#WrestleGuatemala

USA Claims Eight Gold Medals for Team Title on Last Day of #WrestleGuatemala

By Taylor Miller

GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala – USA won the men’s freestyle team title on Sunday night, sweeping the gold medals at the 2021 Pan American Championships in Guatemala City, Guatemala.

Olympic champion and two-time World champion Kyle SNYDER (USA) dominated the 97kg weight class to earn his sixth Pan-American gold medal. In the final, he wrestled 2017 Pan Am silver medalist and three-time bronze medalist Luis PEREZ SOSA (DOM), who he defeated with an 11-0 win to secure the Golden Boot as the Outstanding Wrestler.

At 86kg, David TAYLOR (USA) collected his fourth Pan Am gold. Taking on Clayton PYE (CAN), Taylor put together a 10-0 win in 24 seconds. He also owns golds from the 2018 and 2019 Pan Am Championships as well as a gold from the 2020 Pan Am Olympic Qualifier.

Six Americans won gold medals in their first Senior Pan American event.

Two-time World champion at 79kg Kyle DAKE (USA) dominated his way to the crown at 74kg with four wins in his Pan American debut. For the gold, Dake defeated 2020 Pan Am bronze winner Victor HERNANDEZ LUNA (MEX), 10-0.

Gable STEVESON (USA) finishes a shot on Santiago RESTREPO HERNANDEZ (COL) in their Round 2 matchup. Steveson won the match, 10-0. (Photo: Tony Rotundo)

2017 Junior World champion and Tokyo Olympian Gable STEVESON (USA) won the 125kg weight class easily with five match wins, all of which were by technical superiorities, including a 10-0 win in the finals over 2018 Junior World silver medalist Aly BARGHOUT (CAN). It was his second victory of the day over Barghout as the two met earlier in the day in pool action.

At 57kg, Vitali ARUJAU (USA), a 2019 Junior World silver medalist, sailed through his opponents to win the title. In the gold-medal final, Arujau dominated 2017 Cadet Pan Am champion Roberto ALEJANDRO BLANCO (MEX), 10-0. It was his third win of the day.

For the crown at 65kg, Joseph MCKENNA (USA), a 2017 U23 World bronze medalist, took on Marcos DE BRITO SIQUEIRA (BRA) in the final, where he dominated for a 10-0 win and the gold medal.

Alec PANTALEO (USA) topped the podium at 70kg, taking out 2017 Pan Am bronze medalist Carlos ROMERO MILLAQUEO (CHI) with a quick 12-0 victory.

Shelton MACK (USA) won a close bout for the title at 61kg, defeating 2011 Pan Am Games champion and 2019 Pan Am Games silver medalist Juan RAMIREZ BELTRE (DOM) with a 2-0 victory.

Team USA won the team title with 10 champions and 250 points. Taking second was Canada with 116 points y rounding out the top-three was Mexico with 114 points.

En Español

CIUDAD DE GUATEMALA – USA ganó el titulo del equipo en el estilo libre masculino, con ocho campeones en el dia final del campeonato panamericano en la Ciudad de Guatemala.

Campeón olímpico 2016 y dos veces campeón mundial Kyle SNYDER (USA) colectó su sexta medalla de oro panamericana el domingo, dominando la categoría 97 kg. En el final, Snyder, dos veces olímpico, se enfrentó a Luis PEREZ SOSA (DOM), un medallista de plata panamericana 2017 y tres veces medallista de bronce. Snyder ganó con una puntuación 11-0 y aseguró el botín de oro.

En la categoría 86 kg, David TAYLOR (USA) ganó el oro panamericano por la cuarta vez. Enfrentándose a Clayton PYE (CAN), Taylor dominó en el final, 10-0. También ganó en 2018 y 2019 así como el torneo clasificatorio olímpico panamericano en 2020.

Seis de los estadounidenses compitieron en el campeonato panamericano por la primera vez.

Kyle DAKE (USA), dos veces campeón mundial en 79 kg, reclamó la corona en 74 kg con cuatro victorias en su debut panamericano. Para el oro, olímpico Dake derrotó a Victor HERNANDEZ LUNA (MEX), medallista de bronce panamericana 2020, 10-0.

Campeón mundial juvenil 2017 y olímpico Gable STEVESON (USA) venció a la categoría 125 kg con cinco victorias el domingo. Todos fueron por superioridades técnicas, incluyendo una victoria 10-0 contra medallista de plata mundial juvenil 2018 Aly BARGHOUT (CAN) en el final. Fue la segunda dominación sobre Barghout. Más temprano en el día, Steveson también ganó 10-0.

