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Four Olympic Champions Make Up 2019 Pan American Championships Field

Tuesday, April 16, 2019 - 01:16 By Taylor Miller

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Pictured: Erica WIEBE (CAN) at the 2018 World Championships. Photo by Martin Gabor.  

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – Six Olympic medalists, including four Olympic champions, highlight the field at the 2019 Senior Pan American Championships in Buenos Aires, Argentina, April 18-21. Each style has at least one Olympic champion in the field.

Men’s freestyle, April 20-21
Three of the four Olympic medalists in the men’s freestyle brackets come from USA, including 2012 champion Jordan BURROUGHS, 2016 champion Kyle SNYDER and 2016 bronze medalist J’den COX.

All three Americans own Senior World titles with Burroughs winning gold in 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2017, Snyder claiming the crown in 2015 and 2017 and Cox earning his first last October.  

The final Olympic medalist in men’s freestyle is Jaime Yusept ESPINAL (PUR). A 2012 Olympic silver medalist, Espinal, who will compete at 97 kg, will battle for his first Pan Am Championships medal.

The United States boasts three other World medalists.

David TAYLOR won gold in 2018, battling through a tough 86 kg bracket for his first World championship. Taylor looks to defend his 2018 Pan American title.

Two-time World bronze medalist Nick GWIAZDOWSKI and 2018 World bronze winner and returning Pan Am champion Joe COLON will represent the U.S. at 125 kg and 61 kg, respectively.

Both athletes will have World medalists in their brackets this week.

At 61 kg, reigning Senior World champion and two-time World bronze medalist Yowlys BONNE RODRIGUEZ (CUB) looks for his first Pan American Championships medal since 2016 and third overall. Bonne Rodriguez won the tournament in 2005 and 2012 and took bronze in 2016.

Looking to challenge Gwiazdowski is two-time World bronze medalist Oscar PINO HINDS (CUB), who is a three-time defending Pan Am champion.

In addition to Bonne Rodriguez and Pino Hinds, Cuba brings a strong freestyle roster to the tournament this weekend, including 2017 U23 World champion Reineri ANDREU ORTEGA at 57 kg and multiple-time Senior World medalist Reineris SALAS PEREZ at 97 kg. Both are returning Pan Am champions.

Women’s freestyle, April 19-20
2016 Olympic champion Erica WIEBE (CAN) will compete this week at 76 kg. Most recently, she finished fifth at the 2018 World Championships in Budapest. Winning the weight at Worlds last year was Adeline GRAY (USA), who looks to repeat 2018 Pan Am gold-medal performance.

Gray, a four-time World champion, defeated Wiebe in the World semifinals in October.

Canada also brings 2018 World bronze medalist Diana WEICKER at 53 kg and multiple-time age-group World medalist Braxton STONE at 62 kg.

In order to take the Pan Am crown at 53 kg, Weicker will have go through 2018 World silver medalist and returning Pan Am champion Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA).

Stone will have 2018 Senior World bronze winner Mallory VELTE (USA) and 2018 Pan Am champion Yaquelin ESTORNELL ELIZASTIGUE (CUB) in her bracket.

Also repping Cuba is 2018 Senior World bronze medalist Lianna MONTERO HERRERA at 57 kg and 2018 U23 World champion Yudari SANCHEZ RODRIGUEZ at 68 kg.

It’s possible that 2018 Pan American champion Sanchez Rodriguez could face 2018 World medalist Tamyra MENSAH-STOCK (USA) this weekend. Mensah-Stock defeated the Cuban at the 2018 Senior World Championships.

There are three other age-group World medalists in the field, counting 2011 Junior World bronze medalist Luisa VALVERDE MELENDRES (ECU), 2015 Junior World bronze medalist and 2018 Pan Am champion Alejandra ROMERO BONILLA (MEX) and 2013 Junior World runner-up and two-time Junior World bronze medalist Erin GOLSTON (USA).

Greco-Roman, April 18-19
Seven of the 10 2018 Pan American champions in Greco-Roman return to the continental championships this year, with Cuba, USA and Venezuela each brining two.

For Cuba, it’s Luis ORTA SANCHEZ at 60 kg and five-time Pan American champion Ismael BORRERO MOLINA at 67 kg.

In addition to his Pan Am success, Borrero Molina is a 2016 Olympic champion and 2015 World champion.

USA returns Ryan MANGO, the continental champ at 63 kg, and RaVaughn PERKINS, who won it at 72 kg last year.

