#WrestleBuenosAires

USA runs through Pan-Ams with nine golds

Sunday, May 7, 2023 - 06:54 By Vinay Siwach

Share this article

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (May 6) -- There was little doubt that the USA will dominate the final day of the Pan-American Championships in Buenos Aires. And barring one weight class out of the eight in action Saturday, wrestlers from the US won gold medals.

The gold rush began with World Championships silver medalist Thomas GILMAN (USA) defending his 57kg Pan-Am title. In a dominating performance in the final, he defeated Darian CRUZ (PUR) 10-0. In his three bouts, Gilman outscored his opponents 32-0 and showed why he is considered one of the best wrestlers in his category.

John DIAKOMIHALIS (USA)John DIAKOMIHALIS (USA) won the 65kg gold medal. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Apart from Gilman, two other World Championships silver medalists won gold on Saturday.

John DIAKOMIHALIS (USA) was up against two-time world medalist Alejandro VALDES (CUB) in the 65kg final and dug deep to post a 4-1 victory, claiming the title. Both wrestlers traded passivities but Diakomihalis managed to score a takedown for two points late in the final which Valdes challenged but lost.

In the semifinals, Diakomihalis was in deep trouble as Agustin DESTRIBATS (ARG) led 7-7 on criteria. But he shot a double and after a little struggle, managed to lift Destribats on his shoulders before landing him out of the zone to score a point and win a thrilling bout.

At 70kg, Zain RETHERFORD (USA) made no mistakes in his run to the gold medal. In the final against Connor QUINTON (CAN), Retherford won the match via fall.

Kyle DAKE (USA)Kyle DAKE (USA) defended his 74kg Pan-Am title. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Two world champions from the USA added more gold medals to the country's tally as Kyle DAKE (USA) and Kyle SNYDER (USA) won the 74kg and 97kg weight classes respectively.

Outscoring his opponents 40-0 in four bouts, Dake put on a commanding performance at 74kg and defeated Franklin GOMEZ (PUR) 10-0 to defend his title. Even in 2022, Dake defeated Gomez to win gold.

Snyder was a little less dominant in his three bouts but still got the job done, defending his Pan-Am title at 97kg which he won in 2022. He defeated Arturo Silot TORRES (CUB) 14-3 to win the gold medal.

In a round-robin 61kg bracket, Vitali ARUJAU (USA) won the gold medal as he won all four of his bouts with ease. Jason LUNEAU (CAN) was the only wrestler to score a point against Arujau who still won the Round 2 bout 14-4. In the decisive clash, Arujau defeated Joseph SILVA (PUR) 11-0 to confirm his gold.

Winning the ninth gold medal out of 10 for the USA was 24-year-old Dominique BRADLEY (USA). He faced Jose ROBERTTI (VEN) in the final and pulled off a close 2-1 victory to clinch his third Pan-Am title, six years since he won the second.

Yurieski TORREBLANCA (CUB)Yurieski TORREBLANCA (CUB) was the only non-USA champion in freestyle. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Torreblanca denies

Yurieski TORREBLANCA (CUB) defeated Mark HALL (USA) in the semifinal, denying the USA a clean sweep of the gold medals. He went on to win the gold after defeating Alexander MOORE (CAN) in the 86kg final. Moore tried finding a way to score on Torreblanca but fell short as the Cuban won the gold 5-1.

RESULTS

57kg
GOLD: Thomas GILMAN (USA) df. Darian CRUZ (PUR), 10-0

BRONZE: Pedro MEJIAS RODRIGUEZ (VEN) df. Darthe CAPELLAN (CAN), 10-7
BRONZE: Santiago CHAVECO (CUB) df. Hernan ALMENDRA (ARG), 8-3

61kg
GOLD: Vitali ARUJAU (USA)
SILVER: Joseph SILVA (PUR)
BRONZE: Jason LUNEAU (CAN)

65kg
GOLD: John DIAKOMIHALIS (USA) df. Alejandro VALDES (CUB), 4-1

BRONZE: Agustin DESTRIBATS (ARG) df. Sixto PEDRAGAS (PER), 11-0
BRONZE: Sebastian RIVERA (PUR) df. Albaro CAMACHO (DOM), 9-2

70kg
GOLD: Zain RETHERFORD (USA) df. Connor QUINTON (CAN), via fall

BRONZE: Mauricio LOVERA (ARG) df. Vinicius DA SILVA JOAQUIM (BRA), 6-4

74kg
GOLD: Kyle DAKE (USA) df. Franklin GOMEZ (PUR), 10-0

BRONZE: Cesar ALVAN (BRA) df. Anthony CHIRINOS (VEN), 4-2
BRONZE: Franklin MAREN (CUB) df. Adam THOMSON (CAN), 4-3

86kg
GOLD: Yurieski TORREBLANCA (CUB) df. Alexander MOORE (CAN), 5-1

BRONZE: Mark HALL (USA) df. Bruno NICOLETTI (BRA), 11-0
BRONZE: Carlos IZQUIERDO (COL) df. Pedro CEBALLOS FUENTES (VEN), 7-6

97kg
GOLD: Kyle SNYDER (USA) df. Arturo SILOT TORRES (CUB), 14-3

BRONZE: Nishan Preet RANDHAWA (CAN) df. Ricardo BAEZ (ARG), 5-1
BRONZE: Luis PEREZ SOSA (DOM) df. Maxwell LACEY (CRC), via fall

125kg
GOLD: Dominique BRADLEY (USA) df. Jose DIAZ ROBERTTI (VEN), 2-1

BRONZE: Catriel MURIEL (ARG) df. Elison GARCIA (DOM), 5-2
BRONZE: Aaron JOHNSON (JAM) df. Reineris SALAS (CUB), via inj. def.