En 57 kg, Vitali ARUJAU (USA), medallista de plata mundial juvenil 2019, conquistó todo los oponentes para asegurar el título. Para el oro, Arujau dominó a campeón panamericano cadete 2017 Roberto ALEJANDRO BLANCO (MEX), 10-0. Fue su tercera victoria del día.

Para la corona en la categoría 65 kg, Joseph MCKENNA (USA), medallista de bronce mundial U23, se enfrentó a Marcos DE BRITO SIQUEIRA (BRA) en el final. McKenna ganó el combate cómodamente con una victoria de 10-0.

Alec PANTALEO (USA) llegó a lo más alto del podio en 70 kg. En el final, compitió contra medallista de bronce panamericana 2017 Carlos ROMERO MILLAQUEO (CHI). Pantaleo ganó por 12-0 superioridad tecnica.

Shelton MACK (USA) ganó una pelea cerrada por el título en 61 kg, derrotando al campeón de los Juegos Panamericanos 2011 y medallista de plata de los Juegos Panamericanos 2019 Juan RAMIREZ BELTRE (DOM) con una victoria de 2-0.

USA ganó el titulo del equipo con 10 campeones y 250 puntos. Canadá aseguró la plata con 116 puntos, y en el tercer lugar Mexico anotó 114 puntos.

MEN’S FREESTYLE RESULTS
57 kg
GOLD - Vitali ARUJAU (USA) df. Roberto ALEJANDRO BLANCO (MEX), 10-0
BRONZE - Samuel ALVA PEDRAGAS (PER) df. Edwin SEGURA GUERRA (GUA), 5-3
BRONZE –
Alexander FERNANDEZ PENA (DOM) df. Bryan DE OLIVEIRA PEREIRA (BRA), 9-1

61 kg
GOLD - Shelton MACK (USA) df. Juan RAMIREZ BELTRE (DOM), 2-0
BRONZE - Jorge OLVERA RODRIGUEZ (MEX) df. Esteban PEREZ CASTELLANOS (GUA), 3-1

65 kg
GOLD - Joseph MCKENNA (USA) df. Marcos DE BRITO SIQUEIRA (BRA), 10-0           
BRONZE - Jonnathan PEREZ CASTELLANOS (GUA) df. David PINILLA RODRIGUEZ (PAN), 3-1
BRONZE – Albaro RUDECINDO CAMACHO (DOM) df. Sebastian RIVERA (PUR), 10-0

70 kg
GOLD - Alec PANTALEO (USA) df. Carlos ROMERO MILLAQUEO (CHI), 12-0
BRONZE - Enrique PEREZ CASTELLANOS (GUA) df. Sebastian SOSA SANCHEZ (PAR), 12-0
BRONZE – Vincent DE MARINIS (CAN) df. Joao DOS SANTOS SILVA (BRA), fall 1:10

74 kg
GOLD – Kyle DAKE (USA) df. Victor HERNANDEZ LUNA (MEX), 10-0
BRONZE - Jonathan PARRILLA RAMOS (PUR) df. Leon PERALTA LANAS (CHI), 4-4
BRONZE – Julio RODRIGUEZ ROMERO (DOM) df. Jasmit PHULKA (CAN), 4-0

86 kg
GOLD – David TAYLOR (USA) df. Clayton PYE (CAN), 10-0
BRONZE - Thales REIS ALVES (BRA) df. Emanuel CHAMORRO (ARG), 1:28
BRONZE – Noel TORRES CHACON (MEX) df. Juan RIVERA GARCIA (COL), 10-0

97 kg
GOLD - Kyle SNYDER (USA) df. Luis PEREZ SOSA (DOM), 11-0
BRONZE - Maxwell LACEY GARITA (CRC) df. Marcos CARROZZINO (BRA), fall 4:31

125 kg
GOLD – Gable STEVESON (USA) df. Aly BARGHOUT (CAN), 10-0
BRONZE - Catriel MURIEL (ARG) df. Eduardo GARCIA BETANZOS (MEX), 5-1

#WrestleZagreb

World C'ships Day 5 WW 53kg, 62kg, 68kg and 72kg Highlights

By Ken Marantz & Vinay Siwach

ZAGREB, Croatia (September 17) -- Women's Wrestling will continue at the World Championships in 53kg, 62kg, 68kg and 72kg in Zagreb.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 6 RESULTS

62kg semifinals
SF 1: Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) vs. Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL)
SF 2: Ok Ju KIM (PRK) vs. Amina TANDELOVA (UWW)

13:40: Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) worked on five different takedowns before securing the fall over Esther KOLAWOLE (NGR) and reach the 62kg semifinals. Motoki, the Paris Olympic champion, is cashing her first world title.

