Refugee Day

With Support of Community, Al Obaidi is Painting a Bright Future

Saturday, June 20, 2020 - 11:58 By United World Wrestling Press

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INZING, Austria (June 20) -- Aker Al Obaidi had been working as a painter for two years before Benedikt "Mo" Ernst finally convinced the young Iraqi refugee to move to the small town of Inzing, Austria.

The small town, population 4000, intimidated the former Baghdad resident. He'd always known bigger cities, and found comfort in wrestling. 

To help, Coach "Mo" furnished an apartment for Al Obaidi and set up the young Greco-Roman grappler with a series of training opportunities. After a few weeks of acclimating to the new city, Al Obaidi invited Mo over for dinner and showed him the job he'd done painting the apartment.

It was not what Coach was expecting. Greeting him in the living room was the large five-ring logo of the Olympic Games.

"I painted the Rings on this wall because I want to see them every day," said Al Obaidi. "This is my motivation to work as hard as I can and reach my goal!“

Shortly after painting the Rings on his wall AL Obaidi and Coach Mo received word from the IOC that they had chosen Al Obaidi for the IOC Refugee Athletic Scholarship and would be supporting his Olympic journey.

Members of the Austrian national team who live in Inzing have helped provide Al Obaidi the training he needs to prepare for the Olympic Games, as he also attends every camp and tournament of the Austrian wrestling federation.

Al Obaidi's training during COVID has been difficult since he's not allowed to train in the training hall. Instead his coach has organized a special program for him to maintain his shape.

"He is one of the motivated guys I have," said Mo. "He has developed his strength and endurance very well during this hard time."

Like most of the wrestling world Al Obaidi isn't quite sure what will happen with COVID-19, but for now he plans to start wrestling training once cleared by the Austrian government - maybe as early as July.

The plans then include training camps and possibly trips to the U23 Europeans in Bucharest at the beginning of October and the U23 World Championship in Finland. If he's very lucky with travel arrangements, maybe some international training camps in Hungary, Germany and Ukraine between tournaments.

"He works hard and I know if Aker qualifies for the Olympics in Tokyo 2021," said Mo. "His dream will come true."

#WrestleMonterrey

Pan-American Championships 2025 Entries

Tuesday, April 29, 2025 - 17:09 By United World Wrestling Press

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MONTERREY, Mexico (April 29) -- The Pan-American Championships will be held from May 8 to 11 in Monterrey, Mexico.

The competition will see 201 wrestlers in 30 weight classes with the United States, Canada and Cuba bringing strong squads.

The Pan-Ams will be live on UWW+ and FloWrestling with live matches and highlights.

Follow United World Wrestling on Instagram, X, Facebook, YouTube and TikTok.

Note: The entries are preliminary and subject to change. For final entries on the day of the competition, refer to UWW Arena

Greco-Roman

55kg
Isaac MARIN MATA (MEX)
Jayden RANEY (USA)

60kg
Pedro DE SOUZA (BRA)
Patrick RODRIGUEZ QUINTO (ECU)
Diego TERRIQUEZ IBARRA (MEX)
Andres ANDRADE (PAN)
Maxwell BLACK (USA)
Yonaiker MARTINEZ CRAVO (VEN)

63kg
Matias MUNOZ RAMIREZ (CHI)
Jeremy PERALTA GONZALEZ (ECU)
Emerson FELIPE ORDONEZ (GUA)
Angel SEGURA TELLEZ (MEX)
Lisandro CABRERA ORTIZ (PAR)
Ellis COLEMAN (USA)

67kg
Joao DE JESUS SILVA (BRA)
Nestor ALMANZA TRUYOL (CHI)
Luis ORTA (CUB)
Andres MONTANO ARROYO (ECU)
Donavan SOLORZANO AMAYA (HON)
Osvaldo YANEZ SILVA (MEX)
Royglen TEMPLE BATISTA (PAN)
Marco FERNANDEZ CUBAS (PER)
Alston NUTTER (USA)
Neiser MARIMON HIDALGO (VEN)

72kg
Luis GUALLPA SUQUILEMA (ECU)
Cristian MEJIA TEPEN (GUA)
Luis BARRIOS ROCHEZ (HON)
Marquis LARMOND (JAM)
Jorge GOMEZ GARCIA (MEX)
Wilfrido SAMANIEGO QUIJADA (PAN)
Nilton SOTO GARCIA (PER)
Alejandro SANCHO (USA)

