wrestleOaxtepec

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

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

Share this article

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)

#WrestleIstanbul

Spencer Lee one step closer to Olympic dream

Friday, May 3, 2024 - 12:37 By Vinay Siwach

Share this article

ISTANBUL, Turkiye (May 3) -- The world will finally see the return of Spencer LEE (USA) on a big stage. The one-time phenom is coming to Istanbul in a bid to qualify the United States for the Paris Olympics at 57kg.

Lee is a former U17 and U20 world champion and was primed to be the next superstar from the U.S. However, he could never get going at the international stage and only participated in an international tournament in 2024, eight years after his U20 world title. At the Pan-Am Championships this year, Lee won the gold medal at 57kg.

Despite his three NCAA titles and a college record a few can dream of, Lee hasn't returned to the international scene partly due to injuries and partly due to his college commitments. After two surgeries, battles with health, a heartbreaking loss in NCAAs, a long return and wins over former Iowa teammate Thomas GILMAN (USA) at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials, Lee is finally here.

"I’ve had such a tough time trying to stay healthy and trying to compete to the best of my ability,” Lee said after winning the trials. "I’m still not healthy but I’m healthy enough to wrestle hard against really, really good opponent.”

That's what he will have to do in Istanbul. In the 57kg bracket, Lee will be unseeded and can be drawn against any of the big names in the first round. Tokyo Olympian Georgi VANGELOV (BUL), former U23 world champion AMAN (IND), world silver medalist Alireza SARLAK (IRI) and local star Muhammet KARAVUS (TUR) are a few names he will have to keep an eye on.

The field also includes world bronze medalists Zanabazar ZANDANBUD (MGL) and Horst LEHR (GER) along with former European champion Vladimir EGOROV (MGL), Asian Games silver medalist Chong Song HAN (PRK) and Andrii YATSENKO (UKR).

If his opponents need a form check, Lee won four bouts at the trials, outscoring his opponents 35-11 with wins over Tokyo bronze medalist Gilman and Zane RICHARDS (USA). And his attacks are solid as ever as Gilman found out in the best-of-three series.

Three wrestlers in each Olympic weight class will receive Paris 2024 quotas in Istanbul, two being the winners of the semifinals and the third will be decided with a playoff between the two bronze medal winners. Lee would hope to secure it as the winner of the semifinal and avoid going, if fortunate, through repechage.

Apart from qualifying the U.S. in Istanbul, there is extra motivation for Lee to win in Istanbul. Lee's mother, Carry, is from France where she met Lee's father, Larry, both judokas. And, he can become the first Olympic champion for the U.S. in the lowest weight class since 2008.

Lee is aware that the road to Paris is still 'long and hard'. But the 25-year-old is ready.

"I have work to do."