13:45: Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL), a world champion in 2017, with two big headlocks in her 5-1 victory over Adaugo NWACHUKWU (USA). She returns to the World Championships semifinals to face Olympic champion Motoki.

13:42: Ok Ju KIM (PRK) not only advances to the 62kg semifinals, she avenges her loss in the final of this year's Asian Championships MANISHA (IND) with a solid 8-0 victory. Kim accumulates all of her points in the first period, topping each of her two takedowns with a 2-point roll or exposure.

13:37: The activity clock is just about to run out on Amina TANDELOVA (UWW) when she not only gets a score, her 4-point arm throw sends Ana GODINEZ (CAN) sailing onto her back in their 62kg quarterfinal. Tandelova doesn't let the opportunity get away and she secures the fall at 2:02.

53kg semifinals
SF 1: Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) vs. ANTIM (IND)
SF 2: Haruna MURAYAMA (JPN) vs. Hyongyong CHOE (PRK)

13:32: In a battle of young stars, Jin ZHANG (CHN) and ANTIM (IND) square off in the 53kg quarterfinals. Antim gets on board with a go-behind before powering her way to another takedown for a 4-0 lead. A similar takedown for Antim and she races to a 6-0 lead. Zhang fires one back and catch Antim off guard to score two points and cut the lead to 6-2 at the break. Zhang with high pressure and gets the reward with a takedown and two lace turns for an 8-6 lead. Antim gets a reversal for an 8-7 score but she has only 18 seconds to score two points for a win. She remains calm and scores the takedown to win 9-8 for a place in the semifinals at 53kg.

13:30: Olympic silver medalist Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) gets the first takedown against Emma MALMGREN (SWE) and then turns her for a 4-0 lead. Malmgren tries hard in the second period but she can only score a takedown to make it 4-2 as Yepez wins 4-2.

14:29: Haruna MURAYAMA OKUNO (JPN) wrestles tentatively to start against a defensive opponent, Zeynep YETGIL (TUR), gaining just an activity point without taking a shot in the first period of their 53kg quarterfinal. But the three-time world champion finds an opening in the second, scoring with a single leg. She then gets behind twice as Yetgil starts to show fatigue and the Japanese advances with a 7-0 victory.

14:28: Hyogyong CHOE (PRK) continues her impressive run, storming to an 11-0 victory over Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) in their 53kg quarterfinal. Choe goes ahead in the first period with a takedown and two lace-lock rolls -- albeit the referee gave her more than ample time to execute them -- then added a takedown and exposure in the second.

68kg semifinals
SF 1: Buse TOSUN (TUR) vs. Ami ISHII (JPN)
SF 2: Yuliana YANEVA (BUL) vs. Jia LONG (CHN)

13:20: Buse TOSUN (TUR) gets the first passivity call against Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE) and the Czechia wrestler leads 1-0 at the break. Tosun on board in the second period with a point before a takedown helps her take a 3-1 lead with a minute remaining. Hanzlickova gets stepout but it's too little too late as Tosun wins 3-2 for a place in the 68kg semifinal.

13:18: Yuliana YANEVA (BUL) scores two takedowns in the last two minutes of the second period, giving her a come-from-behind 8-4 victory over Kateryna ZELENYKH (ROU) and a place in the 68kg semifinals. Yaneva opened the scoring with a takedown and gut wrench, only to fall behind on criteria when Zelenkykh scored a takedown on each side of the break.

13:18: Ami ISHII (JPN) and Kennedy BLADES (USA) in a big quarterfinals at 68kg. Ishii blasts with a takedown and then exposure for two more to lead 4-0 against Kennedy BLADES (USA). She uses the arm-dram to score another takedown and lace for an 8-0 lead inside the first two minutes. Blades gets on board with a stepout to make it 8-1. Both scramble but Ishii scores a takedown for a 10-1 lead at the break. Ishii takes some time but manages to power her way to the match winning takedown. A 12-1 victory for Ishii as she reaches the semifinal.

13:17: In an high-profile all-Asian clash in the 68kg quarterfinals with little action, Jia LONG (CHN) scores a takedown in the final seconds to finish off a 4-1 victory over two-time Olympic medalist Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ).

