wrestleOaxtepec

Venezuela Wins Two Junior Greco-Roman Titles on Day One of #WrestleOaxtepec

Thursday, June 10, 2021 - 00:48 By Taylor Miller

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Photo of Daniel BELLO VEGA (VEN). Photo by Osvaldo Aguilar. 

 

OAXTEPEC, Mexico – Venezuela’s Yonaiker MARTINEZ CRAVO (VEN) and Daniel BELLO VEGA (VEN) picked up Junior Greco-Roman titles at the Cadet and Junior Pan American Championships in Oaxtepec, Mexico, on Wednesday.

12 weight classes were contested between the Junior Greco-Roman and Cadet men’s freestyle divisions. For the Junior tournament, the top-eight athletes at each Olympic weight class will earn a bid to the Junior Pan American Games, set for December in Cali, Colombia.

Photo of Fernando FERRER CIPRIAN (DOM). Photo by Osvaldo Aguilar. 

 

Martinez Cravo won the 60 kg bracket with a pin over Jeremy PERALTA GONZALEZ (ECU) in the finals, and Bello Vega earned gold at 77 kg with a 9-1 technical superiority over Brandon CALLE PEREZ (COL). Both are Olympic weight classes. Claiming titles at the other two Olympic weights up for grabs today were Fernando FERRER CIPRIAN (DOM) at 67 kg and Tyler HANNAH (USA) at 87 kg.

At 55kg, Angel SEGURA TELLEZ (MEX) defeated Aizayah YACAPIN (USA) for the gold, while Antonio RUIZ MORA (ECU) won at 63 kg with a 10-2 victory over Payton JACOBSON (USA).

Photo of Luke LILLEDAHL (USA). Photo by Osvaldo Aguilar. 

In the Cadet men’s freestyle division, the USA won all six weight classes, all in round-robin action. The champions included Bowen BASSETT (USA) at 45 kg, Luke LILLEDAHL (USA) t 48 kg, Alan KOEHLER (USA) at 51 kg, Kael LAURIDSEN (USA) t 55 kg, Brock BOBZIEN (USA) at 60 kg and Pierson MANVILLE (USA) at 65 kg.

Action continues on Thursday at 9 a.m. live on uww.org.

En español
OAXTEPEC, Mexico – Dos venezolanos, Yonaiker MARTINEZ CRAVO (VEN) y Daniel BELLO VEGA (VEN) capturaron títulos en el estilo grecorromano juvenil en el Campeonato Panamericano de Cadetes y Juveniles en Oaxtepec, México.

Hoy, se disputaron doce categorías entre estilo libre masculino cadete y grecorromano juvenil. En el torneo juvenil, los ocho mejores luchadores en las clases de peso olímpico califican para los Juegos Panamericanos Juveniles en diciembre en Cali, Colombia.

Martinez Cravo ganó en 60 kg, derrotando a Jeremy PERALTA GONZALEZ (ECU) por puesta espalda, y Bello Vega ganó en 77 kg contra Brandon CALLE PEREZ (COL), 9-1. Ambos son clases de peso olímpico. Reclamando títulos en las otras categorías olímpicas fueron Fernando FERRER CIPRIAN (DOM) en 67 kg y Tyler HANNAH (USA) en 87 kg.

En 55 kg, Angel SEGURA TELLEZ (MEX) superó a Aizayah YACAPIN (USA) mientras Antonio RUIZ MORA (ECU) ganó en 63 kg.

En el estilo libre masculino cadete, USA ganó las seis categorías del día. Los campeones incluyen Bowen BASSETT (USA) en 45 kg, Luke LILLEDAHL (USA) en 48 kg, Alan KOEHLER (USA) en 51 kg, Kael LAURIDSEN (USA) en 55 kg, Brock BOBZIEN (USA) en 60 kg y Pierson MANVILLE (USA) en 65 kg. Todos ganaron en la competencia round robin.

Acción sigue mañana a las 9 a.m. CT en uww.org.

JUNIOR GRECO-ROMAN RESULTS

55 kg
GOLD - Angel SEGURA TELLEZ (MEX)
SILVER- Aizayah YACAPIN (USA)

60 kg
GOLD - Yonaiker MARTINEZ CRAVO (VEN)
SILVER- Jeremy PERALTA GONZALEZ (ECU)
BRONZE- Samuel GUTIERREZ DIAZ (CUB)
BRONZE - Uvaldo CAMACHO DIAZ (MEX)

63 kg
GOLD - Antonio RUIZ MORA (ECU)
SILVER- Richard FEDALEN (USA)
BRONZE- Alan SALAS ESQUIVEL (MEX)

67 kg
GOLD - Fernando FERRER CIPRIAN (DOM)
SILVER - Payton JACOBSON (USA)
BRONZE - Piero CRUCES PANAIFO (PER)
BRONZE - Yosbani NAPOLES MUSTELIER (CUB)

