#WrestleBuenosAires

USA Men’s Freestyle Becomes First Team in History to Win Every Pan Am Weight

Sunday, April 21, 2019 - 23:57 By Taylor Miller

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BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – The United States won all eight available gold medals on Sunday night at the 2019 Pan American Championships. With the U.S. winning the first two men’s freestyle weights yesterday, it becomes the first time in history that a team has won every gold in a specific style at the Pan Am Championships.

In the team scoring, USA collected 250 points, followed by Canada with 129 points and Cuba with 115 points.

The United States won six of its eight finals by tech fall.

Leading the way was 2018 World champion David TAYLOR (USA), who earned the Outstanding Wrestler award after a strong performance at 86 kg.

In the finals, Taylor defeated Pedro CEBALLOS FUENTES (VEN) with a 10-0 shut out to snatch his second-straight Pan Am title.

Also winning his second in a row was two-time World bronze medalist Nick GWIAZDOWSKI (USA) at 125 kg, who scored a 10-0 win against Korey JARVIS (CAN).

Four-time World champion and 2012 Olympic champion Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) won his third-career Pan Am title on Sunday.

In an entertaining battle with 2015 Pan Am silver medalist Jevon BALFOUR (CAN), Burroughs pulled out a 7-0 win for the crown at 74 kg.

Kyle SNYDER (USA), 2016 Olympic champion and two-time World champion, also earned his second Pan Am title, winning by injury default over Reineris SALAS PEREZ (CUB) at 97 kg.

Others claiming golds for the USA were Josh RODRIGUEZ at 57 kg, Joe COLON at 61 kg, Colton MCCRYSTAL at 65 kg and Anthony ASHNAULT at 70 kg.

Final team standings
1. USA – 250
2. Canada – 129
3. Cuba – 115
4. Puerto Rico – 72
5. Venezuela – 68
6. Argentina – 53
7. Colombia – 48
8. Brazil – 41
9. Dominican Republic – 37
10. Peru – 37

Final results

57 kg
GOLD - Joshua RODRIGUEZ (USA) TF Oscar TIGREROS URBANO (COL), 10-0
BRONZE - Pedro MEJIAS RODRIGUEZ (VEN) TF Daniel ALVES DO NASCIMENTO (BRA), 10-0
BRONZE –  Reineri ANDREU ORTEGA (CUB) dec. Darthe CAPELLAN (CAN), 4-0

61 kg
GOLD – Joe COLON (USA)
SILVER – Yowlys BONNE RODRIGUEZ (CUB)
BRONZE – Scott SCHILLER (CAN)

65 kg
GOLD - Colton MCCRYSTAL (USA) TF Damian SOLENZAL LOPEZ (CUB), 12-1
BRONZE - Mauricio SANCHEZ SALTOS (ECU) dec. Daniel BRIOSO (DOM), 9-5
BRONZE – Agustin DESTRIBATS (ARG) TF Sixto AUCCAPINA PEDRAGAS (PER), 16-5

70 kg
GOLD - Anthony ASHNAULT (USA)
SILVER - Nicholas ROWE (CAN)
BRONZE - Mitchel TAIPE DUANAMA (PER)

74 kg
GOLD - Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) dec. Jevon BALFOUR (CAN), 7-0
BRONZE - Franklin GOMEZ MATOS (PUR) TF Adonis ARROYO (VEN), 10-0
BRONZE –  Julio RODRIGUEZ ROMERO (DOM) TF Jorge DESPAIGNE LAGAR (CUB), 10-0

86 kg
GOLD - David TAYLOR III (USA) TF Pedro CEBALLOS FUENTES (VEN), 10-0
BRONZE - Lazaro HERNANDEZ LUIS (CUB) TF Meruzhan NIKOYAN (ARG), 10-0
BRONZE – Alexander MOORE (CAN) TF Christian ANGUIANO FLORES (MEX), 11-0

97 kg
GOLD - Kyle SNYDER (USA) df. Reineris SALAS PEREZ (CUB), injury default
BRONZE - Jose DIAZ ROBERTTI (VEN) TF Maxwell LACEY GARITA (CRC), 10-0
BRONZE – Evan RAMOS (PUR) dec. Jordan STEEN (CAN), 8-5

