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Cuba and USA Sweep Freestyle Gold Medals in Lima

Monday, May 7, 2018 - 02:22 By Taylor Miller

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LIMA (May 6) – The top of the podium was flooded with wrestlers clad in red, white and blue all night as USA produced five men’s freestyle Pan American champions, while Cuba claimed the other three gold medals in the final night of competition at the 2018 Pan American Championships.

The two nations went head-to-head in four of the night’s finals, trading gold-medal wins to split them 2-2.

2012 Olympic bronze medalist and three-time World medalist Livan LOPEZ AZCUY (CUBA) gave his nation a win in the first Cuba/USA final of the night with a convincing 6-1 victory against Nazar KULCHYTSKYY (USA) in the 74 kg gold-medal match.

The win marked Lopez’s third Pan American Championships title. His last one came in 2016.

At 86 kg, Yarygin champion David TAYLOR (USA) outlasted two-time Pan Am champion Yudenny TORREBLANCA (CUB) in a 3-2 win. Torreblanca struck first with a takedown but it was not enough as Taylor scored a takedown of his own to close out the first period. A second-period step out sealed the win for the American.

Three-time World medalist Reineris SALAS PEREZ (CUB) put up a decisive win against Kyven GADSON (USA) to take the crown at 92 kg. His 8-2 victory gave Salas Perez his fifth Pan American Championships title.

Closing out the night in the 125 kg final was 2017 World bronze medalist Nick GWIAZDOWSKI (USA), who shut out two-time Pan Am silver medalist Yudenny ALPAJON ESTEVEZ (CUB) with a 9-0 performance.

Other U.S. wrestlers winning gold included Logan STIEBER (USA) at 65 kg and James GREEN (USA) at 70 kg.

2016 World champion Stieber claimed top prize at 65 kg, wrapping up a 10-0 tech fall early in the first period over home crowd favorite Abel HERRERA PASTOR (PER). Stieber improved upon his third-place finish from last year.

For his efforts, Stieber was named the tournament’s outstanding wrestler.

Green, a 2017 World silver medalist and 2015 World bronze medalist, captured his second-consecutive Pan Am gold at 70 kg. In Sunday night’s finals, Green dominated Hernan GUZMAN IPUZ (COL) with a 10-0 victory. It was his second tech fall over the Colombian as the two met earlier in the day in pool action.

Joseph COLON (USA) also won a gold medal for the U.S. defeating Joshua Bodnarchuk of Canada in their second meeting of the day with a 10-0 technical fall.

Reineri ANDREU ORTEGA (CUB) won the first gold medal of the night for Cuba with first-period tech fall over Oscar TIGREROS URBANO (COL) in the 57 kg final. It was the Cuban’s second tech fall of day.

His day was highlighted by a 7-4 win over 2017 World silver medalist Thomas GILMAN (USA).

The USA ran away with the team title, scoring 230 points, which was 100 points more than runner-up Cuba. Taking home bronze in the team race was Canada with 123 points.

MEN’S FREESTYLE RESULTS
57 kg
GOLD - Reineri ANDREU ORTEGA (CUB) df. Oscar Eduardo TIGREROS URBANO (COL), 10-0
BRONZE - Thomas Patrick GILMAN (USA) df. Pedro Jesus MEJIAS RODRIGUEZ (VEN), 11-4
BRONZE – Juan Rubelin RAMIREZ BELTRE (DOM) win by forfeit Victor Manuel BARRON CARDENAS (MEX)

61 kg
GOLD - Joseph Daniel COLON (USA) df. Joshua BODNARCHUK (CAN), 10-0
BRONZE - Juan Antonio RODRIGUEZ JOVEL (ESA) df. Alexis OLVERA MAGALLANES (MEX), 8-6

65 kg
GOLD - Logan Jeffery STIEBER (USA) df. Abel Gerald HERRERA PASTOR (PER), 10-0
BRONZE - Alejandro Enrique VALDES TOBIER (CUB) df. Michael Stanley David ASSELSTINE (CAN), 10-0
BRONZE – Albaro RUDESINDO CAMACHO (DOM) df. Freddy Leonardo VERA FAJARDO (ECU), 10-0

70 kg
GOLD - James Malcolm GREEN (USA) df. Hernan Dario GUZMAN IPUZ (COL), 10-0
BRONZE - Alexander CHAVES (CAN) df. Marcos PEREIRA DE OLIVEIRA JUNIOR (BRA), 10-0

74 kg
GOLD - Livan LOPEZ AZCUY (CUB) df. Nazar KULCHYTSKYY (USA), 6-1
BRONZE - Nestor Joaquin TAFUR BARRIOS (COL) dec. Jevon BALFOUR (CAN), 8-6
BRONZE – Jorge Ivan LLANO (ARG) df. Carlos Eduardo ROMERO MILLAQUEO (CHI), 9-1

