2026 U20 European Championships

U20 European Championships 2026 Entries

By United World Wrestling Press

SKOPJE, North Macedonia (June 26) -- The U20 European Championships will be held in Skopje, North Macedonia from July 6 to 12.

More than 500 wrestlers are expected to take part in the tournament which will start with Greco-Roman, then Women's Wrestling and finish with Freestyle.

Note: The entries are subject to change before the draw of respective styles

UWW Plus

Greco-Roman

55kg
Edgar PETROSYAN (ARM)
Emin JAVADLI (AZE)
Stanislav IVANOV (BUL)
Jakub SEDLAK (CZE)
Nolan PISSOCHER (FRA)
Sos KOTANJYAN (FRA)
Koba KARUMIDZE (GEO)
Lenny WOERNER (GER)
Vasileios PAPAGEORGIOU (GRE)
Maxim SARMANOV (MDA)
Dawid MALIK (POL)
Alexandre DE ALMEIDA (POR)
Vlad TRIP (ROU)
Ilia KANDALIN (RUS)
Denizhan OGUN (TUR)
Bohdan RIZNYCHENKO (UKR)

60kg
Marat ATSHEMYAN (ARM)
Aykhan JAVADOV (AZE)
Rasim IBRAHIMAU (BLR)
Zhivko HINKOV (BUL)
Magomed VARAEV (FRA)
Kakhaber GOGINASHVILI (GEO)
Ivan SEIBEL (GER)
Vasileios TSAROUCHAS (GRE)
Gabriele PUCHER (ITA)
Emilis NEVERAUSKAS (LTU)
Alin CHITIC (MDA)
Storm RYDEN (NOR)
Kacper SOBCZYK (POL)
Billy MARQUES (POR)
Dragos DRAGA (ROU)
ILIA PANIUTIN (RUS)
Levin MEIER (SUI)
Nikolasz PALENYIK (SVK)
Olivier PEREZ IBARRA (SWE)
Furkan ODEN (TUR)
Herman BASARAB (UKR)

63kg
Mikel TROPLINI (ALB)
Aleks MARGARYAN (ARM)
Tural AHMADOV (AZE)
Dzmitry DUDUK (BLR)
Alyosha ILIEV (BUL)
Raimond PROUS (EST)
Matias ARPIAINEN (FIN)
Ilies DAHMANI (FRA)
Giorgi TCHIKAIDZE (GEO)
Mika LABES (GER)
Marios KAPANTAIS (GRE)
Levente FIGE (HUN)
Riccardo DELLE CAVE (ITA)
Maxim CARAUS (MDA)
Vetle GUNHEIM HATLAND (NOR)
Filip IWASZKO (POL)
Ionut MEREUTA (ROU)
Salim KAZMAKHOV (RUS)
Andrej VELISAVLJEV (SRB)
Balint VARGA (SVK)
Abdul ARSLANTAS (TUR)
Maksut SULTANOV (UKR)

67kg
Yurik MKHITARYAN (ARM)
Roman KARIMOV (AZE)
Mikhail MARKOUSKI (BLR)
Kristiyan MILENKOV (BUL)
Tin TURKOVIC (CRO)
Hugo RIEHUNKANGAS (FIN)
Ilian DOUBACH (FRA)
Erekle TAVBERIDZE (GEO)
Ilja PAVLENKOV (GER)
Sergios BOULOUTIDIS (GRE)
Petro ZHYTOVOZ (HUN)
Alessio ARANCIO (ITA)
Eimantas ANDRIUSKA (LTU)
Maxim DAMASCHIN (MDA)
Ilias LAAOUINA (NED)
Andreas FJELDSTAD (NOR)
Iosif ZLOTAR (ROU)
Amir SOVMIZ (RUS)
Kristian DOBI (SRB)
Roland CSICSO (SVK)
Omer ALTAS (TUR)
Vladyslav POKOTYLO (UKR)

