#WrestleOttawa

Pan-American OG Qualifier Entries

Wednesday, March 4, 2020 - 15:32 By Eric Olanowski

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OTTAWA, Canada --- The Pan-American OG Qualifiers kick off March 13-15 in Ottawa, Canada, and feature 158 wrestlers from 18 different nations. The top-two finishers in each respective weight class lock up their nation's spot for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

Freestyle
57kg
Bryan Lucas DE OLIVEIRA PEREIRA (BRA)
Ligrit SADIKU (CAN)
Oscar Eduardo TIGREROS URBANO (COL)
Reineri ANDREU ORTEGA (CUB)
Juan Rubelin RAMIREZ BELTRE (DOM)
Edwin Alexi SEGURA GUERRA (GUA)
Roberto ALEJANDRO BLANCO (MEX)
Thomas Patrick GILMAN (USA)
Pedro Jesus MEJIAS RODRIGUEZ (VEN)

65kg
Agustin Alejandro DESTRIBATS (ARG)
David Washington DOS SANTOS MOREIRA (BRA)
Dillon Emmanuel WILLIAMS (CAN)
Wber Euclides CUERO MUNOZ (COL)
Alejandro Enrique VALDES TOBIER (CUB)
Albaro RUDESINDO CAMACHO (DOM)
Mauricio Javier SANCHEZ SALTOS (ECU)
Brandon Disair DIAZ RAMIREZ (MEX)
Sixto Miguel AUCCAPINA PEDRAGAS (PER)
Jose Javier RODRIGUEZ COLON (PUR)
Zain Allen RETHERFORD (USA)
Wilfredo Aogusto RODRIGUEZ BOCANEY (VEN)

74kg
Jorge Ivan LLANO (ARG)
Ranico  Ikkesh HOWARD (BAR)
Marcus Vinicius CALASANS CAMARGO (BRA)
Jasmit Singh PHULKA (CAN)
Leon Juan Carlos PERALTA LANAS (CHI)
Nestor Joaquin TAFUR BARRIOS (COL)
Jeandry GARZON CABALLERO (CUB)
Julio Rafael RODRIGUEZ ROMERO (DOM)
Victor Eduardo HERNANDEZ LUNA (MEX)
Franklin GOMEZ MATOS (PUR)
Anthony Jose MONTERO CHIRINOS (VEN)

David TAYLOR III (USA), a 2018 world champion, is returning to the mat for the first time in nearly a year after undergoing knee surgery. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

86kg
Ricardo Adrian BAEZ (ARG)
Reuben Leroy WILTSHIRE (BAR)
Clayton Steven PYE (CAN)
Yurieski TORREBLANCA QUERALTA (CUB)
Gino Tanislado AVILA DILBERT (HON)
Angus Patrick ARTHUR (JAM)
Noel Alfonso TORRES CHACON (MEX)
Pool Edinson AMBROCIO GREIFO (PER)
Ethan Adrian RAMOS (PUR)
David Morris TAYLOR III (USA)
Pedro Francisco CEBALLOS FUENTES (VEN)

97kg
Jordan STEEN (CAN)
Maxwell Lemar LACEY GARITA (CRC)
Reineris SALAS PEREZ (CUB)
Luis Miguel PEREZ SOSA (DOM)
Miguel Javier SANCHEZ GERALDO (MEX)
Evan Amadour RAMOS (PUR)
Jose Daniel DIAZ ROBERTTI (VEN)

125kg
Amarveer DHESI (CAN)
Oscar PINO HINDS (CUB)
Eduardo Maximiliano GARCIA BETANZOS (MEX)
Charles Zachary MERRILL (PUR)
Nicholas Edward GWIAZDOWSKI (USA)
Luis Felipe VIVENES URBANEJA (VEN)

Last year's Pan-American chapmion Luis Eduardo AVENDANO ROJAS (VEN) is on a quest to qualify for the Olympic Games for the first time in his career. He'll wrestle at 87kg. (Photo: Tony Rotundo)

Greco-Roman
60kg
Marat GARIPOV (BRA)
Adam Takahashi MACFADYEN (CAN)
Dicther Hans TORO CASTANEDA (COL)
Luis Alberto ORTA SANCHEZ (CUB)
Jancel Miguel PIMENTEL GONZALEZ (DOM)
Andres Roberto MONTANO ARROYO (ECU)
Emerson Isaias FELIPE ORDONEZ (GUA)
Samuel GURRIA VIGUERAS (MEX)
Joshua Xavier MEDINA (PUR)
Ildar HAFIZOV (USA)
Gustavo Jesus RODRIGUEZ MARTINEZ (VEN)