72kg semifinals
SF 1: Nurzat NURTAEVA (KGZ) vs. Alla BELINSKA (UKR)
SF 2: Nesrin BAS (TUR) vs. Zelu LI (CHN)

13:05: Nurzat NURTAEVA (KGZ) with four takedowns against Alexandria GLAUDE (USA) to secure a place in the 72kg semifinals with an 8-4 win.

13:03: After Nesrin BAS (TUR) receives an activity point, Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU) goes on the attack as the first-period clock in winding down. Can she finish it off in time? Instead, Bas whizzers her over onto her back and completes the fall with one second to go to earn the spot in the 72kg semifinals.

13:01: Zelu LI (CHN), the Asian champion at 68kg, barges into the 72kg semifinals with a 10-0 victory over Bolortungalag ZORIGT (MGL). Li takes Zorigt directly to her back and, although she can't complete the fall, she adds a gut wrench. Another takedown and two more turns and she's the winner in 1:45.

13:00: Alla BELINSKA (UKR) steps over and catches Pauline LECARPENTIER (FRA) flat on the mat to secure the fall at 72kg and advance to the semifinal.

12:55: In the last match before the quarterfinals, Asian champion MANISHA (IND) keeps Astrid MONTERO (VEN) at bay at 62kg. Manisha got two points for two passivity calls against Montero who scored one point for the same. But Manisha hangs on for a 2-1 victory. This also means that European champion Iryna BONDAR (UKR) will return empty-handed.

12:45: Olympic champion Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) had just made a leg attack when Nikolett SZABO (HUN) called out injured. She seemed in a lot of pain having injured her knee. She had to carried off the mat on a stretcher. Motoki advances to quarterfinals at 62kg.

12:37: Veteran Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL), eight years removed from her lone world championship, stays on track at 62kg with a comprehensive 10-0 victory over three-time European bronze medalist Veranika IVANOVA (UWW).

12:31: European champion Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) makes short work of Kseniya STANKEVICH (UWW) to advance to the 53kg quarterfinals, taking her straight to her back and recording a fall at 1:26.
 
12:28:
Jin ZHANG (CHN), last year's world silver medalist at 55kg, looks impressive in posting her second straight one-sided win at 53kg when she takes out Natalia MALYSHEVA (UWW) with a 10-1 victory. Only an activity point early on kept her from keeping a perfect sheet, but she quickly followed it with a takedown as she took a 6-1 lead at the break.

12:27: Jonna MALMGREN (SWE) scored one takedown to lead 2-1 against Roksana ZASINA (POL) and then held her fort with that lead. Zasina tried desperately for an attack but failed to score and gave up a takedown. Malmgren wins 5-1 at 53kg.

12:25: Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) cannot find a way to break the defenses of Ok Ju KIM (PRK) who scores four different takedowns in their 62kg bout to win 8-0

12:18: Jia LONG (CHN), the 2024 world champion at 65kg, gives up the big points to Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL) in their 68kg match, but she piles up more than enough for a 12-6 victory.

12:17: Adaugo NWACHUKWU (USA) gives up a 4-point takedown early in her 62kg clash with Johanna LINDBORG (SWE), then erupts for 13 points in the second period, including a pair of 4-pointers of her own, for a 13-6 victory. 

12:05: Ami ISHII (JPN), gunning for a second straight world title after winning last year at 72kg, continues her quest at 68kg by rolling to a 10-0 victory over Noemi SZABADOS (HUN) to advance to the quarterfinals. Ishii scores a single-leg takedown just as she receives an activity point to go up 3-0. After a second similar takedown, she goes to laces and finishes off the win ni 2:42.

12:04: Defending 68kg champion Buse TOSUN (TUR) gets the fall over Grabriela DA ROCHA (BRA) when she put her back on the mat in the second period and held on till the fall was called.

12:03: Haruna MURAYAMA (JPN) takes a 3-0 lead at the break in her 53kg bout against Annika WENDLE (GER). In the second period, she works a takedown and roll to make it 7-9. Another takedown on the edge puts her at 9-0 before she finishes the bout 11-0.

11:57: An upset on Mat C, as Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ), aiming for her fifth world medal but first gold at 72kg, will have to settle for bronze at best after falling 3-3 on criteria to Nurzat NURTAEVA (KGZ). Nurtaeva trails 2-1 after giving up a second activity point, but scores a single-leg takedown with :51 left. Bakbergenova gains a stepout to tie, but trails on criteria, and Nurtaeva fends off a final attack to clinch the win.