72kg
Narek GRIGORIAN (ARM)
Kamran RAJABLI (AZE)
Uladzimir NEHODA (BLR)
Atanas RADEV (BUL)
Jure RAJKOVIC (CRO)
Bruno HANZEL (CZE)
Andreas VAELJA (EST)
Bilel GHARBI (FRA)
Aleksandre RUSITASHVILI (GEO)
Finn KUEHN (GER)
Arionas KOLITSOPOULOS (GRE)
Barna TOPLAK (HUN)
Timur NADORGIN (ISR)
Andrea PROIETTI (ITA)
Ignat MEICO (MDA)
Mate VAN OS (NED)
Kacper GOLONKA (POL)
Vladislav BYRLIA (RUS)
Balaz UJHELJI (SRB)
Alvin THULINDER (SWE)
Salih YAZICI (TUR)
Dmytro DEMIANOVSKYI (UKR)

77kg
Samvel TERTERYAN (ARM)
Lars MATT (AUT)
Javidan NAHMATOV (AZE)
Hristo VALENTINOV (BUL)
Rasmus TONISMAEE (EST)
Luka KAJANNE (FIN)
Giorgi GOGELASHVILI (GEO)
Raphael TITZE (GER)
Adamantios PAPADATOS (GRE)
Zalan TOPLAK (HUN)
Nilo VIRGILII (ITA)
Robertas VOLOTKEVIC (LTU)
Nichita APOSTOL (MDA)
Noe WOLSKI (POL)
Nazar BERKOVSKII (RUS)
Zalan PEK (SRB)
Ruben STRAAKEVED (SWE)
Alkan AKAR (TUR)
Pavlo POSHUTYLOV (UKR)

82kg
Vahe HOVHANNISYAN (ARM)
Christopher SZENTKIRALYI (AUT)
Elmin ALIYEV (AZE)
Kiryl VALEUSKI (BLR)
Martin SHISHEKOV (BUL)
Petr ZAK (CZE)
Severi MAEENPAEAE (FIN)
Haik SARGSYAN (FRA)
Luka PIPIA (GEO)
Bogomir EISMONT (GER)
Vasileios SEMERTZIDIS (GRE)
Szabolcs SZINAY (HUN)
Toms IRKLIS (LAT)
Stanislav MUSABECOV (MDA)
Zaur BESLEKOEV (RUS)
Dominik HERVAI (SVK)
Axel BAFF (SWE)
Ismail BEREKET (TUR)
Yehor LEHKYI (UKR)

87kg
Iurik PETROSIAN (ARM)
Paul MAIER (AUT)
Orkhan HAJIYEV (AZE)
Danil SKLIZKOU (BLR)
Valentin VALENTINOV (BUL)
Josef CERNY (CZE)
Marcus UHTJAERV (EST)
Luka KOCHALIDZE (GEO)
Anton BUCHHOLZ (GER)
Eleftherios PAPPAS (GRE)
Zalan VARGA (HUN)
Itzhak NEMSADZE (ISR)
Olivers IRKLIS (LAT)
Marius STIHARU (MDA)
Stanislaw FUSSY (POL)
Gabriel STAN (ROU)
Mikhail SHKARIN (RUS)
Stevan KOJIC (SRB)
Max HALS (SWE)
Abdulvahab KALAFAT (TUR)
Vladyslav SOLODCHUK (UKR)

97kg
Erik TER MATEVOSYAN (ARM)
Mahir GURBANLI (AZE)
Pavel SAVITSKI (BLR)
Martin TITOV (BUL)
Andrej RODIN (CRO)
Vitezslav ZAK (CZE)
Pauli PERKIOE (FIN)
Arman MKRTCHYAN (GEO)
Keymi ROTHWEILER (GER)
Dimitrios PAPPAS (GRE)
Vendel VITAI (HUN)
Julius GIKARAS (LTU)
Alexandr PLESCAN (MDA)
Yassine BEN LABED (POL)
Nikita KATERYNYUK (POR)
Vlad PETREAN (ROU)
Saipula GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS)
Emir BOZBAG (TUR)
Yehor YAKUSHENKO (UKR)

