#WrestleRio

U17 Pan-American Championships 2025 Entries

Monday, June 16, 2025 - 19:19 By United World Wrestling Press

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RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (June 16) -- The U17 Pan-American Championships will kick off in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from June 19 to 21.

The tournament will begin with Greco-Roman on June 19, Women's Wrestling on June 20 and Freestyle on June 21. For full schedule, click here

Note: The entries are subject to change. For final entries and draws, refer to UWW Arena.

Freestyle

45kg
Willian RIBEIRO (BRA)
Jack AUCOIN (CAN)
Duglas URRUTIA (GUA)
Israel AMARO (MEX)
Francesko CANAYO (PER)
Thales SILVA (USA)

48kg
Enrique PARRA (CAN)
Jose QUINTERO (MEX)
Carlos BELMO (PAN)
Andre HUARCAYA (PER)
Fabian SANCHEZ (PUR)
Ariah MILLS (USA)
Anderson FRANCO (VEN)

51kg
Mykael CAETANO (BRA)
Jonrex CASA (CAN)
David MORALES (COL)
Luis AGUSTIN (GUA)
Jorge RIOS (MEX)
Kadir QUINONES (PAN)
Fabrizio MOCARRO (PER)
Cruz LITTLE (PUR)
Carter SHIN (USA)
Luigeth ANTUNEZ (VEN)

55kg
Bernardo MIRANDA (BRA)
Aaharen PIRANAVAN (CAN)
Jovanni TOVAR (COL)
Angel VALDEZ (GUA)
Edgar BOCANEGRA (MEX)
Ian ARROCHA (PAN)
Nathaniel LYTTLE (PUR)
Thomas WURSTER (USA)
Gabriel LICON (VEN)

60kg
Santiago CHRISJOHN (ARG)
Fabian LIMA (BRA)
Nathan NASH (CAN)
Emanuel LAZCANO (CHI)
Adrian CANALES (ESA)
Jose JEREZ (GUA)
Johan CRUZ (MEX)
Juan CRISTALDO (PER)
Frederick BACHMANN (PUR)
Nicholas SORROW (USA)
Haniel RODRIGUEZ (VEN)

65kg
Thiago AMARILLA (ARG)
Pedro ARAPIRACA (BRA)
Liam GORTON (CAN)
Valentino GODOY (CHI)
Dylan FERNANDEZ (ESA)
Austreberto CORDOVA (MEX)
Cameron HAINES (PAN)
Joao MONTESINOS (PER)
Yandro SOTO (PUR)
Arseni KIKINIOU (USA)
Emiliano AGUILAR (VEN)

71kg
Benjamin CASAS (ARG)
Antonio ARGUELLO (ESA)
Brandon HERNANDEZ (GUA)
Daniel TEJEDA (HON)
Gabriel VARGAS (PAN)
Anthony MOLINA (PER)
Joab CARRILLO (PUR)
Jayden JAMES (USA)
Axiel MONTERO (VEN)

80kg
Eduardo NUNES (BRA)
Beau CHARTRAND (CAN)
Gabriel RIVERA (ESA)
Arat GONZALEZ (MEX)
Maycki FLORES (PER)
Alan GARCIA (PUR)
Isai FERNANDEZ (USA)
Joaquin BARRANCOS (VEN)

92kg
Allan DE SOUSA (BRA)
Harjot SHERGILL (CAN)
Jose PEREZ (COL)
Alvaro VILLA (PER)
Franco LATORRE (PUR)
James SMITH (USA)

110kg
Wandson RODRIGUES (BRA)
Udaypartap BILLEN (CAN)
Santiago PALOMINO (COL)
Carlos CABRALES (MEX)
Elias BETANCOURT (PUR)
Alexander TAYLOR (USA)

Greco-Roman

45kg
Willian RIBEIRO (BRA)
Duglas URRUTIA (GUA)
Dannys GONZALES (HON)
Cristofer QUINTERO (MEX)
Francesko CANAYO (PER)
Thales SILVA (USA)

48kg
Pedro SANTOS (BRA)
Jeremy LOPEZ (HON)
Christopher RAMIREZ (MEX)
Carlos BELMO (PAN)
Andre HUARCAYA (PER)
Fabian SANCHEZ (PUR)
Ariah MILLS (USA)
Anderson FRANCO (VEN)

51kg
Maycon DE CASTRO (BRA)
David MORALES (COL)
Jiug ALVAREZ (MEX)
Kadir QUINONES (PAN)
Jules CASALINO (PER)
Carter SHIN (USA)
Luigeth ANTUNEZ (VEN)

55kg
Lavozier WADIK (BRA)
Dante BARRA (CHI)
Erick CHOC (GUA)
Mateo PEREZ (MEX)
Ian ARROCHA (PAN)
Giancarlos YOVERA (PER)
Thomas WURSTER (USA)
Haniel RODRIGUEZ (VEN)

