#WrestleMorelia

USA Gana Ocho Medallas de Oro Para Comenzar #WrestleMorelia

By Taylor Miller

MORELIA, México – El Campeonato Panamericano de Cadete empezó ayer en Morelia, México, con la acción en grecoromana.

Luchadores de los Estados Unidos ganaron ocho de las diez categorías, incluyendo 45 kg, 48 kg, 60 kg, 65 kg, 71 kg, 80 kg, 92 kg and 110 kg.

Dos otro países ganaron una medalla de oro. Enrique HERRERA HUACRE (PER) clamó el título en 51 kg, y Antonio RUIZ MORA (ECU) fue el campeón en 55 kg.

A principios de este mes, Ruiz Mora termino con una medalla de plata en el Campeonato Panamericano Juvenil en Guatemala City, Guatemala.

Joseph FISCHER (USA) recibió la bota de oro por ser el luchador más destacado del torneo. Ganó todos de sus cuatro combates con superioridades técnicas en 48 kg.

45 kg
GOLD – Daniel SHEEN (USA)
SILVER - Fernando PEREZ VAZQUEZ (MEX)
BRONZE - Esteban MORALES MAYANCHA (ECU)

48 kg
GOLD – Joseph FISCHER (USA)
SILVER - Jeremy PERALTA GONZALEZ (ECU)
BRONZE – Diego RODRIGUEZ VIELMA (MEX)

51 kg
GOLD - Enrique HERRERA HUACRE (PER)
SILVER - Angel SEGURA TELLEZ (MEX)
BRONZE - Nico PROVO (USA)

55 kg
GOLD - Antonio RUIZ MORA (ECU)
SILVER - Hector GARZA YEDRA (MEX)
BRONZE - Hernan ALMENDRA (ARG)
BRONZE - Cristian GOMEZ FIGUEROA (COL)

60 kg
GOLD – Jesse MENDEZ (USA)
SILVER - Uvaldo CAMACHO DIAZ (MEX)
BRONZE - Guilherme PIRES NEGREIROS (BRA)

65 kg
GOLD – Robert PEREZ III (USA)
SILVER - Fernando FERRER CIPRIAN (DOM)
BRONZE - Guilheme BARROS DE ARRUDA PORTO (BRA)

71 kg
GOLD – John BEST (USA)
SILVER - Lautaro SEGHESSO (ARG)
BRONZE - Diego MACIAS TORRES (MEX)
BRONZE - Carlos SEVILLANO GONGORA (ECU)

80 kg
GOLD – Jack DARRAH (USA)
SILVER - Juan MONTEMAYOR PEREZ (MEX)
BRONZE - Nicolas ARAYA TAPIA (CHI)

92 kg
GOLD – Michael MISITA (USA)
SILVER - Alexander PEREZ MAYORGA (MEX)
BRONZE - Jhon SANCHEZ SOLIS (ECU)

110 kg
GOLD - Braxton MIKESELL (USA)
SILVER - Diego NOLE AZABACHE (PER)
BRONZE - Angel SANCHEZ FLORES (MEX)

 

#WrestleZagreb

Blockbuster WW bouts on cards at Zagreb Open

By Vinay Siwach

ZAGREB, Croatia (January 5) -- Three World Championships finals rematches are on the cards in women's wrestling at the Zagreb Open next week.

World champion Yui SUSAKI (JPN) can lock horns with silver medalist Otgonjargal DOLGORJAV (MGL) at 50kg, Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL) will look to avenge her loss in the final to Buse TOSUN (TUR) at 68kg and Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) will look to overcome a heart-wrenching loss to Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) at 62kg.

All four 62kg world medalists are entered for the January 10-14 tournament in the Croatian capital with Tynybekova returning to the mat after finishing with a bronze medal at the Asian Games. Motoki will get a chance to take on Tynybekova who handed the Japanese a 4-1 loss in Belgrade last year.

Two bronze medalists, Grace BULLEN (NOR) and Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR), will also look to upset Motoki and Tynybekova respectively. Motoki defeated Bullen in the semifinals 2-1 while Kolidenko lost the quarterfinals 2-1.

The line-up also includes Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL), Ana GODINEZ (CAN) and Kayla MIRACLE (USA). China is sending three wrestlers -- Jia LONG (CHN), Yaru WU (CHN) and LILI (CHN) -- hoping to find the best one for the Asian Olympic Qualifiers in April.

At 50kg, Susaki and Dolgorjav are likely to meet in the final but Ziqi FENG (CHN), who won bronze in Belgrade, can stop that rematch. Feng troubled Susaki in the World Championships semifinal, taking two points in a 4-2 loss. A Feng vs Dolgorjav bout can prove to be a thriller.

Tosun, whose stunning run in Belgrade win the 68kg world title, will be in action in Zagreb. She would like to continue her winning run but Enkhsaikhan will look to end that. Enkhsaikhan was pinned by Tosun in the World Championships final in a shocking manner after she threw the Turkish wrestler for a four.

Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR) and Forrest MOLINARI (USA) are also in the fray with three wrestlers from Bulgaria -- Yuliana YANEVA (BUL), Sofiya GEORGIEVA (BUL) and Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL).

China will send Feng ZHOU (CHN) and Qian JIANG (CHN) to find the best representation for the Paris Olympic qualifying events.

It's the same story at 76kg as it is sending Juan WANG (CHN) and Yuanyuan HUANG (CHN). But the weight class will also see Samar HAMZA (EGY), world silver medalist Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) and world bronze medalist Adeline GRAY (USA). The United States also has Kennedy BLADES (USA) and Kylie WELKER (USA) at 76kg.

France's entries include Pauline LECARPENTIER (FRA), Kendra DACHER (FRA) and Ambre CHEVREAU (FRA) while Ukraine is trying to pick between Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) and Anastasiia SHUSTOVA (UKR).

The 53kg weight class is wide open with more than one wrestler good enough to win the gold medal. Three Chinese and three U.S. wrestlers dominate the entries. Chun LEI (CHN), Qianyu PANG (CHN) and Min ZHANG (CHN) will look to finish at the best position to lay claim to the national team's spot.

The U.S. has Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA), Haley AUGELLO (USA) and Dominique PARRISH (USA). The weight class has not been qualified yet by the nation and the Pan-Am Olympic Qualifiers' represtative will be selected in February.

World bronze medalist Lucia YEPEZ GUZMAN (ECU) and European champion Jonna MALMGREN (SWE) are entered for the competition along with young prodigy Mariia YEFREMOVA (UKR) and Karla GODINEZ (CAN).

World silver medalist Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) is the favorite to win the gold medal but will have to go through Helen MAROULIS (USA) and three Chinese walls in Qi ZHANG (CHN), Kexin HONG (CHN) and Yongxin FENG (CHN).