67kg
Joilson DE BRITO RAMOS JUNIOR (BRA)
Daniel Troy COLES (CAN)
Cristobal Alonso TORRES NUNEZ (CHI)
Julian Stiven HORTA ACEVEDO (COL)
Enyer Manuel FELICIANO (DOM)
Cristhian Alberto RIVAS CASTRO (ECU)
Manuel Alejandro LOPEZ SALCEDO (MEX)
Nilton Gonzalo Marcos SOTO GARCIA (PER)
German Manuel DIAZ MALDONADO (PUR)
Ellis E COLEMAN (USA)
Anthony Javier PALENCIA PUENTES (VEN)

Reigning Pan-American champion Yosvanys PENA FLORES (CUB) is tasked with trying to qualify Cuba for the Olympic Games at 77kg. (Photo: Tony Rotundo)

77kg
Angelo Rafael MARQUES MOREIRA (BRA)
John YEATS (CAN)
Jair Alexis CUERO MUNOZ (COL)
Yosvanys PENA FLORES (CUB)
Jose Andres VARGAS RUEDA (MEX)
Marciano George ALI (PUR)
Patrick Harrison SMITH (USA)
Wuileixis de Jesus RIVAS ESPINOZA (VEN)

87kg
Ronisson BRANDAO SANTIAGO (BRA)
Ioannis NARLIDIS (CAN)
Carlos Andres MUNOZ JARAMILLO (COL)
Daniel GREGORICH HECHAVARRIA (CUB)
Carlos Alberto ADAMES PALMER (DOM)
Ariel Andres ALFONSO RODRIGUEZ (HON)
Lesyan Osvaldo COUSIN OTOMURO (JAM)
Daniel VICENTE GOMEZ (MEX)
Josef Patrick RAU (USA)
Luis Eduardo AVENDANO ROJAS (VEN)

97kg
Guilherme EVANGELISTA DIAS (BRA)
Thomas Rahontsiiosta BARREIRO (CAN)
Gabriel Alejandro ROSILLO KINDELAN (CUB)
Kevin MEJIA CASTILLO (HON)
Luis Gerardo RIVERA ALVARADO (MEX)
Tracy Gangelo HANCOCK (USA)
Luillys Jose PEREZ MORA (VEN)

130kg
Luciano DEL RIO (ARG)
Eduard SOGHOMONYAN (BRA)
Bradley Thomas HILDENBRANDT (CAN)
Yasmani ACOSTA FERNANDEZ (CHI)
Leo Dalis SANTANA HEREDIA (DOM)
Luis Alberto ROMAN BARRIOS (MEX)
Adam Jacob COON (USA)
Moises Salvador PEREZ HELLBURG (VEN)

Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA), last year's 55kg world champion, will make her international debut down at the Olympic weight of 53kg. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Women's Wrestling
50kg
Patricia Alejandra BERMUDEZ (ARG)
Kamila BARBOSA VITO DA SILVA (BRA)
Jessica Anne Marie MACDONALD (CAN)
Carolina CASTILLO HIDALGO (COL)
Yusneylis GUZMAN LOPEZ (CUB)
Jacqueline Del Rocio MOLLOCANA ELENO (ECU)
Rita Fatima ROJAS CHAVEZ (MEX)
Thalia Jihann MALLQUI PECHE (PER)
Sarah Ann HILDEBRANDT (USA)
Genesis Rosmary MILANO OLIVIO (VEN)

53kg
Samantha Leigh STEWART (CAN)
Luisa Elizabeth VALVERDE MELENDRES (ECU)
Zeltzin HERNANDEZ GUERRA (MEX)
Gabriela Nicole RAMOS DIAZ (PUR)
Jacarra Gwenisha WINCHESTER (USA)
Amy Ann FEARNSIDE (USA)

Reinging 59kg world champion Linda MORAIS (CAN) is making her second appearance down at 57kg. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

57kg
Giullia RODRIGUES PENALBER DE OLIVEIRA (BRA)
Linda MORAIS (CAN)
Lianna de la Caridad MONTERO HERRERA (CUB)
Lissette Alexandra ANTES CASTILLO (ECU)
Alma Jane VALENCIA ESCOTO (MEX)
Nes Marie RODRIGUEZ TIRADO (PUR)
Helen Louise MAROULIS (USA)
Betzabeth Rebeca SARCO COLMENAREZ (VEN)

62kg
Lais NUNES DE OLIVEIRA (BRA)
Michelle Christina FAZZARI (CAN)
Jackeline RENTERIA CASTILLO (COL)
Yessica Coraima OVIEDO PEREZ (DOM)
Alejandra ROMERO BONILLA (MEX)
Kayla Colleen Kiyoko MIRACLE (USA)
Nathaly Josefina GRIMAN HERRERA (VEN)

68kg
Luz Clara VAZQUEZ (ARG)
Dailane GOMES DOS REIS (BRA)
Danielle Suzanne LAPPAGE (CAN)
Tatiana RENTERIA RENTERIA (COL)
Yudari SANCHEZ RODRIGUEZ (CUB)
Leonela Aleyda AYOVI PARRAGA (ECU)
Virginia Jaqueline FERNANDEZ SALAZAR (MEX)
Yanet Ursula SOVERO NINO (PER)
Maria Jose ACOSTA ACOSTA (VEN)