The United States also boasts 2018 Senior World silver medalist Adam Coon at 130 kg, 2017 Junior World champion Kamal Bey at 77 kg and Junior World medalists Ellis COLEMAN at 67 kg and G’Angelo HANCOCK at 97 kg.

Representing Venezuela are 2018 Pan Am champions Luis AVENDANO ROJAS at 87 kg and Luillys PEREZ MORA at 97 kg. Avendano Rojas moves up a weight after winning the title at 82 kg last year.

Others to watch out for in Greco-Roman are 2018 Pan Am champion Sargis KHACHATRYAN (BRA) at 55 kg and two-time age-group medalist Kevin MEJIA CASTILLO (HON) at 97 kg.

Schedule
Thursday, April 18
10 a.m. – Qualification rounds (GR 55-60-63-67-72-97-130kg)
4:30 p.m. – Opening Ceremonies
5 p.m. – Finals (GR 55-60-63-67-72-97-130kg)

Friday, April 19
10 a.m. – Qualification rounds (GR 77-82-87kg & WW 55-59-65-72kg)
5 p.m. – Finals (GR 77-82-87kg & WW 55-59-65-72kg)

Saturday, April 20
10 a.m. – Qualification rounds (WW 50-53-57-62-68-76kg & FS 79-92kg)
5 p.m. – Finals (WW 50-53-57-62-68-76kg & FS 79-92kg)

Sunday, April 21
10 a.m. – Qualification rounds (FS – 57-61-65-70-74-86-97-125kg)
5 p.m. – Finals (FS – 57-61-65-70-74-86-97-125kg)

 

#WrestleSamokov

Kyrgyzstan, Moldova earn chance to end U20 World title drought

Sunday, August 17, 2025 - 18:58 By Vinay Siwach

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SAMOKOV, Bulgaria (August 17) -- Kyrgyzstan and Moldova earned a chance to end their gold-medal drought at the U20 World Championships.

On the first day of the 2025 World U20 Championships in Samokov, four Freestyle weight classes were in action. Adilet AKYLBEKOV (KGZ) was the surprised finalist at 74kg and will try to become Kyrgyzstan's first gold medal at the U20 World Championships in 20 years. He will take on European U23 champion Ismail KHANIEV (UWW) in the final.

At 70kg, Alexandr GAIDARLI (MDA) earned the final and will now try to become Moldova's first U20 world champ in Freestyle since 1999. He will take on returning bronze medalist PJ DUKE (USA) in the gold-medal bout.

The 125kg weight class will see an all-Asian final as Asian U20 champion Yedige KASSIMBEK (KAZ) earned a shot for the world title against Abolfazl MOHAMMAD NEZHAD (IRI), a wrestler over whom Kassimbek has a 3-0 head-to-head record.

Two returning bronze medalists, Duke and Justin RADEMACHER (USA), upgrade their bronze medals from last year and earn themselves a chance to win gold on Monday at 70kg and 97kg respectively.

Akylbekov, who had finished at 17th at 79kg last year, had a dream run on Sunday and ended one for Raul CASO (ITA) in the semifinals. Caso had posted two last-second victories, however, he failed to repeat those heroics in the semifinal against Akylbekov.

Caso was 3-2 and went attack-mode in the final 15 seconds. He almost scored a takedown over Akylbekov who managed to sneak out and then Caso jumped over to take control for a takedown. However, the Kyrgyz wrestler stood up to avoid giving up any points. Italy challenged for two points but lost that on review, giving one more point to Akylbekov.

While Caso was leaving it late in his wins, Akylbekov was contrastingly dominating them. He defeated Nicholas HOOPER (CAN), 12-0, in the opening bout, blanked Titas PIJORAITIS (LTU), 10-0 and then handed Dosszhan KUL GAIYP (KAZ) a 6-1 loss.

He will now face Khaniev, who earned himself his first world medal at any level. Khaniev defeated Kanata YAMAGUCHI (JPN), 7-3, in a very close semifinal than the scoreline suggests.

Khaniev led 3-3 on criteria but Yamaguchi constantly threatened to score in the final 25 seconds. He hit a double-leg attack and planted Khaniev, who somehow managed to not land in danger. In a counter, Khaniev exposed Yamaguchi for two points and took a 5-3 lead. Yamaguchi tried a desperate throw in the final 15 seconds but Khaniev blocked it for two more points to win.

