#WrestleGuatemala

USA Sweeps Gold Medals at Day Two of #WrestleGuatemala as Honduras' Mejia Earns OW

Saturday, May 29, 2021 - 01:24 By Taylor Miller

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GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala – The USA won gold medals in all seven weights contested on Friday, including three titles in Greco-Roman and four titles in women’s freestyle at the 2021 Pan American Championships in Guatemala City.

Providing an outstanding performance that outshone the rest, Kevin MEJIA CASTILLO (HON) was named awarded the Golden Boot as the Greco-Roman Outstanding Wrestler for his Thursday-night gold-medal win at 97 kg. 

Winning in Greco-Roman was Peyton WALSH (USA), Ben PROVISOR (USA) and John STEFANOWICZ (USA).

At 77kg, Walsh defeated two-time Senior Pan Am finalist Joilson DE BRITO RAMOS JUNIOR (BRA) in a hotly contested match. Walsh led 5-0 at the break, but de Brito Ramos Junior fought back hard in the second period, scoring five points. Ultimately, Walsh held on for a 5-5 win on criteria as de Brito Ramos Junior had a caution against him.

Two-time Olympian Provisor recorded two technical superiority wins, 9-0 and 8-0, in his three-man round robin to claim the 82kg title. This is Provisor’s third Pan Am gold medal with his first coming in 2017 in Greco-Roman and his second coming in 2018 in men’s freestyle.

Tokyo Olympian Stefanowicz took home the gold after a dramatic finals match at 87kg. Wrestling against Ariel ALFONSO RODRIGUEZ (HON), Stefanowicz trailed 1-0 at the break. To start the second period, Stefanowicz scored a step out and in the flurry of action, Alfonso Rodriguez exhibited unsportsmanlike conduct and was disqualified from the match.

USA won the Greco-Roman team title, earning 205 points. Brazil placed second with 95 points and Mexico rounded out the top-three with 94 points.

Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA) finishes a shot on Neidy Lizeth VASQUEZ GOMEZ (GUA) on her way to the 10-0 shutout opening-round win. (Photo: Tony Rotundo)

The U.S. women’s freestyle champions were Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA), Maya NELSON (USA), Jennifer ROGERS PAGE (USA) and Alexandria GLAUDE (USA).

2019 World champion and Tokyo Olympian Winchester absolutely dominated the 55kg bracket, collecting a 4-0 record, including three technical superiorities and one pin. This marks her first Pan American gold medal, but she also owns a bronze medal from the 2018 Pan Am Championships.

At 59kg, 2017 Junior World champion Nelson clinched the title with two wins on the day, including an impressive win in which she knocked off 2019 Senior World champion Linda MORAIS (CAN), 5-5. To secure the title, Nelson dominated Karoline SILVA DE SANTANA (BRA) with a 12-2 victory.

Rogers Page earned her second Pan Am title, winning four matches in a Nordic bracket. In the final, she took on Ashley ZARATE CAMPBELL (PAN), who she defeated earlier in the day. For gold, Rogers Page dominated the Panamanian with pin in 52 seconds. She adds to her 2015 Pan Am gold medal.

To win gold at 72kg, U23 World bronze medalist Glaude went 2-0 on the day. To start her tournament, Glaude dominated 2020 Pan Am champion Yanet SOVERO NINO (PER) with a fall in only 25 seconds. To secure the title, Glaude beat Brenda AGUIAR DOS SANTOS (BRA), 10-0.

The competition continues tomorrow with the remaining women’s freestyle weights and the beginning of men’s freestyle. Wrestling begins at 12 p.m. local time. Fans can watch all the action live at uww.org.

En español
CIUDAD DE GUATEMALA – Los Estados Unidos ganó medallas de oro en los siete categorías  disputadas el viernes, incluyendo tres títulos en grecorromano y cuatro títulos en estilo libre femenino en el Campeonato Panamericano 2021 en la Ciudad de Guatemala. 

El ganador del botín de oro fue Kevin MEJIA CASTILLO (HON), el campeón de la categoría 97 kg, quien compitio el jueves. 

Los ganadores en grecorromano fueron Peyton WALSH (USA), Ben PROVISOR (USA) y John STEFANOWICZ (USA).

