wrestleOaxtepec

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

By Taylor Miller

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)

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UWW History Makers of 2025: Kougioumtsidis, Reasco, Sultangali

By Eric Olanowski

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (December 22) -- United World Wrestling has announced the History Makers of the Year 2025. The performance of these three wrestlers transcended competition and produced a once-in-a-generation accomplishment.

Freestyle’s History Maker 2025: Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE)

If there’s one nation that’s draped in sports tradition, it’s Greece, but surprisingly enough, the nation had never produced a male wrestling world champion.

Prior to 2025, wrestlers from Greece were 0-3 in gold-medal matches and had not reached a world finals since 1991. Then came 23-year-old Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS who stunned the world by defeating Levi HAINES (USA) 3-2 in the 79kg final to become his nation’s first-ever world champion.

Up until Kougioumtsidis' victory, Georgios ATHANASSIADIS (GRE) lost both of his world finals matches and Iraklis DESKOULIDIS (GRE) lost the final in 1991. The lone Greek woman to ever step to the top of the medal podium at the World Championships was Sofia POUMPOURIDOU (GRE), who won the women's 51kg gold on home soil in 2002.

"I'm very lucky that I am Greek," Kougioumtsidis said. "So I feel like I made all Greeks proud. I am Greek and I love my country." He continued, saying, “I'm the first male [from Greece] who won a gold medal at the World Championships. It's my dream come true. I think this year is a good achievement. I achieved my goal."

Women’s Wrestling History Maker: Genesis REASCO (ECU)

Reasco made history by becoming Ecuador's first-ever world champion, which came two years following Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) silver-medal finish at the 2023 World Championships where she still become the Ecuador's first-ever world medalist.

Reasco reached the pinnacle of the sport with a 4-2 victory in the 76kg final over two-time world medalist Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ), which came one match removed from knocking off Paris bronze medalist Milaimy MARIN (CUB) in the semifinals.

"I went in, gave my all, and it worked," Reasco said. "That’s how the gold medal was achieved, because honestly, I have a lot of respect for all my opponents. They gave everything out there on the mat, and they were really good matches -- both yesterday’s and today’s. Everything was very tough, very close."

Greco-Roman’s History Maker: Aidos SULTANGALI (KAZ)

Sultangali ended a 26-year Greco-Roman drought, giving Kazakhstan their first Greco world champion since 1999 with a very quick victory over Uzbek youngster Alisher GANIEV (UZB) in the 60kg finals at the World Championships.

Sultangali, who won two world bronze medals between 2018 and 2022, only needed 1:07 to cap off masterful first-period 9-0 win over Asian runner-up GANIEV (UZB).

"I didn’t plan to win the final match so easily and quickly," Sultangali said. "But it happened. Today is a historic day for our country because the last gold medal for Kazakhstan came in 1999, 26 years ago," said Sultangali, "I am happy that my country is happy."