Earlier in the day, Khaniev avenged his European U20 Championships loss to Manuel WAGIN (GER) with a technical superiority win after he had beaten returning silver medalist Ladrion LOCKETT (USA).

Duke had his first big challenge of the day in the semifinals against former world U17 champion Erfan ELAHI (IRI) at 70kg. Duke scored a takedown while Elahi had a point for stepout and Duke's passivity. Duke's two-point scoring move gave him the criteria.

However, Elahi somehow thought he has the criteria and did not think of attacking in the final 30 seconds. When the bout was over, Elahi celebrated as if he had won only to realize that he has lost 2-2.

Duke will look to win his first a world title before wrestling at the senior World Championships later in September. He will take on Gaidarli for the gold-medal after the Moldovan won his semifinal 7-4 against Nurlan AGHAZADA (AZE).

Gaidarli became the first Moldovan Freestyle wrestler to reach the final at U20 Worlds since 2019 after a stunningly good run in Samokov. He defeated European U20 champion Goga OTINASHVILI (GEO), 13-3, avenging his loss from Carole, Italy.

In the semifinals, he scored three takedowns in the second period against Aghazada to win 7-4, bettering his 18th-place finish from last year and earning a chance to end the gold-medal drought for Moldova.

Returning bronze medalist at 97kg Rademacher defeated European U20 champion Konstantine PETRIASHVILI (GEO) in the semifinals and will now try to win gold. Rademacher led 4-3 at the break extended his lead with a takedown for two points to start the second period, add another go-behind and single-leg to takedown to lead 10-3.

Petriashvili got an attack for two points but Rademacher was relentless in his wrestling and scored three more takedowns to win 16-5.

For the gold medal, he will face Magomedgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (UWW) who survived, with some help, for an 11-9 win over VISHAL (IND) who had Magomedov in all sorts of trouble. Magomedov led 10-4 when Vishal mounted a comeback against an absolutely broken Magomedov. He scored a takedown and Magomedov was cautioned for a singlet-pull foul which made it 10-7.

As the bout was restart in par terre, India challenged for two more points but the referee had blown the whistle before control from Vishal. That challenge gave enough breathing time to Magomedov to managed to hang on to his lead and win 11-9.

Kassimbek had a very dominant semifinal as he defeated Cole MIRASOLA (USA), 11-0, inside the first period. He had two excellent counter takedowns and then locked up Mirasola's legs around his head and turns him twice. He finished things with a double-leg takedown.

Kassimbek has lost to two World U17 Championships finals before but he will have a good chance to win his first world title. He will take on Mohammad Nezhad, a wrestler he has defeated three times before.

The Iranian denied former world U17 champion Yusif DURSUNOV (AZE) after a 1-1 victory in the semifinal. Mohmmad Nezhad got the one point for passivity in the second period which gave him the criteria.

Mohammad Nezhad lost to Kassimbek for the first time in 2023 Asian U17 Championships final, 8-1, then at the same tournament in 2024, 2-2 in the semifinals. His third loss to Kassimbek came in the semifinals of the 2024 World U17 Championships, 4-3.

RESULTS

70kg
GOLD: PJ DUKE (USA) vs. Alexandr GAIDARLI (MDA) 

SF 1: Alexandr GAIDARLI (MDA) df. Nurlan AGHAZADA (AZE), 7-4
SF 2: PJ DUKE (USA) df. Ebrahim ELAHI (IRI), 2-2

74kg
GOLD: Ismail KHANIEV (UWW) vs. Adilet AKYLBEKOV (KGZ)

SF 1: Adilet AKYLBEKOV (KGZ) df. Raul CASO (ITA), 4-2
SF 2: Ismail KHANIEV (UWW) df. Kanata YAMAGUCHI (JPN), 7-3

97kg
GOLD: Magomedgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (UWW) vs. Justin RADEMACHER (USA)

SF 1: Justin RADEMACHER (USA) df. Konstantine PETRIASHVILI (GEO), 16-5
SF 2: Magomedgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (UWW) df. VISHAL (IND), 11-9

125kg
GOLD: Yedige KASSIMBEK (KAZ) vs. Abolfazl MOHAMMAD NEZHAD (IRI)

SF 1: Abolfazl MOHAMMAD NEZHAD (IRI) df. Yusif DURSUNOV (AZE), 1-1
SF 2: Yedige KASSIMBEK (KAZ) df. Cole MIRASOLA (USA), 11-0