Saravi, Hedayati win gold to cap Iran's dominance at ISG 2025

Wednesday, November 19, 2025 - 17:36 By Vinay Siwach

Share this article

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (November 19) -- If there was battle for the most dominant wrestler among the Iranian wrestlers, it would be a close one. Saeid ESMAEILI (IRI) won Asian and World Championships and a Ranking Series gold before winning the gold medal at the Islamic Solidarity Games 2025 on Tuesday.

Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI) won gold at Zagreb Ranking Series, gold at senior and U23 World Championships and like Esmaeili, gold at ISG 2025.

On Wednesday, Olympic and world champion Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) also joined that list as he won gold medal at 97kg at ISG in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Wednesday.

Saravi has been unstoppable this year, just like Esmaeili and Farokhi, winning Ranking Series gold, and gold medals at the Asian and World Championships. In Riyadh, he showed why he has been so good this year.

Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI)Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) turns Murad AHMADIYEV (AZE) from par terre in the 97kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

In one of the marquee matches of the night, Saravi held his own to beat world bronze medalist Murad AHMADIYEV (AZE) in the 97kg final.Saravi and Ahmadiyev were clearly a notch up the field in Riyadh in their weight class and reached the final with ease. But when the two clashed, Saravi clearly had a gameplan to not get caught in any upset.

Ahmadiyev had pinned Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) at the World Championships after a block when the Armenian was trying a gut wrench. So when Saravi got the chance in par terre in the final, he only tried a gut wrench once and then let the referee call neutral.

Saravi went into the break leading 3-0. He was called passive in the second period and put in par terre but he defend the position and gave only one point. As Ahmadiyev struggled with his conditioning, Saravi managed to score two stepouts and win the gold medal with a 5-1 score.

The Iranian has now not lost since the 2023 World Championships in Belgrade, extending his winning run to over two years.

Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI)Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) prepares to throw Mohamed ABDELLATIF (EGY) during the 130kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

At 130kg, rising star Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) too has a great winning run. Since his U20 World Championships final loss in 2022, Hedayati has not lost an international bout and capped his 2025 season with gold medal at the Islamic Solidarity Games 2025.

Placed in Group A of the Nelson bracket, Hedayati topped his group before winning the semifinal with ease. In the final, he faced Abdellatif MOHAMED (EGY), who the Iranian defeated in the first group bout 3-0.

If that was a warm-up win, Hedayati showed what he is capable of, winning the final in just 35 second via fall against Abdellatif. He began with a four-point throw which was challenged by Egypt only to lose the challenge.

Leading 5-0, Hedayati hit an arm-throw for two points before dragging Abdellatif for another takedown with his back on the mat. Hedayati held the Egyptian in that position and secured the fall to end the match and capture the gold medal.

Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB)Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB) celebrates after winning the 50kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Three women's wrestling weight classes were also in action on Wednesday in Riyadh and three different countries won gold medals.

At 50kg, Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB) needed a hip-toss in the last 30 seconds to score four points against Miesinnei GENEISI (NGR) and take a 5-1 lead. The Uzbekistan wrestler led 1-0 at the break after Geneisi's passivity. But the Nigerian took an 1-1 criteria lead in the last minute when Keunimjaeva was called passive.

Desperate to find an opening, Keunimjaeva locked both of Geneisis' arms and tossed her for four points, taking a 5-1 lead and defending it to win the gold medal.

Christianah OGUNSANYA (NGR)Christianah OGUNSANYA (NGR) won the gold medal at 53kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

The winning country was reversed in the 53kg final as Christianah OGUNSANYA (NGR) defeated Shokhida AKHMEDOVA (UZB), 11-1, to win the gold medal.

Akhmedova failed to match the power of Ogunsanya who kept scoring with counter takedowns. She scored a takedown and a turn using lace to win the bout 11-1.

The final gold medal of the night went to former U23 world champion Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) who defeated European silver medalist Elvira SULEYMAN (TUR) in the 57kg final.

Aliyeva, who had defeated Suleyman in Round 1 bout as well, faced the Turkish wrestler again and kept it simple. She scored three takedown before giving up one in the final few seconds. She managed to hold on to her 6-2 lead for the win.

Photo

RESULTS

Greco-Roman

97kg
GOLD: Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) df. Murad AHMADIYEV (AZE), 5-1

BRONZE: Beytullah KAYISDAG (TUR) df. Mohamed GABR (EGY), 3-1
BRONZE: Rouabah FADI (ALG) df. Ibrahim FALLATAH (KSA), 8-0

130kg
GOLD: Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) df. Abdellatif MOHAMED (EGY), via fall (9-0)

BRONZE: Fatih BOZKURT (TUR) df. Roman KIM (KGZ), 11-2

Women's Wrestling

50kg
GOLD: Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB) df. Miesinnei GENEISI (NGR), 5-1

BRONZE: Elnura MAMMADOVA (AZE) df. Chebila CHEIMA (ALG), 7-0

53kg
GOLD: Christianah OGUNSANYA (NGR) df. Shokhida AKHMEDOVA (UZB), 11-1

BRONZE: Aruuke KADYRBEK KYZY (KGZ) df. Yusma DESWITA (INA), via fall (3-0
BRONZE: Zeinep BAYANOVA (KAZ) df. Vatansulton SHAKARSHOEVA (TJK), 14-3

57kg
GOLD: Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) df. Elvira SULEYMAN (TUR), 6-2

BRONZE: Tekouk ACHOUAK DJAMILA (ALG) df. Sezim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ), via fall (14-3)