling at the 2015 World Championships. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

Greco-Roman

The return of 2012 Olympic silver medalist Arsen JULFALAKYAN (ARG) will be the biggest story in Greco-Roman. The 36-year-old became a world champion in 2014 and competed for Armenia at the European Championships in 2020. However, he has now switched to Argentina. He competed at the Henri Deglane Grand Prix in January, winning a silver medal.

As an unseeded wrestler, Julfalakyan will be drawn at random in the bracket. Top seed Yosvanys PENA (CUB) will start as the favorite along with top seed Kamal BEY (USA). Interestingly, both lost in the semifinal of the Pan-Am Championships as Jair CUERO MUNOZ (COL), who will be seeded second, won the gold medal while Joilson RAMOS (BRA) was the silver medalist. Will Julfalakyan manage to navigate this bracket and return to the Olympics?

Cuba will be hoping that Pan-Am champion Daniel GREGORICH (CUB) gets the Paris Games spot at 87kg. He will be the top-seeded wrestler and the favored wrestler to win his semifinal. Luis AVENDANO (VEN), who won silver at the Pan-Ams, will be on the opposite side of the bracket.

Alfonso ARIEL ANDRES (HON) and Carlos MUNOZ (COL), who reached the semifinals at the Pan-Ams, will hope to win it at the qualifiers.

At 130kg, Yasmani ACOSTA (CHI) is undoubtedly the favorite while top seed Cohlton SCHULTZ (USA) will hope Acosta doesn't fall on his side of the bracket. Moises PEREZ (VEN) is the second seed for the Pan-Am qualifiers.

Hondoras has a big chance of winning a Paris Games quota as Pan-Am champ Kevin MEJIA (HON) looks to repeat his performance from the championships. He will be the top seed for the 97kg weight class.

Pan-Am silver medalist Alan VERA (USA) will be the favorite from the other side of the bracket as he is seeded number two and was the finalist against Mejia last week.

At 60kg, Raiber RODRIGUEZ (VEN) won the Pan-Am Championships and has the chance to qualify for the Paris Games if he can repeat at the qualifiers as the top seed. The U.S. will bank on second seed Ildar HAFIZOV (USA) who skipped the Pan-Ams to prepare for the qualifiers.

Alejandro SANCHO (USA) is another Pan-Am champion who is seeded number one for the quaifiers and will be the favorite. The 67kg weight class has Julian HORTA (COL) as the second seed but he lost to Andres MONTANO (ECU) in the Pan-Am semifinals and will have to avenge that loss if the two meet.

#WrestleAcapulco

Gilman adds Pan-Am title to growing resume

Monday, May 9, 2022 - 01:25 By Vinay Siwach

ACAPULCO, Mexico (May 8) -- Over the last year, Thomas GILMAN (USA) has managed to check a few things off his bucket list. He has won an Olympic medal and a world title.

On Sunday, he checked off another item by winning his first Pan-Am title, helping the USA clean sweep the team titles in Acapulco, Mexico.

The USA won eight of the 10 gold medals at the tournament to finish first with 229 points in the team race. They were way clear of second-placer Canada which had 138 points. Puerto Rico finished third with 120 points.

Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) and J'den COX (USA) had won the 79kg and 92kg gold medals on Saturday.

Sunday began with Gilman living up to the reputation of being the favorite to win the gold. He outscored his opponents 34-2 in three bouts. His two wins were via fall while the final was settled with the score of 11-0 against Darian CRUZ (CUB).

Now an experienced wrestler on the US team, the 27-year-old stuck to the basics and managed to capture the gold, four years after he finished with a bronze medal at the same tournament.

"I knew I was ready to go," Gilman said about his final. "I wanted to move my feet quickly and get on top. [In the final], I stayed where I am good."

Using his strong underhooks and collar tie, Gilman produced a takedown masterclass throughout the tournament. Even in the final, he had four takedowns and a gut-wrench as he sailed through for a first-period finish against Cruz.

Gilman's game plan on the day was similar to what he did in the final and later explained that it is his go-to for all bouts.

"That's pretty much the game plan every time regardless [who the opponent is]," he said. "Being aware of the tricks I can do from there. Just being patient in my positions and nothing changes with the opponent and make him wrestle where I am good."

His growth since the silver medal at the 2017 World Championships has also resulted in maturity on the mat. After winning the World title in Oslo last year, Gilman had said that he is learning to win and be consistent.

"I'm starting to learn how to win as a competitor," Gilman had said in Oslo. "I think I'm a pretty decent wrestler. But I don't know if I know how to really win on a consistent basis yet."

One of the areas of his game in which Gilman has been continuously working is having more room to score via gut wrenches after completing a takedown.

"It's been a focus of mine getting a takedown in the middle of the mat, get it on top and work on my turns," he said. "Our points are either pushouts or takedowns on the edge so trying to focus on getting the guy in the middle of the mat so there is more room to work on top."