En la categoría 77 kg, Peyton WALSH (USA) tuvo un combate cerrado con dos veces finalista panamericana Joilson DE BRITO RAMOS JUNIOR (BRA) para el oro. Walsh estaba ganando 5-0 en el periodo del descanso, pero en el segundo periodo, de Brito Ramos Junior marcó cinco puntos para poner el combate en un empate. Walsh ganó por criterio, 5-5.

Ben PROVISOR (USA), el dos veces olímpico, ganó dos combates para hacerse con el título en 82 kg. Ambos fueron victorias por superioridad técnica, 9-0 y 8-0. Es la tercera medalla de oro panamericana para él. También ganó el oro en grecorromano en 2017 y el oro en estilo libre masculino en 2018.

Olimpico Stefanowicz ganó el oro después de un final dramático en 87 kg. Luchando contra Ariel ALFONSO RODRIGUEZ (HON), Stefanowicz estaba perdiendo 1-0. En el segundo periodo, entre un momento de acción, Alfonso Rodriguez mostró conducta antideportiva y fue descalificado.

USA ganó el título del equipo con 205 puntos. Brasil produjo la medalla de plata con 95 puntos y asegurando el bronce fue México con 94 puntos.

Las luchadoras estadounidenses ganaron cada categoría en el estilo libre femenino. Las campeonas fueron Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA), Maya NELSON (USA), Jennifer ROGERS PAGE (USA) y Alexandria GLAUDE (USA).

La campeona mundial de 2019 y olímpica Winchester dominó a la categoría 55 kg. Ella recogió un record de 4-0, ganando tres con superioridades técnicas y el otro combate por puestaespalda. Esta es su primera medalla de oro panamericana. También tiene una medalla de bronce del campeonato panamericano de 2018.

En 59 kg, Nelson, una campeona mundial juvenil de 2017, aseguró el título con una victoria impresionante contra la campeona mundial de 2019, Linda MORAIS (CAN) en su primera pelea, 5-5. Más tarde en el día, derrotó a Karoline SILVA DE SANTANA (BRA), 12-2.

Rogers Page ganó cuatro peleas en la categoría de 65 kg para llevar el oro. En el final, derrotó a Ashley ZARATE CAMPBELL (PAN) por la segunda vez hoy con una puestaespalda en 52 segundos. En una competencia Nordic, Rogers Page venció a Zarate Campbell, 11-1, en su primer combate del dia. Es su segunda medalla de oro panamericano. La primera vino en 2015.

Para ganar el oro en 72 kg, Glaude, una medallista mundial U23, se fue 2-0 en el día. Primero, Glaude derrotó a la campeona panamericana 2020 Yanet SOVERO NINO (PER) con un puestaespalda en solo 25 segundos. Esta noche, en su última combate, Glaude se enfrentó a Brenda AGUIAR DOS SANTOS (BRA) y venció con un triunfo 10-0.

La competencia sigue mañana con el estilo libre femenino y el estilo libre masculino. Empieza a las 12 p.m. hora local. Se puede ver toda la acción en uww.org.

GRECO-ROMAN RESULTS
77kg
GOLD – Peyton WALSH (USA) df. Joilson DE BRITO RAMOS JUNIOR (BRA), 5-5
BRONZE – Reinier JIMENEZ TERRY (GUA) df. Matias CABEZAS CORNEJO (CHI), 8-0
BRONZE – Marciano ALI (PUR) df. Enrique CUERO ORTIZ (ECU), 13-2

82kg
GOLD – Ben PROVISOR (USA)
SILVER –  David Elias CHOC HUOC (GUA)
BRONZE – Alexis MARTINEZ SANCHEZ (MEX)

87 kg
GOLD – John STEFANOWICZ (USA)
SILVER – Daniel VICENTE GOMEZ (MEX)
BRONZE – Ronisson BRANDAO SANTIAGO (BRA)

WOMEN’S FREESTYLE RESULTS
55kg
GOLD – Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA)
SILVER – Virginie KAZE GASCON (CAN)
BRONZE – Anny RAMIREZ PEREZ (DOM)

59kg
GOLD – Maya NELSON (USA)
SILVER – Linda MORAIS (CAN)
BRONZE – Karoline SILVA DE SANTANA (BRA)

