#Fortaleza2018

USA Finishes Team Sweep with Nine Freestyle Champions at #Fortaleza2018

Monday, August 20, 2018 - 00:35 By Taylor Miller

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FORTALEZA, Brazil – The United States ran away with its third team title of the week, producing nine freestyle champions at the 2018 Junior Pan American Championship in Fortaleza, Brazil.

Piggybacking off the team titles in Greco-Roman and women’s freestyle, the U.S. men’s freestyle team scored 240 points for the top spot on the podium, followed by Canada with 147 points and Mexico with 100 points.

Four of USA’s champions won gold in the Greco-Roman tournament earlier this weekend.

Dylan GREGERSON (USA) spent less than a period on the mat in the 61 kg final, defeating Marco PALMERO (CAN), 10-0, in 2:41.

At 97 kg, Austin HARRIS (USA) picked up his second gold medal with a fall over Emiliano PRADO GUZMAN (MEX), locking up a cradle halfway through the first period to get the fall at 1:42.

Two other U.S. wrestlers, Anthony CASSIOPPI and Cameron CAFFEY, already claimed Junior Pan American freestyle titles to double up on 2018 Pan Am golds after successful morning sessions, with each wrestler going 4-0.

Cassioppi, who won the Golden Boot in Greco-Roman, secured the crown at 125 kg, while Caffey won at 92 kg.

The U.S. dominated in its other four finals, tallying two tech falls, one pin and one come-from-behind decision.  

Andrew ALIREZ (USA) recorded his third 10-0 technical fall of the day, defeating 2015 Cadet Pan American freestyle champion Cristian SANTIAGO PEREZ (MEX) in the 65 kg finals.

Following his teammate’s lead, Austin O’CONNOR (USA) rattled off 14 unanswered points against Jose VARELA GARCIA (GUA) for at 14-4 tech fall and the crown at 70 kg.

At 79 kg, Anthony MANTANONA (USA) capped off an impressive day, which included two tech falls and two pins.

His championship bout only lasted 21 seconds as he stuck Miguel ORNELAS REYNOSO (MEX).

Surviving a thrilling match in the 74 kg final was Jeremiah MOODY (USA), who scored seven points in the last 60 seconds to edge out Ty BRIDGEWATER (CAN), 12-10.

At 86 kg, Kordell NORFLEET (USA) snagged his fourth first-period technical fall, finishing off Connor PATTISON (CAN), 10-0, in 1:12.  

At 57 kg, 2017 Cadet South American champion Jonathan PRATA ALAS (ARG) won the title in a thrilling victory over Kevin CHAVEZ BETANCUR (COL) that saw multiple points scored in the final 30 seconds. Prata had his hand raised in a 10-6 win.

His performance earned Prata the freestyle Golden Boot.

Team scores (top five)
1. USA – 240
2. Canada – 147
3. Mexico – 100
4. Brazil – 96
5. Colombia - 75

Final results

57 kg
GOLD - Jonathan PRATA ALAS (ARG)
SILVER - Kevin CHAVEZ BETANCUR (COL)
BRONZE- Brandon COURTNEY (USA)

61 kg
GOLD - Dylan GREGERSON (USA)
SILVER - Marco PALMERO (CAN)
BRONZE - Angel TINOCO TORRES (PER)
BRONZE - Oscar CALVOPINA CANCIO (ECU)

65 kg
GOLD - Andrew ALIREZ (USA)
SILVER - Cristian SANTIAGO PEREZ (MEX)
BRONZE - Connor MCNEICE (CAN)
BRONZE - Enrique PEREZ CASTELLANOS (GUA)

70 kg
GOLD - Austin O'CONNOR (USA)
SILVER - Jose VARELA GARCIA (GUA)
BRONZE - Gunnar SALES (CAN)

74 kg
GOLD - Jeremiah MOODY (USA)
SILVER - Ty BRIDGEWATER (CAN)
BRONZE - Marcos QUESADA MARTINEZ (PER)

79 kg
GOLD - Anthony MANTANONA (USA)
SILVER - Phelipe DOS SANTOS RIBEIRO (BRA)
BRONZE - Miguel ORNELAS REYNOSO (MEX)

86 kg
GOLD - Kordell NORFLEET (USA)
SILVER - Nicolas BAEZ (ARG)
BRONZE - Jhon CARMONA ALCANTARA (COL)

92 kg
GOLD - Cameron CAFFEY (USA)
SILVER - Hunter LEE (CAN)
BRONZE - Pedro GARAY LOPEZ (MEX)

97 kg
GOLD - Austin HARRIS (USA)
SILVER - Guilherme PRADELLA LIMA (BRA)
BRONZE - Richard DESCHATELETS (CAN)

125 kg
GOLD - Anthony CASSIOPPI (USA)
SILVER - Aly BARGHOUT (CAN)
BRONZE - Andrew GUNNING (PER)

 

 

#BeachWrestling

Youth Olympic quotas in focus as Katerini hosts U17, U20 BW Worlds

Wednesday, September 24, 2025 - 08:47 By United World Wrestling Press

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KATERINI, Greece (September 23) -- Thirty countries, close to 300 wrestlers, a global glory and a Youth Olympic dream.

Over two days this week, on September 25 and 26, the world’s best age-group beach wrestlers descend upon the scenic Katerini Beach, where the sun sets behind the imposing Mount Olympus. In this postcard-perfect surroundings, they will hope to write their scripts at the U17 and U20 World Championships.

The tournament will be live on the YouTube channel of United World Wrestling's Beach Wrestling channel.

The championships will be taken into consideration for quotas for the 2026 Youth Olympic Games qualifier, adding another layer of significance to the U17 event.

United World Wrestling has received a request for quotas from more than 100 National Olympic Committees with a total of 300 male and 269 female wrestlers. Currently, there are 48 quotas per gender. In this context, the World Championships in Katerini will add excitement to the race for the Youth Olympic Games, scheduled to be held in Dakar.

The U17 and U20 World Championships will be held across eight weight classes each in men’s and women’s categories. Last year, Ukraine and the United States reigned supreme in the men’s and women’s events, respectively, of the U17 World Championships. This year, too, they will be among the favorites to lift the team titles.

Once again, this year, Ukraine has entered a jumbo team with eight wrestlers in the U17 men’s competition. Only hosts Greece (12), Georgia (11), and Moldova (9) have a contingent bigger than theirs. On the women’s side, the USA has fielded the largest delegation among the 24 teams, with 9 wrestlers. In Beach Wrestling, a country can register a maximum of 3 athletes per weight category.

It won’t be so straightforward for both teams to retain their titles, with challengers emerging from other nations, particularly hosts Greece, who would hope to put on a good show in front of their home crowd. Romania, Moldova, Georgia and Iran will remain strong contenders despite Ukraine's legacy in the competition, especially the women's.

Earlier this month, the U15, U17 and U20 African Beach Wrestling Championships were held in Casablanca, where Algeria bagged the U17 men’s and women’s titles. The serene Ain Diab beach in the Moroccan capital hosted the age-group tournaments before the Beach Wrestling World Series, marking the first time the event was held in an African city.

Soon after the U17 and U20 Beach World Championships, the Katerini Beach will host the World Series on September 27 and 28. The penultimate stop of the event is set to be the biggest of the 2025 season so far in terms of participation. There have been a record number of entries, underlining the sport’s continued global growth.

The World Series will return to Africa in October for its final instalment of this season, when the tournament will be held in Alexandria, Egypt, on October 18 and 19.