#WrestleAcapulco

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

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

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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.

Nicholas LEE (USA)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)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.

#WrestleTirana

Jamalov loss, historic Olympic medal for Albania, defensive style: Valiev opens up to UWW

Monday, October 21, 2024 - 17:06 By Vinay Siwach

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TIRANA, Albania (October 21) -- Cherman VALIEV (ALB) sits in the 'VIP Lounge' of the Feti Borova Sports Hall in Tirana on the sidelines of the U23 World Championships. He certainly is a very important person in Albania. At the Paris Olympics in August, Valiev won the bronze medal in the 74kg weight class, becoming Albania's first-ever Olympic medalist in any sport.

Two months later, he has had time to reflect on his Paris Olympic campaign, the controversial loss against Razambek JAMALOV (UZB), and is preparing for the new season, in which he wants to avenge that loss against Jamalov.

United World Wrestling caught up with Valiev on the sidelines of the U23 World Championships. Excerpts from the interview:

Chermen VALIEV (ALB)

- Reflecting on his bronze medal at the Paris Olympics

Valiev: It’s a dream for every athlete to compete at the Olympic Games. As for me, I was able to win a medal. It’s a historic medal for Albania, the first one ever in any sport. It’s a great honor for me that I was able to live up to their expectations. When I joined the national team, they believed in me. I am glad that I could meet their expectations.

I was given an apartment in Albania for winning the Olympic bronze. I am very grateful that they value the athlete’s hard work. I was given prize money as well. Sometimes people on the streets in Albania would come over and ask for a photo. It’s really nice and it motivates me to continue giving my all to show the best results. 

I realize that I’ve won a medal at the Olympic Games. This motivates me to keep working even harder. Time flies quickly, and before you know it, the next Olympic Games will be here.

Chermen VALIEV (ALB)

- Experience at the Paris Olympics

Valiev: I think I gave my all in those two days and did everything I could. I wrestled with all my strength and did my best on the mat. As I said before, I had four matches in Paris, and I won all four of them. To this day, I have been reviewing the matches and I believe that I won without any doubts. If there was any other wrestler in my position he would defend when leading the match. I wasn’t fleeing the mat, I was just defending and this is within the rules.

[In the bronze medal bout], I was emotionally motivated to avenge that loss in Istanbul [at the World Olympic Qualifier]. It was crucial for me at that time to prove that I was better than him, and I was very determined and focused on that match. So, I convincingly defeated Viktor with a score of 6-2 in Paris.

Chermen VALIEV (ALB)

- On his return to Ossetia after Paris Olympics

Valiev: I was welcomed very well in Ossetia as if I was an Olympic champion. I received a lot of support, people were saying that I was their Olympic champion. Even many people not from Ossetia, but from other regions were saying that they saw everything and that I was an Olympic champion for them. It’s very pleasing for me to be appreciated that way.

- On his wrestling style

Valiev: I am not going to change anything in my style. If you don't defend in wrestling, you will give up points. I defend and attack at the same time, scoring points. After all, I win matches somehow. If I didn’t attack, the referees wouldn’t give me points. As I said before, I will try to take the lead in order to avoid such situations in the future. I haven’t really noticed anyone saying that I have a passive wrestling style. I don’t know how to explain it, but as soon as I feel the referee is about to give a passivity point, I always try to change the course of the match. 

I don’t usually prepare for any specific wrestler. I just do my job. I have a plan in my head, I watch their matches, and I know their strengths and weaknesses. For example, if I know he has a signature move, I try not to get caught for that. Sitting and watching the matches of my opponents all day long isn't something I do.

Chermen VALIEV (ALB)

- On growing up with wrestling

Valiev: Wrestling is the number one sport in Ossetia. In my hometown Ardon, there was just wrestling and football. My elder brother started wrestling first. All our family is into it. My father used to wrestle as well. There are three kids in the family. My brother, sister and myself. I started wrestling when I was eight years old. My dad was wrestling only when he was at school, but my elder brother still trains, he sometimes competes at the local tournaments and finishes on the podium. So there was no choice. I liked playing football as well, but up until now, I do freestyle wrestling. When I was wrestling at the cadet level, I started showing some good results, I started going here and there to the training camps and competitions. I really loved that atmosphere of traveling to different places and meeting new people. So, I couldn’t give it up.

When I was a kid, the coaches were telling me that I was talented and that I had to train hard, but it wasn’t something like being a wonder kid or someone very special.

- On his idol Kudukhov

Valiev: I always wanted to be like Besik KUDUKHOV. I always tried to copy his wrestling style, his moves and his throws. He was super-fast and I really copied him, but only when I was a child. Over time I’ve got my own style and technique. It’s difficult to be as fast as he was. I got the chance to train with Besik only once. It was two days before he died. Up until now, people keep saying that he was a very well-mannered, decent man. He was not just a good wrestler, but also a very kind person. 

- On his return to competition next year

Valiev: My next tournament will be a Ranking Series here in Albania. When I step on the mat, the number one priority for me is to win the match. Of course, the Olympic medal gives me more confidence and status, but the medal won’t wrestle for me. So, I have to do my best to win the match.  

I have learned a little bit of the Albanian language, I really want to improve on that. But I need to start with English first.

(Translation by Karina Mirzoian)