65kg
GOLD – Jennifer ROGERS PAGE (USA) df. Ashley ZARATE CAMPBELL (PAN), fall 0:52
BRONZE – Amanda SAVARD (CAN) df. Diana CRUZ ARROYO (PER), 2-1

72kg
GOLD – Alexandria GLAUDE (USA)
SILVER – Yanet SOVERO NINO (PER)
BRONZE – Brenda AGUIAR DOS SANTOS (BRA)

#WrestleTirana

Vynnyk Wins First Career Gold Amid Ukraine Gold Rush

Friday, April 24, 2026 - 10:05 By Vinay Siwach

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TIRANA, Albania (April 23) -- Eight years. 23 competitions. Three silver medals. Nine bronze medals. 11 medalless tournaments.

Mariia VYNNYK (UKR) spent all these years watching others win the gold medals at various tournaments. She was close to winning a few herself but never could

She reached her first final in 2022 at the Ranking Series in Rome, then at the U23 European Championships in 2024. She fell short both times. Then in 2025, she reached the final of the World Championships in Zagreb before dropping the final 17-8 against Sakura ONISHI (JPN).

 

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But Vynnyk ended her wait for a gold medal in Tirana on Thursday by winning her career's first-ever gold medal at the European Championships.

"It’s actually been a very tough road to this victory," Vynnyk said. "I’ve been training since I was eight and I’ve always pictured myself on the podium with a gold medal. Today that dream came true. I’m absolutely delighted. I was certain I’d win. And it happened."

Vynnyk was one of the three Ukraine wrestlers who won gold medals in Tirana. Defending champion Oksana LIVACH (UKR) at 50kg and Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) at 76kg successfully managed to retain their titles.

Andreea Beatrice ANA (ROU) denied Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR) and Ukraine a fourth gold medal after beating her 10-0 in the 55kg final and winning her fourth gold European gold medal.

At 68kg, Nesrin BAS (TUR) won gold after defending champion Alina SHAUCHUK (UWW) withdrew due to an injury, giving Bas her second European title.

Mariia VYNNYK (UKR)Mariia VYNNYK (UKR) at the medal ceremony for 59kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Vynnyk won two matches on Wednesday to reach the final in which she faced veteran Jowita WRZESIEN (POL). Both wrestlers began on a slow note and Wrzesien was put on the activity clock first. Vynnyk hit a low single as soon as the clock start and scored a takedown. A powerful gut-wrench added two more points to score before the activity clock finished and Vynnyk led 5-0.

The next takedown came in the second period when Wrzesein hit a half-hearted attack and Vynnyk easily brought her down to the mat for two points and extend her lead to 7-0. Wrzesien managed to get a takedown to cut the lead to 7-2 and later Vynnyk was cautioned one point for blocking action.

Wrzesien tried a desperate throw but Vynnyk fell on top of her, earning herself two points. But Poland challenged the call and won it. The score was reset to 7-3 with four seconds remaining. Wrzesien got a point for Vynnyk's fleeing but failed to score any takedown in the final seconds. Poland challenged again but lost it this time, giving Vynnyk a 8-4 win and finally, a golden celebration for the first time in eight years.

"The most important thing, in my opinion, is mental preparation," she said about what changes she made to finally win the gold medal. "I’m sure it plays the most crucial role in this."

Mariia VYNNYK (UKR)Mariia VYNNYK (UKR) hits an attack on Jowita WRZESIEN (POL) during the 59kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Born in Chernivtsi, a city in south-west Ukraine close to the Romanian border, Vynnyk was introduced to wrestling, along with her other siblings, by her mother. While her brothers stopped wrestling, the Vynnyk sisters, Mariia and Solomiia, continued.

"My two older brothers used to wrestle, but they gave it up, whilst my sister and I carried on, striving for results and winning gold medals together," she said.

The two sisters couldn't win gold together but Mariia will cheer for Solomiia, who also doubles up as her friend and training partner, when she takes the mat for her bronze-medal bout on Friday at 57kg.