130kg
Lyova SHUKHYAN (ARM)
Museyi HUSEYN (AZE)
Mihail KRALEV (BUL)
Dominik KOCMAN (CZE)
Tomas RUSI (FIN)
Saba PURTSELADZE (GEO)
Koppany LASZLO (HUN)
Dominik SKOWRON (POL)
Ali ILIASOV (RUS)
Cemal BAKIR (TUR)
Ivan YANKOVSKYI (UKR)

Magomed OZDAMIROV (RUS)Magomed OZDAMIROV (RUS) is a U20 world champion at 57kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Freestyle

57kg
Sasha PETROSYAN (ARM)
Muhammad ISMAYILOV (AZE)
Matsvei SYTSEVICH (BLR)
Nik DOYCHINOV (BUL)
Gaspard CHEYNOUX (FRA)
Danoush JOWKAR (GBR)
Giorgi TSURIASHVILI (GEO)
John KETERLING (GER)
Karoly BARATH (HUN)
Gheorghi GAIDARJI (MDA)
Nikola GICEV (MKD)
Pavlo ILNYTSKYI (POL)
Marian RUSU (ROU)
Magomed OZDAMIROV (RUS)
Kevin BIRCHLER (SUI)
Ebubekir GUR (TUR)
Mykola BRATOV (UKR)

61kg
Ajndi KRYEZIU (ALB)
Gagik GHAZARYAN (ARM)
Kristian CIKEL (AUT)
Jamal ABBASOV (AZE)
Hleb PIATROU (BLR)
Erdal GALIP (BUL)
Kaspar KOERT (EST)
Deni DAOUDOV (FRA)
Ruben TANGAMYAN (GEO)
Eliah LUCYGA (GER)
Balint NEMETH (HUN)
Pasquale LIUZZI (ITA)
Marcel ANDRONACHE (MDA)
Sufjan SINANI (MKD)
Kajetan WIECZOREK (POL)
Gabriel Florin MIHALCEA (ROU)
Usman INDIRBAEV (RUS)
Nurettin KAPAL (TUR)
Andrii SHOKALIUK (UKR)

65kg
Ervis BARDHI (ALB)
Aren HAYRAPETYAN (ARM)
Bashir VERDIYEV (AZE)
Dzianis KATOK (BLR)
Aleksandar DELCHEV (BUL)
Khizir DASIYEV (FRA)
Joseph MAHONEY (GBR)
Tengiz BARBAKADZE (GEO)
Dominic THIEL (GER)
Pavlos NTIANTIADIS (GRE)
Mozes LASZLO (HUN)
Maxim DIMOV (MDA)
Mario ANANIEV (MKD)
Ivan OKSIUK (POL)
Said GERGOKOV (RUS)
Haci ZADE (TUR)
Zorab ALOIEV (UKR)

70kg
Davit DAVTYAN (ARM)
Haji KARIMOV (AZE)
Movsar CHUPALAEV (BEL)
Vladislav SEIZOV (BUL)
Denis KODAKOV GIL (ESP)
Bayssangour BITMURZAEV (FRA)
Zurab ABALAKI (GEO)
Jason KEIL (GER)
Aik KAZARIAN (GRE)
Ahmad ARSZUNKAEV (HUN)
Daniel KRUTULES (LTU)
Ionut TRIBOI (MDA)
Filip TODOROV (MKD)
Jakub KESY (POL)
David BOICEA (ROU)
Ramazan ABDULKADYROV (RUS)
Aaron ZBERG (SUI)
Dominik ZAVACKY (SVK)
Remzi TEMUR (TUR)
Mykyta SARIIEV (UKR)