125 kg
GOLD - Nicholas GWIAZDOWSKI (USA) TF Korey JARVIS (CAN), 10-0
BRONZE - Oscar PINO HINDS (CUB) df. Eduardo GARCIA BETANZOS (MEX), fall
BRONZE - Antoine BRAGA ABOU JAOUDE (BRA) TF Jorge MEDINA ARROYO (ECU), 12-1

 

#WrestleNoviSad

U23 Worlds: Japan, China end gold droughts; Iran completes Greco sweep

Thursday, October 23, 2025 - 22:52 By Vinay Siwach

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NOVI SAD, Serbia (October 23) -- Japan had been searching for a Greco-Roman gold medalist at the U23 World Championships for six years. Shota OGAWA (JPN) won the country's last gold at this tournament in 2019, while Komei SAWADA (JPN) reached the final last year.

The wait ended on Thursday in Novi Sad after Koto GOMI (JPN) clinched the gold medal at 60kg with a technical superiority win over Sajjad ABBASPOUR (IRI) in the final.

Gomi, a product of the Ikuei University, became only the fifth Greco U23 world champion for Japan but none of the earlier four champions dominated the field as he did. He opened his tournament with a 10-2 win over former U20 world champion Suren AGHAJANYAN (ARM), defeated Melkamu FETENE (ISR), 13-4, before winning his semifinals 9-0 against Maxwell BLACK (USA).

Facing Abbaspour in the final, Gomi made sure he won his fourth bout with technical superiority as well. He got the first point when Abbaspour was put in par terre. Soon after, Gomi turned Abbaspour for two more points before adding a throw which got him one point and a 4-0 lead.

When the second period began, Abbaspour tried to get Gomi in par terre with some aggressive wrestling. He managed to body lock Gomi, but as he tried to force the Japanese towards the mat, Gomi tossed him using the momentum for four points to clinch the victory. Iran challenged the call only to lose it and add one more point to Gomi's score.

Despite the loss of Abbaspour, Iran won the Greco team title, completing a sweep of all world team titles in Greco this year. It won the U17 in Athens, U20 in Samokov, senior in Zagreb and the U23 in Novi Sad.

Alexandrin GUTU (MDA)Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) won the 82kg final in Novi Sad. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

At 82kg, Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) won a gold medal for a third straight year. While his first two gold medals came at 77kg, he moved up to 82kg this year but still managed to win the world title.

Gutu, known for his big throws, had to be satisfied with a 1-1 victory against Ruslan ABDIIEV (UKR) in the final. He got the first par terre point to lead 1-0. In the second period, Gutu was put in par terre twice but defended both times to win the gold medal.

Mixed show for U.S.

In women's wrestling, the United States had three wrestlers in the finals of three weight classes but it managed to win only one gold. China and Kyrgyzstan denied the U.S. in the other two finals.

One of the best matches of the night came at 72kg between former U20 world champion Jasmine ROBINSON (USA) and senior world bronze medalist Nurzat NURTAEVA (KGZ).

Robinson was off to a blazing start in the final, leading 10-3, but she tried two risky throws that cost her the match. The first was a chestwrap which was blocked by Nurtaeva who managed to bring Robinson to danger. It was initially scored four points for Robinson and two for Nurtaeva but Kyrgyzstan challenged the call and it was awarded four points to the Kyrgyzstan wrestler.

With a 10-7 lead, Robinson once again attempted a double underhook throw which was easily defended by Nurtaeva who managed to land on top of the U.S. wrestler and get another four points. She defended her 11-10 lead to become the country's second U23 world champion in Women's Wrestling and first since 2021.

Jinyue LIANG (CHN)Jinyue LIANG (CHN) tries to pin Audrey JIMENEZ (USA) in the 50kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

The second loss for the U.S. came at 50kg, as Audrey JIMENEZ (USA) was once again defeated in a World Championships final, her fifth defeat.