60kg
Luiz DOS SANTOS (BRA)
Adrian CANALES (ESA)
Zeus GONZALEZ (MEX)
Juan CRISTALDO (PER)
Edwin MORALES (PUR)
Nicholas SORROW (USA)
Gabriel LICON (VEN)

65kg
Victor NASCIMENTO (BRA)
Raul CASTILLO (MEX)
Joao MONTESINOS (PER)
Arseni KIKINIOU (USA)
Emiliano AGUILAR (VEN)

71kg
Fernando BENCKE (BRA)
Cristobal ALIAGA (CHI)
Antonio ARGUELLO (ESA)
Daniel TEJEDA (HON)
Heder SALDANA (MEX)
Gabriel VARGAS (PAN)
Anthony MOLINA (PER)
Alexander BARROS (PUR)
Jayden JAMES (USA)
Axiel MONTERO (VEN)

80kg
Miguel XAVIER (BRA)
Angel LAGOS (CHI)
John SAENZ (GUA)
Diego CAMPOS (MEX)
Maycki FLORES (PER)
Isai FERNANDEZ (USA)
Reynniel YEPEZ (VEN)

92kg
Joao AMORIM (BRA)
Tomas ESPINOZA (CHI)
Jose PEREZ (COL)
Cristhoper PEREZ (GUA)
Jose ESPARZA (MEX)
Alvaro VILLA (PER)
Franco LATORRE (PUR)
James SMITH (USA)

110kg
Raphael RODRIGUES (BRA)
Santiago PALOMINO (COL)
Angel GARCIA (MEX)
Elias BETANCOURT (PUR)
Alexander TAYLOR (USA)

Morgan TURNER (USA)Former world U17 champion Morgan TURNER (USA) will compete at 49kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Women's Wrestling

40kg
Heloisa FERNANDES (BRA)
Andrea FLORES (HON)
Zoe VASQUEZ (MEX)
Corangelys TORRES (PUR)
Maisie ELLIOTT (USA)
Merlis LINARES (VEN)

43kg
Mariza NASU (CAN)
Isabela GARNICA (COL)
Kristel GODINEZ (GUA)
Karen RIOS (MEX)
Margarita QUITO (PER)
Natalie RADECKI (USA)
Elianny CLEVIERT (VEN)

46kg
Maria TESSARO (BRA)
Iraabir SOOCH (CAN)
Alejandra SALINAS (CHI)
Mayllin ESCOBAR (GUA)
Aleyvi CELIS (MEX)
Sheyla RODRIGUEZ (PER)
Heklanys RIVERA (PUR)
Jaclyn BOUZAKIS (USA)
Valeria NARVAEZ (VEN)

49kg
Kamryn MASON (CAN)
Ivon OVALLE (COL)
Siria GAMBOA (GUA)
Ana MORA (MEX)
Akemy GOMEZ (PER)
Miayalee ORTIZ (PUR)
Morgan TURNER (USA)
Asia SANCHEZ (VEN)

53kg
Yasmin VENANCIO (BRA)
Clara PERRY (CAN)
Alejandra SERRANO (COL)
Sharon MACKEPEACE (GUA)
Camila PEREZ (MEX)
Yumaira RUSSELL (PAN)
Clara RAMIREZ (PER)
Emma PEAKE (PUR)
Stevie MARTIN (USA)
Javianny GIMENEZ (VEN)

57kg
Natalia PROBOSTE (ARG)
Yasmim NEPER (BRA)
Kai Nessa PARE (CAN)
Fernanda RIFFO (CHI)
Sofia LUNA (MEX)
Milagros SALGADO (PAN)
Stacy RODRIGUEZ (PER)
Paola RAMIREZ (PUR)
Emma BACON (USA)
Nairam JAIME (VEN)

61kg
Danna COSTA (ARG)
Kauany SOARES (BRA)
Natalie WOJCIECHOWSKI (CAN)
Susana SANCHEZ (COL)
Yolayni ROSADO (DOM)
Sara ROBLES (MEX)
Michely GUTIERREZ (PER)
Marisa ITURRINO (PUR)
Taina FERNANDEZ (USA)

65kg
Anabella VALLE (ARG)
Beatriz CALASANS (BRA)
Cassidy PACE (CAN)
Shantallee BARRIOS (COL)
Sylvia ESPINOSA (MEX)
Violette LASURE (USA)
Luz CUAURO (VEN)

69kg
Sofia BAZAN (ARG)
Mayara NEPER (BRA)
Khushleen JHALLI (CAN)
Linda MARTINEZ (MEX)
Cassandra GONZALES (USA)

73kg
Ana VICENTE (BRA)
Jolina HEALEY (CAN)
Deborah GARCIA (MEX)
Chelse CARHUALLANQUI (PER)
Ella POALILLO (USA)
Perla PENA (VEN)

#WrestleTirana

Kayaalp's 13: New Golden Standard Set in Europe

Tuesday, April 21, 2026 - 15:27 By United World Wrestling Press

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TIRANA, Albania (April 20) -- On Tuesday evening in Tirana, Riza KAYAALP (TUR) did something that for years existed and was expected to continue to exist only as a hypothetical.