76kg
Aline DA SILVA FERREIRA (BRA)
Erica Elizabeth WIEBE (CAN)
Andrea Carolina OLAYA GUTIERREZ (COL)
Milaimys de la Caridad MARIN POTRILLE (CUB)
Genesis Rosangela REASCO VALDEZ (ECU)
Gabriela Renata CANALES HERRERA (MEX)
Andrimar Daniela LAZARO DIAZ (VEN)

Obituary

Japanese legend and Olympic champ Obara passes away aged 44

Saturday, July 19, 2025 - 11:00 By Ken Marantz

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TOKYO (July 19) — Legendary Japanese wrestler Hitomi OBARA, the 2012 London Olympic gold medalist at women's 48kg and an eight-time world champion, passed away on Friday, the Japanese media reported on Saturday. She was 44.

The Japan Self-Defense Force Physical Training School, where Obara was a women's coach, said it was withholding the cause of death "out of consideration for the privacy and emotions of the bereaved family," according to The Yomiuri Shimbun.

Obara, the mother of two elementary school-aged children, was a director in the Japan Wrestling Federation, and had just been appointed in June as a coach of the women's national team for the run-up to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics along with fellow former Olympic champion Kaori ICHO.

Obara, who won six of her world titles at 51kg under her maiden name of SAKAMOTO, became a model case for the ups and downs of high-level sports and the ability to overcome grave disappointment. Her victory at the London Olympics, at age 31, came after being denied spots on Japan's team at both of the two previous Olympics by fellow legend Saori YOSHIDA.

Born in 1981 in the wrestling hotbed of Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture, in northern Japan, Obara went on to attend Chukyo University (now Shigakkan), which she helped turn into a national powerhouse along with Yoshida and fellow Hachinohe native Icho.

"It's hard, it's hard, I can't keep from crying," former Shigakkan and national team coach Kazuhito SAKAE was quoted as telling the Japanese media. "She was a wrestling prodigy. At the least, she was a hard worker with a strong sense of responsibility. She was wrestling's heaven-sent child. I still can't believe it." 

Obara won back-to-back world 51kg titles in 1999 and 2000. A serious knee injury would keep her from returning to the world championships until 2005, from which she won four in a row.

In between, she attempted to make the Japanese's squad to the 2004 Athens Olympics, but that dream ended with a loss by fall to Yoshida in the 55kg final at the All-Japan Championships in December 2002. She would only compete once in 2003 before returning in earnest in 2004 and beginning her streak of world titles the following year.

But more disappointment came her way in the qualifying process for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Again it was Yoshida who squashed her dreams, beating her 2-0 (2-0, 4-0) in the 2006 All-Japan final. After the match, Obara sat for hours sobbing in a corner of the warm-up room, a towel draped over her head.

Obara managed to rebound from the defeat to win a playoff for the 51kg spot at the 2007 World Championships, where she won gold No. 5. After adding No. 6 a year later with a run to the gold that included a victory over future Olympic champ Helen MAROULIS (USA), she decided to retire.

But despite all of her success, the lack of a Olympic gold -- or even an appearance, for that matter -- still left a sting that would not abate. That, and the decision of her younger sister Makiko to retire, led her to attempt the difficult path of cutting down to 48kg to make it to London.

Makiko was a world bronze medalist at 48kg in 2005 and 2008, but decided to end her career after placing eighth in 2009. Hitomi had never wanted to displace her sister from the national team, but now the door to 48kg was open.

Her biggest battle may have been with the scale. On the mat, she was as unbeatable as ever, storming to world golds in 2010 and 2011 -- now as Obara after getting married in 2010.

There was one slip-up along the way -- a semifinal loss to So Sim HYANG (PRK) at the 2010 Asian Games that ended her 70-match winning streak in international matches. But she regained her confidence with a decisive win at the All-Japan, and it was with a full head of steam that she headed to the London Olympics, which she had announced would be her swan song.

In London, Obara knocked off defending Olympic champion Carol HUYNH (CAN) in the semifinals before coming from behind in the final to defeat Mariya STADNIK (AZE) 2-1 (0-4, 1-0, 2-0) -- a replay of the gold-medal match at the 2011 worlds.

"If you keep doing what you love and never give up, you can achieve your dream," Obara told students at the junior high school she attended during a visit in January last year.

Upon retiring, Obara joined the staff at the Self-Defense Force Physical Training School, where she was also an officer. Among the members she coached were Haruna MURAYAMA OKUNO, Himeka TOKUHARA and Masako FURUICHI, who all made Japan's team to this year's World Championships.

In 2022, Obara was inducted into UWW's Hall of Fame along with Yoshida and Icho.