74kg
Vladimir AZARYAN (ARM)
Nurlan AGHAZADA (AZE)
Artsiom BOLSUN (BLR)
Nikifor PETROV (BUL)
Daniel JASNOV (EST)
Abdoullah NAKAEV (FRA)
Luka TATIASHVILI (GEO)
Manuel WAGIN (GER)
Vasileios KESIDIS (GRE)
Mate VARGA (HUN)
Eli SOLTANOV (ISR)
Erand FLUGAJ (KOS)
Oleg KNISEVSKIJ (LTU)
Catalin SPINU (MDA)
Muhamed VESELI (MKD)
Gracjan MATYJASEK (POL)
Inal CHELDIEV (RUS)
Umut USLU (TUR)
Bohdan OLIINYK (UKR)

79kg
Narek NIKOGHOSYAN (ARM)
Eljan ISMAYILZADA (AZE)
Halil MAGOMADOV (BEL)
Aliaksei KURYLA (BLR)
Yanaki MARCHOKOV (BUL)
David KODAKOV GIL (ESP)
Tristan ALEKSANDROV (EST)
Iakobi KOBULASHVILI (GEO)
Felix SCHMITT (GER)
Stefanos VAVILIS (GRE)
Arnold TAKACS (HUN)
Declan BLIGH (IRL)
Daniel SIMONIAN (ISR)
Xander GUATTA (ITA)
Adriatik BERISHA (KOS)
Piotr CARADJOV (MDA)
Trim ISMAILI (MKD)
Kyryll DANDAN (ROU)
Magomed ALIBAKHARCHIEV (RUS)
Jaroslav ZAREMBA (SVK)
Yasin UZUN (TUR)
Bohdan OLEKSIIENKO (UKR)

86kg
Razmik YEPREMYAN (ARM)
Mahammad ABASZADA (AZE)
Alan TIGIEV (BUL)
Nikolai TARASSOV (EST)
Dachi PAPINASHVILI (GEO)
Emil ULAMEC (GER)
Tomer DROZHNIAK (ISR)
Aidas SARUNAS (LTU)
Ivan PASLARI (MDA)
Redjep TAIRI (MKD)
Magor LORINCZ (ROU)
Ismail KHANIEV (RUS)
Nick SCHERRER (SUI)
Nikolaj SZILAGYI (SVK)
Sefa CESUR (TUR)
Artur KOSTIUK (UKR)

92kg
Albin PEPOSHI (ALB)
Narek IKILIKYAN (ARM)
Huseyn MAMMADTAGHIZADA (AZE)
Aliaksei KULAKOU (BLR)
Grigor CHERNAKOV (BUL)
Mykola TOLMACHOV (ESP)
Sandro KURASHVILI (GEO)
Abdurrahim SEKMEN (GER)
Youssef SOLIMAN (HUN)
Brando MAGNANI (ITA)
Alexandru BORS (MDA)
Omer MEMEDI (MKD)
Filip NOWAKOWSKI (POL)
Darius SAS (ROU)
Artur TOGOEV (RUS)
Jacek FUDALEJ (SUI)
Eyyup CETIN (TUR)
Yehor HOROKH (UKR)

97kg
Hakob HAKOBYAN (ARM)
Farhad SULEYMANLI (AZE)
Aliaksei KHADUNOU (BLR)
Valentin BORISOV (BUL)
Joona JUNNILA (FIN)
Ashab DADAEV (FRA)
Konstantine PETRIASHVILI (GEO)
Tom ULAMEC (GER)
Robert ERDELYI (HUN)
Vitalie PERCIUN (MDA)
Ilija ATANASOV (MKD)
Balazs LORINCZ (ROU)
Shamil TAMBIEV (RUS)
Suleyman RIZA (TUR)
Rostyslav KURYLIAK (UKR)