86 kg
GOLD - David Morris TAYLOR III (USA) df. Yurieski TORREBLANCA QUERALTA (CUB), 3-2
BRONZE - Pool Edinson AMBROCIO GREIFO (PER) df. Julio Rafael RODRIGUEZ ROMERO (DOM), 10-0
BRONZE – Pedro Francisco CEBALLOS FUENTES (VEN) win by forfeit Carlos Arturo IZQUIERDO MENDEZ (COL)

97 kg
GOLD - Reineris SALAS PEREZ (CUB) df. Kyven Ross GADSON (USA), 8-2
BRONZE - Jordan STEEN (CAN) df. Charles Zachary MERRILL (PUR), 11-1
BRONZE – Jose Daniel DIAZ ROBERTTI (VEN) df. Miguel Javier SANCHEZ GERALDO (MEX), 11-0

125 kg
GOLD - Nicholas Edward GWIAZDOWSKI (USA) df. Yudenny ALPAJON ESTEVEZ (CUB), 9-0
BRONZE - Catriel Pehuen MURIEL (ARG) df. Carlos Jose FELIX GARCIA (DOM), 13-3
BRONZE - Korey JARVIS (CAN) df. Jose Noel ERAZO HENRIQUEZ (ESA), 10-0

Obituary

Abdullah Movahed: Iranian Legend Who Elevated Wrestling to Art Form

Friday, May 1, 2026 - 10:44 By United World Wrestling Press

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CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland, (May 1) -- Abdullah MOVAHED (IRI), one of the all-time greats of world wrestling and a dominant force in Freestyle during the 1960s, passed away in the United States on Thursday, April 30, after suffering a heart stroke. The Iranian legend was 86.

A member of the United World Wrestling Hall of Fame, Movahed’s name became synonymous with technical brilliance and relentless discipline. A five-time world champion, an Olympic gold medalist and twice Asian Games winner, Movahed was at the forefront of an era of Iranian excellence on the global stage. Competing in the 68kg and 70kg Freestyle weight classes, Movahed achieved a level of sustained dominance rarely seen in the sport.

Born in March 1940 in Babolsar, in Iran’s Mazandaran province, Movahed was introduced to volleyball as a young boy and was known locally for his exploits as a spiker. However, he quit the sport as he felt he wasn’t tall enough and didn’t believe he was suited for it. Ultimately, it was on the wrestling mat that he would carve out his legacy. 

He went on to join the Tehran Javan Sports Club, and as a youngster, Movahed didn’t have it easy. He frequently lost to established wrestlers like Mohammad SANATGARAN (IRI). However, he persevered, and coaches recognized his rare blend of agility, intelligence, and composure under pressure. These traits would define his career.

Movahed emerged during a time when Iranian wrestling was rich in talent. He shared the stage with wrestling legends such as Gholamreza TAKHTI (IRI), Mansour MEHDIZADEH (IRI), Ebrahim SEYFPOUR (IRI), and Emamali HABIBI (IRI). In such a company, greatness was neither guaranteed nor easily attained, but Movahed’s rise was swift.

His breakthrough came in 1962, when the erstwhile Soviet Union’s Freestyle champions travelled to Iran for a series of friendly bouts. His win over Zarbag BERYASHVILI made him an overnight sensation in Iran, and the following year, Movahed made his debut for the Iranian national team at the World Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria.

As a 23-year-old rookie, Movahed didn’t make much of an impact -- he shared sixth place with well-known Bulgarian wrestler Enyu VALCHEV (BUL). At the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo, he showed signs of improvement and finished fourth. A year later, at the World Championships in Manchester, he claimed his first world title, beginning an extraordinary run.

Abdullah MOVAHED (IRI)

From 1965 to 1970, Movahed was virtually untouchable. He won six consecutive major global titles at 68kg and 70kg, including World Championships in 1965, 1966, 1967, 1969, and 1970, along with Olympic gold at the 1968 Summer Olympics. That 1968 triumph, often cited as the pinnacle of his career, showcased his tactical mastery and unyielding determination. He also won the gold medal at the 1966 and 1970 Asian Games.

He returned for the 1972 Summer Olympics, but an unfortunate shoulder injury cut his campaign short, preventing a final chapter that might have further illuminated his already illustrious record. After the Games, Movahed, who had a master’s degree, moved to the USA, where he pursued a PhD at George Washington University. He continued to live there after earning his doctorate and worked as a mechanic.

Abdullah MOVAHED (IRI)

Beyond his medals, Movahed’s legacy lies in the standard he set. He helped define a golden generation of Iranian wrestling and inspired countless athletes who followed in his footsteps. His induction into the United World Wrestling's Hall of Fame secured his place among the all-time greats.

In mourning his passing, the wrestling world remembers not just a champion, but a craftsman whose sustained excellence elevated freestyle wrestling to an art form.