"I can’t imagine my journey without her, and I only want to win alongside her," Mariia said. "I was really upset that she lost. It was really hard for me to get in the right frame of mind for this final, but I’m sure my sister and I have a bright future ahead of us, and that there are plenty of gold medals in store for us. We never compete against each other, because I couldn’t bring myself to compete against my sister. But in training, we don’t let each other off the hook."

Oksana LIVACH (UKR)Oksana LIVACH (UKR) won her third European title at 50kg on Thursday. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Ukraine's Gold Rush

Livach began the mini gold rush for Ukraine by defending her 50kg gold medal against Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) in what was a rematch of the final from last year.

While last year Livach did not complete a technical superiority victory over Demirhan, she managed to dominate the final in Tirana on Thursday, winning her final 11-0.

At 76kg, Alpyeyeva controlled her final against Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU) to post a 6-2 victory and defend her title. She scored three different takedowns while giving up one in the final.

Andreea ANA (ROU)Andreea ANA (ROU) celebrates winning the 55kg gold medal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Ukraine could have won four gold medals but three-time European champion Ana denied Malanchuk, 10-0, in the 55kg final.

Ana had a slow start and but was the first to get a point when Malanchuk was warned for pulling hair. Ana's lead went 2-0 when Malanchuk failed to score in the 30-second activity period. Just before the break, Ana snapped Malanchuk and scored a takedown and a turn to make it 6-0.

In the last 20 seconds, Ana caught Malanchuk's leg and brought her down for a takedown and two more points for exposure to finish the bout 10-0 just before time expired. Ana's gold is her sixth European medal -- four golds, one silver and one bronze.

Defending champion at 68kg Shauchuk gave the final against Bas a miss due to an injury, giving a walkover to Bas, who is now a two-time European champion.

Photo

RESULTS

50kg
GOLD: Oksana LIVACH (UKR) df. Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR), 11-0

BRONZE: Elizaveta SMIRNOVA (UWW) df. Svenja JUNGO (SUI), 4-0
BRONZE: Emilia GRIGORE VUC (ROU) df. Agata GOLUCHOWSKA WALERZAK (POL), 11-8

55kg
GOLD: Andreea Beatrice ANA (ROU) df. Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR), 10-0

BRONZE: Anastasia BLAYVAS (GER) df. Mihaela SAMOIL (MDA), 4-3
BRONZE: Tuba DEMIR (TUR) df. Veronika KONSEVICH (MKD), 5-2

59kg
GOLD: Mariia VYNNYK (UKR) df. Jowita WRZESIEN (POL), 8-4

BRONZE: Svetlana LIPATOVA (UWW) df. Othelie HOEIE (NOR), via fall (6-1)
BRONZE: Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE) df. Marta HETMANAVA (UWW), 7-5

68kg
GOLD: Nesrin BAS (TUR) df. Alina SHAUCHUK (UWW), via inj. def.

BRONZE: Tindra SJOEBERG (SWE) df. Alina SHEVCHENKO (UWW), 10-0
BRONZE: Kateryna ZELENYKH (ROU) df. Noemi SZABADOS (HUN), 5-4

76kg
GOLD: Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) df. Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU), 6-2

BRONZE: Martina KUENZ (AUT) df. Valeriia TRIFONOVA (UWW), 4-0
BRONZE: Kendra DACHER (FRA) df. Enrica RINALDI (ITA), 9-8

Semifinals

53kg
SF 1: Mariia YEFREMOVA (UKR) df. Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (UWW), 9-3
SF 2: Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) df. Roksana ZASINA (POL), 6-6

57kg
SF 1: Magdalena GLODEK LISZEWSKA (POL) df. Evelina HULTHEN (SWE), 3-3
SF 2: Elvira SULEYMAN (TUR) df. Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE), 6-2

62kg
SF 1: Amina TANDELOVA (UWW) df. Naemi LEISTNER (GER), 9-0
SF 2: Grace BULLEN (NOR) df. Johanna LINDBORG (SWE), 7-6

65kg
SF 1: Alina KASABIEVA (UWW) vs. Birgul SOLTANOVA (AZE), 11-10
SF 2: Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) df. Natalia KUBATY (POL), 11-01

72kg
SF 1: Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR) df. Kristina BRATCHIKOVA (UWW), via fall (8-0)
SF 2: Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL) df. Buse TOSUN (TUR), 8-2