125kg
Henrik HAYKYAN (ARM)
Yusif DURSUNOV (AZE)
Yaraslau KOKHAN (BLR)
Dian MANEV (BUL)
Aleksandre ABRAMISHVILI (GEO)
Ahmet SEKMEN (GER)
Nikolaos KARAVANOS (GRE)
Daniel SZILAGYI (HUN)
David ERHAN (MDA)
Piotr GRELA (POL)
Brian TECHEREAN (ROU)
Soslan GABUEV (RUS)
Rusen GULER (TUR)
Ivan MYROSHNYCHENKO (UKR)

Nadiia Sokolovska (UKR)Senior European champion at 72kg, Nadiia Sokolovska (UKR) will be wrestling at 76kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Women's Wrestling

50kg
Serineh CRANE (ARM)
Nazrin AHMADLI (AZE)
Sviatlana KATENKA (BLR)
Ena ZEMUNIC (CRO)
Rita RANTONEN (FIN)
Josephine WRENSCH (GER)
Maria GKIKA (GRE)
Lonisa REKA (KOS)
Mihaela BACOS (MDA)
Frosina ATANASOVA (MKD)
Olivia VAN KLEUNEN (NED)
Daniella HOSSEIN BEKY (NOR)
Karolina ZIEN (POL)
Leticia OLIVEIRA (POR)
Diana VOICULESCU (ROU)
Margarita IARYGINA (RUS)
Sally Vega MALMGREN (SWE)
Nil AKTAS (TUR)
Yelyzaveta KULAKIVSKA (UKR)

53kg
Esra MAMMADLI (AZE)
Aliaksandra VISTSIAK (BLR)
Nikol ALEKSANDROVA (BUL)
Anais MARTIN (FRA)
Fiona GASSER (GER)
Evgenia LAMPROU (GRE)
Szonja NEMETH (HUN)
Naomi LIUZZI (ITA)
Dorentina NEZAJ (KOS)
Bojana KOVACHOVA (MKD)
Ilona VALCHUK (POL)
Electra GARAIACU (ROU)
Ekaterina CHIKANOVA (RUS)
Remziye KARADAG (TUR)
Anastasiia POLSKA (UKR)

55kg
Garatel GULIYEVA (AZE)
Valeryia MIKITSICH (BLR)
Nataliya BOYADZHIEVA (BUL)
Lisette BOETTKER (EST)
Sara RANTONEN (FIN)
Eleni ZAGLIVERI (GER)
Angela CRAPIO CASAROLA (ITA)
Kanita SPAHIJA (KOS)
Enrika DEVETINAITE (LTU)
Eliza GONTA (MDA)
Sadije DURA (MKD)
Thea BERGERSEN (NOR)
Amelia TOMALA (POL)
Bianca RUSU (ROU)
Olesia MALAKHOVA (RUS)
Milica PEROVIC SEKULOVIC (SRB)
Anja EPP (SUI)
Elif ATAKAN (TUR)
Mariia YEFREMOVA (UKR)

57kg
Viktoryia ALISEYENKA (BLR)
Olga POPOVA (BUL)
Théa ROUSSEL (FRA)
Nini TSITSVIDZE (GEO)
Ioanna XENIDOU (GRE)
Liliana KAPUVARI (HUN)
Fabiana RINELLA (ITA)
Elsa NIKOCI (KOS)
Alexandrina BARBANOUA (MDA)
Angela TRAJKOSKA (MKD)
Julia GIBALSKA (POL)
Dolzhon TSYNGUEVA (RUS)
Ivana GAJIC (SRB)
Lara GORCS (SVK)
Stella Hildur SOEROE (SWE)
Su SOYALP (TUR)
Diana KOTVYTSKA (UKR)

59kg
Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE)
Varvara ALISEYENKA (BLR)
Viktoria BOYNOVA (BUL)
Rosa MOLINA RODRIGUEZ (ESP)
Oona PEKKARINEN (FIN)
Franziska BLAUMEISER (GER)
Eda BALAZS (HUN)
Maria PIRA (ITA)
Madalina PRISACARI (MDA)
Viktorija SPASOVSKA (MKD)
Csilla VAN OS (NED)
Marta MANKOWSKA (POL)
Sofiia CHORNAIA (RUS)
Karin Amelia SAMUELSSON (SWE)
Elif ELMALI (TUR)
Oleksandra MALKOVA (UKR)