He won his 13th European title in Tirana on Tuesday, beating Darius VITEK (HUN), 7-1, in the 130kg European Championships. 2026 joined 2023, 2022, 2021, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012 and 2010.

Riza KAYAALP (TUR)Riza KAYAALP (TUR) turns Darius VITEK (HUN) in the 130kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

As the referee raised his powerfully sculpted right arm in triumph, Kayaalp raised the ceiling in Greco-Roman. He moved past the legendary Aleksandr KARELIN’s 12 European gold medals, the last of which he had won in 2000. Generations of wrestlers had competed, won and lost, knowing all the while that that number would outlast them. Until Kayaalp finally eclipsed it.

The moment itself wasn’t dramatic in the way history is often expected to be. Just a raised hand, a nod and a lap of honor around the mat with the Turkish flag around his shoulders. That’s been the story of Kayaalp’s career.

Riza KAYAALP (TUR)Riza KAYAALP (TUR) speaks to the media after winning the gold medal at the European Championships. (United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

Born in Yozgat, in central Turkey, Kayaalp would have inherently understood the role of wrestling in Turkish sporting heritage and the place champions of the sport have historically held in the nation. He would have grown up in the shadow of two-time Olympic and eight-time European champion Hamza YERLIKAYA, who defined Turkish wrestling in the 1990s and like everyone else in the sport, under the global shadow of Karelin.

Slowly and methodically Kayaalp would try to match them. His career has been relentless and consistent rather than spectacular. Since his first European gold in 2010, won as a twenty-year old, Kayaalp has claimed titles across two decades. He’s adapted through rule changes, generations of opponents, and brutal physical wear and tear of time itself.

Apart from his European titles, he has five World Championships gold medals, and three Olympic medals -- a bronze in London 2012, silver in Rio 2016, bronze again in Tokyo 2020. Every time a major medal was to be decided over the past decade and a half, Kayaalp would with almost absurd reliability be counted in the mix.

Riza KAYAALP (TUR)Riza KAYAALP (TUR) with Taha AKGUL (TUR) at the medal ceremony in Tirana. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

For all of Kayaalp’s longevity, his career has always carried the one obvious gap compared to Karelin or Yerlikaya -- no Olympic gold. That absence will still be there. That gap is unlikely to close any time soon. As such the European mark became a milestone within his grasp. Or in the last few years, a milestone just out of grasp.

Indeed, for Kayaalp the title will provide a sense of closure. He had equalled Karelin’s record at the 2023 European championships in Zagreb. Prior to that tournament, he had in an interview with Anadalou Agency spoken of equalling Karelin’s record, breaking it at the 2024 European Championships and finally finishing his career on a high note with a gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

But things would not go as planned. At the 2024 European Championships, Kayaalp was pinned in the final by Sergey SEMENOV (UWW) -- only the second final he had ever lost in Europe. A few months later despite qualifying for the Olympics he was unable to compete due to a medication issue linked to treatment for persistent tinnitus. His appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport was upheld, clearing the way for his return. He would describe the period as the toughest of his career.

But the ordeal had left him with a new purpose and a desire to exit the stage on his own terms.

“For an athlete with so many titles, this was the worst thing that could happen,” he said. “Because of a simple issue, we faced a huge problem. But I always believed I would overcome it, return to my job and leave the sport on my own terms,” he had told Anadalou Agency at the start of 2026 when he made his return to international competition at the Zagreb Ranking series earlier this year.

“There was fatigue before. In this 18-month period, my desire to work came back stronger. I was already motivated to be champion. Now it is even greater. I feel renewed,” he had said.

While Kayaalp has said he would compete until the 2028 Olympics, he had also spoken of the unfinished business he had had in Europe. “I was so close,” he said. “Fourteen finals, 12 European titles, one more for the record, and then something unwanted happens. But everything is resolved. To bring that record to my country would mean a lot,” he had said then.

He had come close once and fallen short. That could have been the ending -- a near miss against an immortal number. Instead, with his 13th European title, Kayaalp gets to tell his story. He stands alone as the most decorated European wrestler of all time.

Records though exist to be broken. At some point, inevitably, another wrestler will look at Kayaalp's number and decide to chase it. But at least for some time, records exist to define limits. For over a quarter of a century that limit was Karelin’s 12. Now it’s Kayaalp’s 13.