77kg
Arsen JULFALAKYAN (ARG)
Calebe CORREA FERREIRA (BRA)
Eduardo BERNAL MOLINA (CHI)
Oscar BARRIOS ROCHEZ (HON)
Alexis VARGAS RAMIREZ (MEX)
Ryan CUBAS CASTILLO (PER)
Kamal BEY (USA)
Leomar CORDERO DEPOOL (VEN)

82kg
David CHOC HUOC (GUA)
Diego MACIAS TORRES (MEX)
Beka MELELASHVILI (USA)

87kg
Sosruko KODZOKOV (BRA)
Ariel ALFONSO RODRIGUEZ (HON)
Omar MENDOZA DE RAMON (MEX)
Eduardo VEGA GARCIA (PAN)
Carlos ESPINOZA CASTRO (PER)
Payton JACOBSON (USA)
Luis AVENDANO ROJAS (VEN)

97kg
Ricardo GOMEZ (ARG)
Igor ALVES DE QUEIROZ (BRA)
Gabriel ROSILLO KINDELAN (CUB)
Kevin MEJIA (HON)
Dorian TREJO OLGUIN (MEX)
Gabriel LEE SKINNER (PAN)
Michial FOY (USA)
Luillys PEREZ MORA (VEN)

130kg
Eduard SOGHOMONYAN (BRA)
Diego ALMENDRAS RODRIGUEZ (CHI)
Oscar PINO (CUB)
Leonidas MANZABA QUINONEZ (ECU)
Gino AVILA DILBERT (HON)
Juan HERRERA (MEX)
Cohlton SCHULTZ (USA)
Moises PEREZ HELLBURG (VEN)

Lucia YEPEZ (ECU)Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) will compete for the first time since winning the silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Women's Wrestling

50kg
Kamila BARBOSA (BRA)
Madison PARKS (CAN)
Yusneylis GUZMAN LOPEZ (CUB)
Jacqueline MOLLOCANA (ECU)
Linda CASTANEDA GAONA (MEX)
Yorlenis MORAN SANCHEZ (PAN)
Antuaneth CASUSOL CASAS (PER)
Audrey JIMENEZ (USA)
Nohalis LOYO JIMENEZ (VEN)

53kg
Adrianny CASTILLO (ARG)
Sabrina GAMA TAPAJOS (BRA)
Serena DI BENEDETTO (CAN)
Yaynelis SANZ VERDECIA (CUB)
Lucia YEPEZ (ECU)
Josefina RAMIREZ DUARTE (MEX)
Yusneiry AGRAZAL (PAN)
Nathaly HERRERA HUACRE (PER)
Jaslynn GALLEGOS (USA)
Mariana ROJAS (VEN)

55kg
Geisa RAPHAEL VELOSO (BRA)
Karla GODINEZ (CAN)
Andrea AVELINO BARRIENTOS (MEX)
Louisa SCHWAB (USA)

57kg
Camila AMARILLA (ARG)
Ana PEREIRA FRANCA (BRA)
Mia FRIESEN (CAN)
Yaynelis SANZ VERDECIA (CUB)
Luisa VALVERDE (ECU)
Bertha ROJAS (MEX)
Martha OLIVARES BENDEZU (PER)
Amanda MARTINEZ (USA)
Mayra PARRA ALVAREZ (VEN)

59kg
Laurence BEAUREGARD (CAN)
Karla RAMOS (MEX)
Abigail NETTE (USA)

62kg
Juliana NEPER (BRA)
Ana GODINEZ (CAN)
Leonela GRUEZO ORTIZ (ECU)
Melanie JIMENEZ (MEX)
Savannah COSME (USA)
Astrid MONTERO (VEN)

65kg
Leticia GAION (BRA)
Miki ROWBOTTOM (CAN)
Elide CASTANON BUENDIA (MEX)
Macey KILTY (USA)

68kg
Grabriela PEDRO (BRA)
Vanessa KEEFE (CAN)
Virginia JIMENEZ (CHI)
Debanhi TAPIA GARCIA (MEX)
Kennedy BLADES (USA)
Nathaly GRIMAN HERRERA (VEN)

72kg
Nyla BURGESS (CAN)
Michelle OLEA RUIZ (MEX)
Tiffani BAUBLITZ (USA)