62kg
Sophia MERANER (AUT)
Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE)
Desislava IVANOVA (BUL)
Graciela ENINGO ASAMA (ESP)
Nella HONKANIEMI (FIN)
Violette DUCHET ANNEZ (FRA)
Miranda KAPANADZE (GEO)
Leonie STEIGERT (GER)
Foteini NALMPANTI (GRE)
Barbara BAGER (HUN)
Maria DI GIACINTO (ITA)
Gabriela RUDOI (MDA)
Tamara CVETKOSKA (MKD)
Nadia KOCIA (POL)
Ekaterina RADYSHEVA (RUS)
Viktoria FOELDESIOVA (SVK)
Vera STOLTZ (SWE)
Ozdenur OZMEZ (TUR)
Albina KLIEFAS (UKR)

65kg
Valeryia KANDZIAKOVA (BLR)
Marijana SUMSKI (CRO)
Anna MAZGAJOVA (CZE)
Eveliina HANHISUANTO (FIN)
Ani CHACHANIDZE (GEO)
Annalena POHL (GER)
Vasiliki KARAVANOU (GRE)
Viktoria PUPP (HUN)
Cristina ZAPOROJAN (MDA)
Marija CVETANOVA (MKD)
Mirijam HANSEN (NOR)
Zuzanna HORBIK (POL)
Margarita SALNAZARIAN (RUS)
Linnea SVENSSON (SWE)
Beyza Nur AKKUS (TUR)
Iryna BORYSIUK (UKR)

68kg
Maryana MURADYAN (BLR)
Lise LANDOUZY (FRA)
Chandni BANKS (GBR)
Mina WITT (GER)
Maja MUNK (HUN)
Juliana CATANZARO (ITA)
Raisa SIRBU (MDA)
Melani MITEVSKA (MKD)
Leah SAMSONSEN (NOR)
Aurelia GODZINSKA (POL)
Ana MARIOARA (ROU)
Evangeliia BEREZHNOVA (RUS)
Michaela SEBOEKOVA (SVK)
Tilda WANNGAARD (SWE)
Elif Sevval KURT (TUR)
Oleksandra RYBAK (UKR)

72kg
Zahra KARIMZADA (AZE)
Karalina PAPOVA (BLR)
Veronika VILK (CRO)
Melanie LORENZ (GER)
Petra MUELLER (HUN)
Greta TVERSKYTE (LTU)
Alexandra MOISEI (MDA)
Anabela DANILOVA (MKD)
Maia GHERGUT (ROU)
Amina MUSAEVA (RUS)
Ilayda CIN (TUR)
Daryna ZAISHLA (UKR)

76kg
Aliaksandra SIAMIONAVA (BLR)
Lotta ENGLICH (GER)
Stefani NIKOLOVA (MKD)
Dominika POCHOWSKA (POL)
Diana TITOVA (RUS)
Evelin UJHELJI (SRB)
Elmira YASIN (TUR)
Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR)

#WrestleCoralville

Welker Pins World Champ Reasco to Win Pan-Am Gold

By Vinay Siwach

CORALVILLE, IOWA, United States (May 9) -- Olympic bronze medalist, world bronze medalist and world champion. That was the hit-list of Kylie WELKER (USA) as she defended her Pan-American 76kg title in Coralville on Saturday.

Welker, a world bronze medalist herself last year, was among the three United States wrestlers who won gold medals as Women's Wrestling came to a close at the Pan-American Championships. The U.S. was the best team of the tournament with 235 points as all 10 wrestlers won medals including eight golds. Canada finished second with 136 points while Mexico was third with 128 points.