"The Cuba match was a good example. A couple of sticky situations but I did not really hesitate," he said referring to his semifinal against Alexei ALVAREZ BLANCO (CUB). "I wrestled through, let my body take over. So there are improvements, room for growth."

That will be put to use when Gilman wrestles for the spot on the USA's world team. He will appear for Final X next month against a yet-to-be-known opponent and try to win a best-of-three series to claim the spot.

In Belgrade, he has a chance to win back-to-back titles and while the participation of an RWF wrestler is still unlikely, Gilman has kept a close look on his other opponents as well. One of them is Olympic silver medalist Ravi KUMAR (IND) who, Gilman says, has a similar style of wrestling.

"There are a couple of guys on my mind but I am getting ready for everybody," he said. "Ravi KUMAR (IND) is a brawler like me. I'd like to wrestle him. I have never wrestled him. It will be fun for the fans because we are not holding back. We are not the most technical or tactical so it will potentially be a fistfight and may the best man win."

Another world champion who had a successful outing Sunday was Kyle DAKE (USA) as he defended his 74kg Pan-Am title.

The three-time world champion quickly got to business in Acapulco by beating Diego SANDOVAL ZARCO (MEX), 12-1 in the quarterfinals before taking out Franklin MAREN CASTILLO (CUB), 10-0 in the semifinals.

In a surprise call, he was put on the activity clock in the final against Franklin GOMEZ (PUR) but it did not bother him much as he went on to score quick points and close out the final 10-1.

"Nice to get back on the mat and I am glad to be part of the process," Dake said.

Like Gilman, he will be trying to make the USA team next month. Dake seemed satisfied with his performance in Acapulco but said that he can work on his attacks.

"[I have to] just keep scoring points and be more creative with my attacks," he said. "Like put a couple together, move forward and go get them."

fix Daton FIX (USA), red, won his first Pan-Am title. (Photo: UWW / Osvaldo Aguilar)

Two World Championships silver medalists from Oslo were the gold medalist for the USA in Acapulco as Daton FIX (USA) picked up the 61kg title while Kyle SNYDER (USA) won the 97kg gold.

At 61kg, Fix wrestled in a Nordic-system bracket and destroyed all of his opponents in the process of claiming the gold medal. This was Fix's first Pan-Am Championships gold to go with his Games gold from 2019.

A big name in folkstyle domestically, the USA wrestler expressed his happiness to wrestle freestyle again.

"It's good to wrestle freestyle again as it's my favorite style," Fix said.

Snyder Kyle SNYDER (USA) defended his 97kg Pan-Am title. (Photo: UWW / Osvaldo Aguilar)

Snyder was equally dominant at 97kg and defeated Arturo SILOT TORRES (CUB), 12-1 in the final. He outscored his opponents 33-1 and was satisfied with how he wrestled at the tournament.

"I wrestled the way I have been practicing and compete up to that standard," he said. "I feel I did a really good job. I am happy about."

The two-time Olympic medalist was aware of the lack of competition at the Pan-Ams but he said it was more about his own wrestling than the opponents.

"I am looking to wrestle on a certain day, that's what I am focused on," he said. "It's not much about the competition at an event like this. I want to wrestle the way I have been training and how I know I can compete. I look forward to wrestling Cuba. At Worlds, obviously, it's RWF, Iran, Azerbaijan."

To reclaim the world title he last won in 2017 in Paris after beating Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RWF) in the final, he will have to win the spot on the USA team before flying to Belgrade. Snyder said that there isn't much to change for the trials in the USA.

"I just want to keep working on what I've been working on," he said. "Stay focused and recover. I think I am on a pretty good track."

The remaining two gold medals for the USA came at 65kg and 86kg. Joseph McKENNA (USA) won the 65kg gold while Zahid VALENCIA (USA) won the 86kg.

McKenna wrestled Sebastian RIVERA (PUR) in the final and comfortably beat him 10-0. He began with a big four before getting three rolls to finish the bout.

More than the final, McKenna fashed a tougher challenge from Tokyo Olympian Agustin DESTRIBATS (ARG) in the semifinals. McKenna was comfortably leading 4-1 when Destribats hit a four but McKenna in the same motion to get two points. He hit a four as well to lead 10-5 at the break.

But that was all Destribats had as McKenna added three more points in the second period to win 13-5.

Zahid VALENCIA (USA) calimed the gold medal at 86kg. (Photo: UWW / Osvaldo Aguilar)

Valencia did not get a technical superiority win in the 86kg final but did enough to beat Lazaro HERNANDEZ LUIS (CUB), 4-1. He scored two non-action points in the first period while a takedown in the second period made it four.

Canada wins 2 gold

USA would have had a perfect day if not for Amarveer DHESI (CAN) and Emmanuel OLAPADE (CAN) as they won Pan-Am titles for their country.

Dhesi Amarveer DHESI (CAN) pulled off a late exposure to win the 125kg gold. (Photo: UWW / Osvaldo Aguilar)

Dhesi, a former junior world champion, wrestled two-time World bronze medalist Nicholas GWIAZDOWSKI (USA) and came out on top 5-3 at 125kg. The result gave him his first Pan-Am title and the first for Canada in six years.