76kg
Linda MACHUCA (ARG)
Thamires MARTINS MACHADO (BRA)
Vianne ROULEAU (CAN)
Milaimy MARIN POTRILLE (CUB)
Genesis REASCO (ECU)
Edna JIMENEZ (MEX)
Kylie WELKER (USA)
Neirili BANGUERO MARTINEZ (VEN)

Agustin DESTRIBATS (ARG)Agustin DESTRIBATS (ARG) is one of the favorites to win gold at 65kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / William Bain)

Freestyle

57kg
Davi SILVA GIOVANNETTI (BRA)
Christopher MERLO (CAN)
Esteban MORALES MAYANCHA (ECU)
Edwin SEGURA GUERRA (GUA)
Roman BRAVO YOUNG (MEX)
Eduardo PALAS SEQUEIROS (PER)
Lucas RODRIGUEZ (PUR)
Liam CORNIN (USA)
Pedro MEJIAS RODRIGUEZ (VEN)

61kg
Garette SAUNDERS (CAN)
Peter HAMMER (CRC)
Joshua KRAMER (ECU)
Esteban PEREZ (GUA)
Enrique OLVERA (MEX)
Andres ANDRADE (PAN)
Diego VILLALBA (PAR)
Joseph SILVA (PUR)
Jaxen FORREST (USA)

65kg
Agustin DESTRIBATS (ARG)
Matheus DA LUZ (BRA)
Peiman BIABANI (CAN)
Matias MUNOZ (CHI)
Jonnathan PEREZ (GUA)
Jordan MITCHELL (JAM)
Diego PERAZA AGUILAR (MEX)
Joseph MCKENNA (USA)
Wilfredo RODRIGUEZ (VEN)

70kg
Edvanilson CONCEICAO (BRA)
Jacob ALEXANDER TORRES (CAN)
Jorge GATICA (CHI)
Enrique PEREZ CASTELLANOS (GUA)
Donavan SOLORZANO (HON)
Marquis LARMOND (JAM)
Austin GOMEZ (MEX)
Royglen TEMPLE BATISTA (PAN)
Sixto AUCCAPINA PEDRAGAS (PER)
Francisco GUZMAN VELAZQUEZ (PUR)
Ian PARKER (USA)

74kg
Paulo GONCALVES DA SILVA (BRA)
Adam THOMSON (CAN)
Geannis GARZON (CUB)
Mauricio SANCHEZ SALTOS (ECU)
Luis BARRIOS ROCHEZ (HON)
Alonzo SMILEY GARCIA (MEX)
Wilfrido SAMANIEGO QUIJADA (PAN)
Jhon CHUNGA CARRENO (PER)
Ladarion LOCKETT (USA)
Anthony MONTERO CHIRINOS (VEN)

79kg
Jasmit PHULKA (CAN)
Victor HERNANDEZ LUNA (MEX)
Jose AMBROCIO GREIFO (PER)
Shane JONES (PUR)
Evan WICK (USA)

86kg
Jorge LLANO (ARG)
Giovanni GAION (BRA)
Taran GORING (CAN)
Jorge ANDY TIWI (ECU)
Cesar UBICO ESTRADA (GUA)
Kevin DE LEON TREVINO (MEX)
Jesus LANDA CESPEDES (PER)
Ethan RAMOS (PUR)
Zahid VALENCIA (USA)
Steven RODRIGUEZ TORREYES (VEN)

92kg
Andrew JOHNSON (CAN)
Miguel LAVIELLE RAMIREZ (MEX)
Eduardo VEGA GARCIA (PAN)
Edwin MORALES (PUR)
Trent HIDLAY (USA)

97kg
Ricardo BAEZ (ARG)
Ailton BRITO ROCHA (BRA)
Nishan RANDHAWA (CAN)
Arturo SILOT TORRES (CUB)
Juan ITURRIZA RUIZ (MEX)
Justin RADEMACHER (USA)
Cristian SARCO COLMENAREZ (VEN)

125kg
Gabriel DE SOUSA SILVA (BRA)
Richard DESCHATELETS (CAN)
Maxwell LACEY GARITA (CRC)
Gino AVILA DILBERT (HON)
Nicolas SANTACRUZ RABAGO (MEX)
Jonovan SMITH (PUR)
Wyatt HENDRICKSON (USA)
Jose DIAZ ROBERTTI (VEN)