UWW Plus

Welker's path to gold medal was nothing short of a minefield as she faced Paris 2024 bronze medalist Tatiana RENTERIA (COL) in the quarterfinals. But Welker got to work straightaway scoring a stepout to lead 1-0. She then countered Renteria's attack and scored a takedown to extend the lead to 3-0 before adding another to go into the break leading 5-0. She took 30 seconds in the second period to score her third takedown and then rolled Renteria twice to finish the match 11-0.

Up against world bronze medalist Milaimy MARIN (CUB) in the semifinals, Welker finished the bout with 1:18 remaining. Marin was put on the activity clock in the first period before Welker rushed her into a takedown to lead 3-0. Welker then overpowered Marin when the Cuban tried reaching for Welker's legs. It was scored four points as Marin fell straight from standing. A go-behind and then an arm-bar exposure was enough for an 11-0 win but Welker held Marin on the mat for the fall.

 

World champion Genesis REASCO (ECU) reached the final from the other side of the bracket with hopes of avenging her 10-0 loss to Welker from last year's Pan-Am semifinals. But the final did not start in Reasco's favor as she was put on the activity clock in the first period which gave Welker a 1-0 lead. In the second period, Welker was put on the activity clock but with seconds left in the 30-second clock, she tried reaching Reasco's leg.

The Ecuadorian world champion thought it was ideal moment to drag Welker towards the zone, but as she did that, Welker whizzed her for a two-point exposure and then held her on the mat for a fall which was confirmed just before Reasco went out of wrestling area.

With the gold medal, U23 world champion Welker is now a two-time Pan-Am champion.

The two other champions for the U.S. were former world medalist Kayla MIRACLE (USA) and Abigail NETTE (USA) at 65kg and 59kg respectively.

Miracle, returning to wrestling since Paris 2024, won both her bouts via technical superiority. She defeated Alexis GOMEZ (MEX), 10-0, in Round 1 and then Miki ROWBOTTOM (CAN), 10-0, in Round 3. Rowbottom defeated Gomez 6-4 in Round 2 to win the silver medal.

Nette had to win three bouts for the gold medal. She began with a 12-2 win over defending champion Laurence BEAUREGARD (CAN) and then secured two falls, first over Daniela MARTINEZ (MEX) and then against Mayara RAMOS (BRA) to confirm her title.

Beauregard, a four-time Pan-Am champion and world bronze medalist, defeated both Martinez and Ramos to secure the silver medal. And since Ramos defeated Martinez earlier in the day, she won the bronze medal.

 

Yepez Wins Fourth Straight Gold

Olympic and world silver medalist Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) captured her fourth straight Pan-American title at 53kg as she won the gold medal after beating Serena DI BENEDETTO (CAN), 12-2, in the final.

Yepez scored first in the final when Di Benedetto tried a snap down and Yepez quickly turned it into a leg attack. She scored a takedown and then a turn to lead 4-0 before adding a stepout to lead 5-0. But she missed one of her attack and Di Benedetto scored a go-behind to make it 5-2.

If that takedown gave any hopes to Di Benedetto, Yepez quickly quashed then hitting a double-leg for four points and then a turn to lead 11-2. The two wrestlers split for the break but on return, Yepez took just 20 seconds to score the match-winning takedown, taking her score to 13-2.

Earlier in the quarterfinals, Yepez defeated former U20 world champion Cristelle RODRIGUEZ (USA), 11-0.

Zahid VALENCIA (USA)Zahid VALENCIA (USA) outscored his opponents 31-0 en route his third Pan-Am title. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

Valencia Defends 86kg Gold

Freestyle commenced on Saturday at the Pan-Ams and the U.S., like in Greco-Roman and Women's Wrestling, dominated it.

In the three weight classes in action on Saturday, the U.S. won two golds medals through world champion Zahid VALENCIA (USA) at 86kg and Austin DE SANTO (USA) at 61kg. The third Freestyle gold of the night went to Geannis GARZON (CUB) who denied Phillip WEBSTER (USA) in the 74kg final.