11:56: Asian champion Hyogyong CHOE (PRK) goes to the lace lock after a second takedown, and three rolls later she advances at 53kg with a 10-0 victory over Namuuntsetseg TSOGT OCHIR (MGL) in 2:20.

11:55: Olympic silver medalist Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) comes from 4-1 down to get a fall over Laura HERIN AVILA (CUB) and advance at 53kg. Yepez is looking to add to her bronze medal from 2023. 

11:51: A takedown and four quick lace-lock rolls and two-time Asian bronze medalist ANTIM (IND) advances at 53kg with a 10-0 win over Carla JAUME SOLER (ESP).

11:49: Sol Gum PAK (PRK) tries to score the one point she needs to beat Yuliana YANEVA (BUL) at 68kg but Yaneva defends everything that is thrown at her to win 7-6 and advance.

11:49: Two-time Olympic medalist and 2021 world champion Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) opens her campaign with a 10-0 win over Aniseta ACOSTA (ASA) at 68kg. Zhumanazarova had a pair of 4-point moves, the second coming with a hip throw that made it a 10-point difference. The match ended when Acosta fought off her back.

11:45: Kennedy BLADES (USA), the Paris Olympic silver medalist at 76kg who has dropped down to 68kg, gets off to rousing start, overwhelming RADHIKA (IND) for an 11-0 victory in 1:38. Blades gets a 4-point takedown thwarting a Radhika counter to take a 7-0 lead within the first minute. She then bulls her opponent over for a takedown, then caps the proceedings with a classic gut wrench.

11:40: Six-time Asian medalist Bolortungalag ZORIGT (MGL) is trailing 2-1 against Jyoti BERWAL (IND) in the second period of their 72kg bout when she does what Mongolian's do best -- hit her opponent with a headlock throw, giving her a victory by fall.

11:39: In a case of anything you can do, I can do better, LILI (CHN), a 2023 world bronze medalist at 65kg, scores three exposure tilts after a takedown to give her a 9-7 win over Birgul SOLTANOVA (AZE) at 62kg. Lili's sequence came after Soltanova had gone ahead with three consecutive 2-point lifts to counter a single-leg attempt by Lili.

11:35: After a longish defense from Hyeonyeong PARK (KOR), Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE) secures the fall as Park runs out of steam.

11:28: Three-time world champion Haruna MURAYAMA (JPN), looking to fill the 53kg spot following the move up to 57kg by compatriot and Paris Olympic gold medalist Akari FUJINAMI (JPN), opens with an 11-0 victory over Shokhida AKHMEDOVA (UZB). Murayama leads 3-0 in the second period when she scores with a snapdown takedown, then reels off four gut wrenches.

11:32: Ok Ju KIM (PRK) with a fall over Aurora CAMPAGNA (ITA) in her opening bout at 62kg. Kim just too strong for Campagna

11:30: Alexandria GLAUDE (USA) opened the scoring against Masako FURUICHI (JPN) with a stepout before getting a point for inactivity of Furuichi. The Japanese bounces back with a takedown but gives up a reversal as Glaude leads 3-2. She hangs on to that lead to upset Furuichi

11:16: World 55kg silver Jin ZHANG (CHN) works on five different takedowns to beat Felicity TAYLOR (USA), 10-0, at 53kg with 31 seconds left on the clock.

11:11: In a battle of former European champions at 68kg, 2021 world silver medalist Khanum VELIEVA (UWW) gets a stepout just moments after giving up an activity point to Yuliana YANEVA (BUL). But Yaneva dominates the second period, scoring a takedown-gut wrench combination, then putting Velieva onto her back and securing a fall at 4:31.

11:09: Nice win for South America as Astrid MONTERO (VEN) scores two takedowns in the second period to knock off European champion Iryna BONDAR (UKR) 6-4 at 62kg. Montero gets behind for an early takedown, only to see Bondar come back with a takedown and quick exposure to lead 4-2 at the break.

10:50: Two-time Asian silver medalist RADHIKA (IND) gives up a 4-point takedown to the back to Laura GODINO (ITA) at the start of their 68kg qualification bout. That appears to wake up the Indian, who comes back with a takedown and stepout to cut the gap at the break. Another takedown puts Radhika ahead 5-4, then she ends the match by muscling Godino down and over for a fall with just over a minute left.

10:45: World 72kg champion Ami ISHII (JPN), back down at 68kg, starts her bid to win her second world title with a 10-0 victory over Manola SKOBELSKA (UKR) in a minute and 31 seconds.