#panam2018

USA Advances Five to Men’s and Women’s Freestyle Finals in Lima

By Taylor Miller

LIMA (May 5) – Three women’s freestylers and two men’s freestylers from the USA will compete for gold medals tonight at the 2018 Pan American Championships in Lima, Peru, on Saturday night.

Highlighting the morning session for the U.S. was three-time World champion Adeline GRAY, who picked up two first-period falls in her first Pan Am Championships appearance. Gray, a 2015 Pan Am Games gold medalist, Mabelkis CAPOTE (CUB), who finished fifth at the U23 World Championships, and Aline DA SILVA FERREIRA (BRA), who is a 2016 World Military champion and a 2014 World silver medalist.

Seeking gold at 76 kg, Gray will face Andrea OLAYA GUTIERREZ (COL) in the finals.

Other women for USA advancing to the finals are Whitney CONDER at 50 kg and Sarah HILDEBRANDT at 53 kg.

In men’s freestyle the U.S. sent 2017 Junior World champion Mark HALL at 79 kg and two-time Greco-Roman Olympian Ben PROVISOR at 92 kg to the finals.

After wrestling Greco on Friday, Provisor got back on the mat for USA, this time in freestyle. In the final round of round-robin action, Provisor will face Esdras LOPEZ PEREZ (MEX). As both are undefeated at the weight, the winner of this matchup will take gold.

Hall only wrestled one match as his first one was a forfeit. He put up a dominant semifinals performance, defeating Santiago MARTINEZ RESTREPO (COL), 10-1.

Waiting for Hall on the other side of the bracket is Ethan RAMOS (PUR), who is a native of the U.S., wrestling for Puerto Rico. Both wrestlers competed in the same weight class on the NCAA collegiate level.

Ramos picked up notable wins over veteran Shawn DAYE FINLAY (CAN), 14-4, and Marcos Rob QUESADA MARTINEZ (PER), who he pinned in one minute.

Cuba put through three women into the finals, including Lienna MONTERO HERRERA at 57 kg, Yaquelin ESTORNELL at 62 kg and 2017 Junior World silver medalist and U23 World bronze winner Yudari SANCHEZ RODRIGUEZ at 68 kg.

At 62 kg, Lais NUNES DE OLIVEIRA (BRA) will battle Estornell for gold. A two-time Pan Am champion, Nunes defeated two-time Olympic bronze medalist Jackeline RENTERIA CASTILLO (COL) in the semifinals with an 11-6 decision.

The finals are set for 7 p.m. ET and can be watched live on unitedworldwrestling.org.

FINALS MATCHUPS

Men’s freestyle

79 kg
GOLD - Ethan Adrian RAMOS (PUR) vs. Mark John HALL II (USA)
BRONZE - Rashji Leonardo MACKEY (BAH) vs. Santiago MARTINEZ RESTREPO (COL)
BRONZE - Shawn Kenneth DAYE FINLEY (CAN) vs. Marcos Roberto QUESADA MARTINEZ (PER)

92 kg
ROUND 5 - Dalton James WEBB (CAN) vs. Kensil Alexander GRAJALES HERNANI (PER)
ROUND 5 - Esdras Carlos LOPEZ PEREZ (MEX) vs. Benjamin Errol PROVISOR (USA)Women’s freestyle

Women’s freestyle

50 kg
GOLD - Whitney CONDER (USA) vs. Carolina CASTILLO HIDALGO (COL)
BRONZE - Jacqueline Del Rocio MOLLOCANA ELENO (ECU) vs. Mariana DIAZ MUNOZ (MEX)
BRONZE - Evelin del Carmen SOSA (ARG) vs. Jade Marie DUFOUR (CAN)

53 kg
GOLD - Luisa Elizabeth VALVERDE MELENDRES (ECU) vs. Sarah Ann HILDEBRANDT (USA)
BRONZE - Kristina Katelyn MCLAREN (CAN) vs. Betzabeth Angelica ARGUELLO VILLEGAS (VEN)
BRONZE - Dannia Stefanny FIGUEROA DUQUE (COL) vs. Lilianet DUANES ANDRES (CUB)

57 kg
GOLD - Lianna de la Caridad MONTERO HERRERA (CUB) vs. Alejandra ROMERO BONILLA (MEX)
BRONZE - Yessica Coraima OVIEDO PEREZ (DOM) vs. Alexandria Rebekkah TOWN (CAN)
BRONZE - Nes Marie RODRIGUEZ TIRADO (PUR) vs. Michaela Hope BECK (USA)