Valencia, the defending champion at 86kg, went 31-0 in his three bouts. He began with a 10-0 win over Nestor TAFUR (COL) before beating Pedro GONCALVES (BRA), 11-0, in the semifinals.

In the final, Valencia opened the scoring against Christopher FOCA (DOM) using a snap down takedown and then scored another at the edge to lead 4-0. He then used a single-leg attack to lift Foca and slam him on the mat for four points and double the lead to 8-0. Foca attempted a head pinch but Valencia defended it and scored two points as Foca landed on the mat, giving Valencia the win with 2:31 remaining.

De Santo won his first two bouts in the Nelson bracket and then the semifinal, all with the score of 10-0, before blanking Caleb SMITH (PUR), 9-0, in the final. While Smith was pace-setter in the first period, it was De Santo who counter efficiently to lead 4-0 at the break.

But De Santo changed it in the second period, scoring a takedown and turn in the first 34 seconds and lead 8-0. He defended his lead without engaging much with Smith and also scored a stepout late in the final to clinch the gold medal.

Geannis GARZON (CUB)Geannis GARZON (CUB) won the 74kg gold medal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

At 74kg, Garzon made amends after being disqualified for brutality last year, by winning the gold medal this year. Facing Webster in the final, Garzon led 4-0 at the break. In a back-and-forth second period, Garzon tried using a chest wrap to defend an attack from Webster. It was initially scored two for Garzon and one for Webster's reversal, giving Garzon a 6-1 lead.

The U.S. challenged the decision and after the review, the scoring was changed to four points for Garzon and two points for Webster with the former lead 8-2. Webster got a clean takedown soon after to trim the lead to 8-4 but as he was working on the next takedown, Garzon scored exposure lift for two points and Webster got a reversal for one point.

Garzon led 10-5 when Webster scored stepout to make it 10-6 but the U.S. challenged, saying the score should be 10-7. The scoring was deemed correct and Garzon body locked Webster in the final eight seconds to score a takedown and confirm his victory.   

Photo

RESULTS

Women's Wrestling

53kg
GOLD: Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) df. Serena DI BENEDETTO (CAN), 13-2

BRONZE: Sabrina GAMA (BRA) df. Antonia VALDES (CHI), 8-2
BRONZE: Cristelle RODRIGUEZ (USA) df. Alexa ALVAREZ (VEN), 7-2

59kg
GOLD: Abigail NETTE (USA)
SILVER: Laurence BEAUREGARD (CAN)
BRONZE: Mayara RAMOS PEREIRA (BRA)

65kg
GOLD: Kayla MIRACLE (USA)
SILVER: Miki ROWBOTTOM (CAN)
BRONZE: Alexis GOMEZ (MEX)

76kg
GOLD: Kylie WELKER (USA) df. Genesis REASCO (ECU), via fall

BRONZE: Milaimy MARIN (CUB) df. Tatiana RENTERIA (COL), 7-0
BRONZE: Edna JIMENEZ (MEX) df. Neirili BANGUERO (VEN), 9-5

Freestyle

61kg
GOLD: Austin DE SANTO (USA) df. Caleb SMITH (PUR), 9-0

BRONZE: Garette SAUNDERS (CAN) df. Alex VEGA TUN (GUA), 12-5

74kg
GOLD: Geannis GARZON TAMAYO (CUB) df. Phillip WEBSTER (USA), 12-6

BRONZE: Ibsen AGUILAR (VEN) df. Luis BARRIOS (HON), 8-6
BRONZE: Adam THOMSON (CAN) df. Raul PALACIOS (MEX), 10-0

86kg
GOLD: Zahid VALENCIA (USA) df. Christopher FOCA (DOM), 10-0

BRONZE: Ethan RAMOS (PUR) df. Jose PINERO (VEN), 10-0
BRONZE: Nestor TAFUR (COL) df. Pedro GONCALVES (BRA), 11-0