#WrestleOttawa

Pan-American OG Qualifier Entries

By Eric Olanowski

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)

#UnitedWorldWrestling

Paris Olympics: Wrestling breaks new barriers, expands reach across continents

By United World Wrestling Press

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (August 22): More than half a million new fans in the digital community. An astounding 100 million engagements. And a remarkable 134 percent increase in social media impressions compared to Tokyo 2020.

At the Paris Olympics, it was a gold medal for wrestling.

UWW

On the mat, legends were born, records were set, and some moments would be remembered for ages. Off it, the sport broke new barriers, expanded its reach and engaged with a diverse audience as the United World Wrestling digital channels witnessed unprecedented growth during the Games.

The UWW’s online platforms recorded an impressive 11.2 percent increase in followers, adding over 508,000 new fans to its digital community. Compared to the growth in followers during the Tokyo Olympics, this figure represents a staggering 125 percent increase.

A large part of this surge was seen on Instagram, where the UWW gained 217,000 new followers. Facebook was a close second, adding 183,000 new followers while TikTok, the platform known for its short, engaging content, added 61,400 new followers. The growth across all platforms highlights the effectiveness of the UWW’s content strategy.

The inspiring clip of Greco-Roman star Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI), who won Iran’s first gold medal in the Paris Olympics drove the maximum engagement on Instagram. Saravi, who won a bronze medal in Tokyo, beat Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) 4-1 in the 97kg final.

Another Iranian, Rahman AMOUZAD, one of the most feared wrestlers in the 65 kg freestyle, went viral with a video in which he proclaimed himself the ‘king’. This post had the second-highest engagement while a slick clip of Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) was the third-most viewed, captivating the viewers and leading engagements as well as interactions.

These videos – and many others shared across UWW’s social media channels – resonated strongly with audiences, garnering record-breaking views. Overall, there were 330 million impressions, a remarkable rise of 134 percent compared to the Tokyo Olympics.

Moreover, the content also achieved 100 million engagements, and a 71 percent increase in reach compared to the previous Olympic Games. This surge in interaction underscores the high level of interest and excitement generated by UWW’s coverage of the Olympic wrestling events.

The video content drove UWW’s social media success. Across all platforms, UWW’s video content garnered over 156 million views, an extraordinary 205 percent increase compared to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

YouTube, in particular, saw significant traction with over 21 million views. This success was fueled by a mix of short and long-form videos apart from live streaming, with shorts emerging as the most popular content format.

With more than one million views, the YouTube video of AMAN (IND) getting his revenge over Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB) with a win in the preliminary round. Aman, who won a bronze medal, had lost to Abakarov at the 2023 World Championships.

Chamizo’s video, Don't play with fire #WrestleParis, which went viral on Instagram was also a huge hit on YouTube with hundreds of thousands of viewers, making it the second-most watched video on the platform.

The Day Three highlights show which revisited one of the biggest upsets of the competition – Vinesh PHOGAT (IND) defeating Yui SUSAKI (JPN) in the women’s 50 kg first round – got the third-highest views on YouTube.

The UWW’s vibrant social media strategy was complemented by a robust email marketing campaign, which ran daily throughout the Olympic Games. The ongoing CRM campaigns helped boost engagement across Web, App and UWW+.