62 kg
GOLD - Lais NUNES DE OLIVEIRA (BRA) vs. Yaquelin ESTORNELL ELIZASTIGUE (CUB)
BRONZE - Kayla Colleen Kiyoko MIRACLE (USA) vs. Linda MORAIS (CAN)
BRONZE - Karla Johanna CAMPOS GONZALEZ (ECU) vs. Jackeline RENTERIA CASTILLO (COL)

68 kg
GOLD - Soleymi Antonieta CARABALLO HERNANDEZ (VEN) vs. Yudari SANCHEZ RODRIGUEZ (CUB)
BRONZE - Yanet Ursula SOVERO NINO (PER) vs. Temitope Lydia OGUNJIMI (CAN)
BRONZE - Diana Paulina MIRANDA GONZALES (MEX) vs. Leonela Aleyda AYOVI PARRAGA (ECU)

76 kg
GOLD - Adeline Maria GRAY (USA) vs. Andrea Carolina OLAYA GUTIERREZ (COL)
BRONZE - Andrimar Daniela LAZARO DIAZ (VEN) vs. Gracelynn DOOGAN (CAN)
Mabelkis CAPOTE PEREZ (CUB) vs. Aline DA SILVA FERREIRA (BRA)

#WrestleAlexandria

Nigeria Dominates African Championships with 4 WW Golds

By United World Wrestling Press

ALEXANDRIA, Egypt (May 1) -- Barring a close loss at the 68kg weight class, Nigeria put up a near flawless performance at the African Championships. Nigeria won four out of five Women's Wrestling gold medals that were on offer on Saturday while the one went to hosts Egypt.

After the U17 and U20 African Championships, the senior continental began in Alexandria, Egypt with all 10 Greco-Roman and five Women's Wrestling weight classes.

UWW Plus

The golden night for Nigeria began when defending champion Christianah OGUNSANYA (NGR) maintained her perfect record at the African Championships, winning the 53kg gold for the fourth time. Wrestling Nogona BAKAYOKO (CIV) in the final, Ogunsanya led 7-1 when the Ivory Coast wrestler pulled out of the final citing injury. The forfeit gave the U23 world bronze medalist Ogunsanya the victory.

At 57kg, Jumoke ADEKOYE (NGR) also became a four time African champion adding to her gold medals from 2022, 2023 and 2025. She defeated Achouak TEKOUK (ALG), 8-4, a final much closer than the score indicates.

The third gold for Nigeria came at 62kg as world bronze medalist Esther KOLAWOLE (NGR) won all four of her round-robin bouts with ease. She outscored her opponents 40-0, winning all four bouts via technical superiority.

In her first bout against Mouda HAMDOUN (EGY), who finished with a silver medalist, Kolawole used only one minute to gets a takedown and four turns to win the bout, a virtual final in hindsight.

At 76kg, Damola OJO (NGR) defended her gold medal to become a two-time African champion and win the fourth gold medal for Nigeria. She defeated Pelagie WILITA (CMR), 3-1, in the gold medal bout.

Sabah KHAMIS (EGY)Sabah KHAMIS (EGY) celebrates after beating Hannah RUEBEN (NGR) in Round 1 bout at 68kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

The only weight class in which Nigeria did not win a medal was 68kg. Local star and U20 African champion on Thursday Sabah KHAMIS (EGY) upset defending champion Hannah RUEBEN (NGR) in their round-robin bout.

In what turned out to be the match of the morning session as they met in Round 1, Khamis held on to a thrilling 8-7 victory over Rueben who now has eight African Championships medals with three golds and five silvers.

Photo

RESULTS

53kg
GOLD: Christianah OGUNSANYA (NGR) df. Nogona BAKAYOKO (CIV), via inj. (7-1)

BRONZE: Zineb ECH CHABKI (MAR) df. Latifatu MOHAMMED (GHA), via forfeit
BRONZE: Cheima CHEBILA (ALG) df. Israa SLIMI (TUN), 8-0

57kg
GOLD: Jumoke ADEKOYE (NGR) df. Achouak TEKOUK (ALG), 8-4

BRONZE: Chahd JELJELI (TUN) df. Sara ETTAKI (MAR), via fall (4-0)

62kg
GOLD: Esther KOLAWOLE (NGR)
SILVER: Mouda HAMDOUN (EGY)
BRONZE: Esraa JABRI (TUN)

68kg
GOLD: Sabah KHAMIS (EGY)
SILVER: Hannah RUEBEN (NGR)
BRONZE: Joseth MAVUNGU (ANG)

76kg
GOLD: Damola OJO (NGR) df. Pelagie WILITA (CMR), 3-1

BRONZE: Amy YOUIN (CIV) df. Rosine BODJRENOU (BEN), 10-0