The two wrestlers exchanged activity points on either side of the break but Dhesi scored a takedown to lead 3-1. Gwiazdowski responded with his own with 46 seconds remaining to lead 3-3 on criteria.

But Dhesi rallied to get another two points via exposure with 11 seconds remaining on the clock to win the 125kg gold.

"I am pretty confident in that position," Dhesi said. "There was no way it was not two. But you never know. I wore him down, it worked in my favor. It was pretty nice."

The Pan-Am title is just the start of a busy calendar for Dhesi who will compete at the Canada Nationals in two weeks before heading to the Ranking Series event in Rome, Italy. He also plans to compete at the Commonwealth Games in August before heading to the Worlds.

In a weight class full of studs, Dhesi hopes he can make his mark soon.

"I wrestled Taha [AKGUL] at the Olympics, the first bout," he said. "I looked up to these athletes when I was young. I feel like I am in the middle of the pack somewhere. I feel that I want to break through and get to the higher pack. Hopefully get some medals at the World Championships."

"For that, I need to be confident myself and I always felt that I have the ability to wrestle well. Sometimes it doesn't show on the mat so I am trying to get better at producing that wrestling on the mat."

Emmanuel OLAPADE (CAN), blue, was crowned the Pan-Am champ at 70kg. (Photo: UWW / Osvaldo Aguilar)

At 70kg, Zain RETHERFORD (USA) was the favorite to win the gold but had to pull out moments before his first bout due to illness.

That gave others in the bracket to claim their first Pan-Am title and Olapade was not wasting it giving Canada the first gold of the tournament after two silver-medal finishes Saturday.

Wrestling a Nordic bracket, he defeated Vinicius DA SILVA JOAQUIM (BRA) via fall in Round 1. He was given a walkover for the bout against Rutherford to qualify for the semifinals.

Jhon CHUNGA CARRENO (PER) was all over the place as Olapade wasted no time in winning the semifinal 12-1 to set up a gold-medal bout against Da Silva Joaquim.

While he could not be as dominant as the Round 1 win, Olapade was still too much for the Brazil wrestler.

RESULTS

57kg
GOLD: Thomas GILMAN (USA) df. Darian CRUZ (PUR), 11-0

BRONZE: Alexei ALVAREZ BLANCO (CUB) df. Enrique HERRERA HUACRE (PER), 10-0
BRONZE: Oscar TIGREROS URBANO (COL) df. Darthe CAPELLAN (CAN), 4-3

61kg
GOLD: Daton FIX (USA)
SILVER: Joseph SILVA (PUR)
BRONZE: Pedro FLORES SALAZAR (MEX)

65kg
GOLD: Joseph MC KENNA (USA) df. Sebastian RIVERA (PUR), 10-0

BRONZE: Agustin DESTRIBATS (ARG) df. Andre QUISPE FAJARDO (CHI), 10-0
BRONZE: Albaro RUDECINDO CAMACHO (DOM) df. Jacob ALEXANDER TORRES (CAN), 10-0

70kg
GOLD: Emmanuel OLAPADE (CAN) df. Vinicius DA SILVA JOAQUIM (BRA), 4-1

BRONZE: Alexis OLVERA MAGALLANES (MEX) df. Jhon CHUNGA CARRENO (PER), 10-0

74kg
GOLD: Kyle DAKE (USA) df. Franklin GOMEZ (PUR), 10-1

BRONZE: Cesar BORDEAUX REGO ALVAN (BRA) df. Leon PERALTA LANAS (CHI), 10-0
BRONZE: Franklin MAREN CASTILLO (CUB) df Diego SANDOVAL ZARCO (MEX), 8-1

86kg
GOLD: Zahid VALENCIA (USA) df. Lazaro HERNANDEZ LUIS (CUB), 4-1

BRONZE: Carlos IZQUIERDO MENDEZ (COL) df. Christian ANGUIANO FLORES (MEX), 4-1
BRONZE: Ethan RAMOS (PUR) df. Jorge LLANO (ARG), 11-0

97kg
GOLD: Kyle SNYDER (USA) df. Arturo SILOT TORRES (CUB), 12-1

BRONZE: Maxwell LACEY GARITA (CRC) df. Esdras LOPEZ PEREZ (MEX), via fall
BRONZE: Luis PEREZ SOSA (DOM) df. Nishanpreet Singh RANDHAWA (CAN), 10-0

125kg
GOLD: Amarveer DHESI (CAN) df. Nicholas GWIAZDOWSKI (USA), 5-3

BRONZE: Catriel MURIEL (ARG) df. Gabriel DE SOUSA SILVA (BRA), via fall
BRONZE: Jose DIAZ ROBERTTI (VEN) df. Charles MERRILL (PUR), 2-1

Pan-Am Olympic Qualifiers Preview: Elor gets ready for 68kg

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Gilman adds Pan-Am title to growing resume