She began her final well against Jinyue LIANG (CHN), taking a 2-0 lead. But the China wrestler bounced back and made it 2-2 when Jimenez missed a sweep single and Liang scored a go-behind to lead.

Liang then pulled off a crafty move to put Jimenez in danger. Both wrestlers were locked in double underhooks with knees on the mat. Liang then pulled one of Jimenez's arms and put her hand on the knee across to trip her and hold her on the mat, trying to get a fall.

Jimenez committed a defensive foul by putting her fingers on Liang's face which costed her two more points. She survived the pin attempt but trailed 6-2 at the break. There were no points scored in the second period as Liang went into defensive mode and did not give Jimenez any openings.

This was China's first gold medal in Women's Wrestling at U23 Worlds in six years as Liang became only the third wrestler to win gold at this level. Earlier, two wrestlers had won three golds for China with PAHILA (CHN) winning golds in 2017 and 2018.

The U.S. did crown a champion on Thursday as 72kg champion Kylie WELKER (USA) won gold at 76kg in dominant fashion. She controlled an evasive Valeriia TRIFONOVA (UWW) and finished the final 10-0 inside the first period.

RESULTS

Greco-Roman

60kg
GOLD: Koto GOMI (JPN) df. Sajjad ABBASPOUR (IRI), 9-0

BRONZE: Mehroj BAKHRAMOV (UZB) df. Ilkin GURBANOV (AZE), 5-4
BRONZE: Suren AGHAJANYAN (ARM) df. Maxwell BLACK (USA), 8-0

82kg
GOLD: Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) df. Ruslan ABDIIEV (UKR), 1-1

BRONZE: Abolfazl MOHMEDI (IRI) df. Data CHKHAIDZE (GEO)
BRONZE: Omar SATAYEV (KAZ) df. Ibrahim TABAEV (BEL), 8-6

Women's Wrestling

50kg
GOLD: Jinyue LIANG (CHN) df. Audrey JIMENEZ (USA), 6-2

BRONZE: Munkhgerel MUNKHBAT (MGL) df. Natalia PUDOVA (UWW), 5-4
BRONZE: Aida KERYMOVA (UKR) df. Nohalis LOYO JIMENEZ (VEN), 9-7

72kg
GOLD: Nurzat NURTAEVA (KGZ) df. Jasmine ROBINSON (USA), 11-10

BRONZE: Mahiro YOSHITAKE (JPN) df. Laura KOEHLER (GER), 8-0 (via fall)
BRONZE: Veronika VILK (CRO) df. Haticenur SARI (TUR), 8-0

76kg
GOLD: Kylie WELKER (USA) df. Valeriia TRIFONOVA (UWW), 10-0

BRONZE: PRIYA (IND) df. Edna JIMENEZ VILLALBA (MEX), 8-1
BRONZE: Elmira YASIN (TUR) df. Kaiyrkul SHARSHEBAEVA (KGZ), 6-3

Semifinals

55kg
GOLD: Shugyla OMIRBEK (KAZ) vs. Tuba DEMIR (TUR)

SF 1: Shugyla OMIRBEK (KAZ) df. Amory ANDRICH (GER), via fall
SF 2: Tuba DEMIR (TUR) df. NISHU (IND), 6-4

57kg
GOLD: Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) vs. Aryna DZEMCHANKA MARTYNAVA (UWW)

SF 1: Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) df. Roza SZENTTAMASI (HUN), 10-0
SF 2: Aryna DZEMCHANKA MARTYNAVA (UWW) df. Emine CAKMAK (TUR), via fall

65kg
GOLD: Yuqi RAO (CHN) vs. Elizaveta PETLIAKOVA (UWW)

SF 1: Yuqi RAO (CHN) df. Oleksandra RYBAK (UKR), 6-5
SF 2: Elizaveta PETLIAKOVA (UWW) df. PULKIT (IND), 9-6

68kg
GOLD: Alina SHEVCHENKO (UWW) vs. Nesrin BAS (TUR)

SF 1: Alina SHEVCHENKO (UWW) df. SRISHTI (IND), 10-6
SF 2: Nesrin BAS (TUR) df. Gulnura TASHTANBEKOVA (KGZ), 8-6