77 kg
GOLD - Daniel BELLO VEGA (VEN)
SILVER- Brandon CALLE PEREZ (COL)
BRONZE- Arlier LA O MENDOZA (CUB)
BRONZE - Franco CHIALANZA (ARG)

87 kg
GOLD - Tyler HANNAH (USA)
SILVER - Juan DIAZ BLANCO (VEN)
BRONZE - Jose MOSQUERA MURILLO (COL)
BRONZE - Pedro BELLO SOTO (MEX)

CADET MEN’S FREESTYLE RESULTS

45 kg
GOLD- Bowen BASSETT (USA)
SILVER- Samir MARCIAGA YAU (PAN)
BRONZE- Roger KANTUN KU (MEX)

48 kg
GOLD- Luke LILLEDAHL (USA)
SILVER- Jonathan MEZA RAYAS (MEX)
BRONZE- Abel SANCHEZ JUAREZ (PER)

51 kg
GOLD- Alan KOEHLER (USA)
SILVER- Jesse PEREZ VERASTEGUI (MEX)
BRONZE- Pedro TORIBIO TORRES (PER)

55 kg
GOLD- Kael LAURIDSEN (USA)
SILVER- Josue VILLAREAL MARTINEZ (MEX)
BRONZE- Jailson LEITE DA SILVA (BRA)

60 kg
GOLD- Brock BOBZIEN (USA)
SILVER- Fernando SALDARRIAGA VELASQUEZ (ECU)
BRONZE- Alan GOMEZ HERMOSILLO (MEX)

65 kg
GOLD- Pierson MANVILLE (USA)
SILVER- Paulo GONCALVES DA SILVA (BRA)
BRONZE- Marco FERNANDEZ CUBAS (PER)

Development

Wrestling Enters a New Era in Southern Africa with Namib Storm and SADC Open Championships

Wednesday, August 13, 2025 - 13:57 By United World Wrestling Press

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WINDHOEK, Namibia — July 2025 The Namibian Wrestling Federation (NWF), in partnership with United World Wrestling (UWW) and Olympic Solidarity, launched a landmark initiative to boost wrestling development in Southern Africa: the Namib Storm Wrestling Week and SADC Open Championships, held from 30 June to 5 July 2025 at the Windhoek Showgrounds.

Speaking at the official launch in Windhoek, NWF President Colin Steytler emphasized the significance of this new chapter for the sport:

“This is where everything comes together — grassroots, elite, and development levels. It’s the most important step we’ve taken to date in bringing our strategic goals to life.”

A New Benchmark for Regional Wrestling Development

The week-long event featured two core components:

  • REDT – Namib Storm Training Camp (30 June – 3 July)
    This high-performance camp delivered Level 3 Coaching and Level 2 Refereeing Certification under the guidance of UWW instructors — a first for Namibia and a major milestone for the region.

“You can’t grow grassroots wrestling without qualified coaches,” Steytler noted.
Coaches and officials from multiple countries, including Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Mauritius, took part in intensive technical sessions.

  • SADC Open Championships (4 July)
    This tournament gathered elite athletes from Angola, South Africa, Zimbabwe, and beyond — many of whom are continental medallists. Importantly, the SADC Open became the first UWW-rated event in Southern Africa, enabling both athletes and referees to earn international exposure without needing to travel abroad.

“This changes the game,” said Steytler. “We can now compete regionally and still gain global recognition — this saves costs and boosts participation.”

NAMAttendees go through the Level 3 Coaching and Level 2 Refereeing Certification under the guidance of UWW instructors. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

Beach Wrestling: Taking the Sport to New Shores

The week concluded on 5 July with a Beach Wrestling showcase, reinforcing UWW’s commitment to accessibility and outreach.

“Beach wrestling will be the only wrestling discipline featured at the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Senegal,” Steytler reminded. “And we are proud to host Namibia’s first-ever beach wrestling event in Swakopmund on 7 December 2025.”

Beach wrestling, requiring only sand and a rope, offers a practical and inclusive way to expand the sport into rural and underserved communities — a cornerstone of UWW’s vision.

Towards a Self-Sustaining Wrestling Future

The REDT initiative and Namib Storm programme are part of the NWF’s five-year strategy to develop a self-sustainable wrestling ecosystem, bridging the gap between grassroots and elite competition and aiming for future Olympic qualification and medals.

“The Namib Storm Week and SADC Open pull all of our strategic elements together,” said Steytler. “From here, we take what we’ve built back to the regions and expand wrestling further than ever before.”

This event highlights Southern Africa’s growing role in the global wrestling community and reflects UWW’s dedication to regional empowerment, education, and international competition access.