Lopez Leads Trio of Cubans into Finals at Pan Am Games

Thursday, July 16, 2015 - 22:55 By William May

TORONTO, Canada (July 15) – World and Olympic Games champion Mijain LOPEZ (CUB) rolled up a pair of technical falls to advance to the 130kg gold medal final in Greco-Roman on Thursday, the second day of the Pan American Games wrestling competition.

Lopez, seeking his fourth gold medal at the Pan American Games, made short work of Moises PEREZ (VEN) and Pan American championships winner Robby SMITH (USA) to join Yasmany LUGO (CUB) and Yakelin ESTORNELL (CUB) into Thursday evening’s gold medal matches.

In the Greco-Roman finale, Lopez will meet two-time South American champion Andres AYUB (CHI) whose late gut wrench in the semifinals made him the first wrestling gold medal finalist from Chile in the history of the Games.

On Wednesday evening, teammate Cristobal TORRES became the first wrestling medalist at the Games from Chile when he won a bronze medal in Greco-Roman at 59kg.

Meanwhile, Lugo rolled up a pair of technical falls to advance to the 98kg gold medal final on his first trip to the Games. The four-time Pan American championships winner will meet another Pan American junor champion Kevin MEJIA (HON).

Unlike with the Cuban men who rolled into the finals, Yakelin ESTORNELL (CUB) forged two wins of criteria, defeating 2014 Pan Am champ Lissette ANTES (ECU), 5-5, and 2012 champ Sandra ROA (COL), 4-4,for her place in the women’s 58kg final.

Estornell, the 2013 Pan Am champion, will meet Joice SILVA (BRA), winner of the 2015 continental crown in April.

With action in women’s wrestling getting under way at Mississauga Sports Center, Genevieve MORRISON (CAN) advanced to the 48kg final to the delight of the hometown fans. Morrison will meet with 2013 champion Thalia MALLQUI (PER) for the gold medal.

Whitney CONDER (USA), a runner-up in the 2012 Pan Am championships, will hope to go one better in the 53kg final against Alma VALENCIA (MEX), who has blitzed into the final with an 11-0 drubbing of 2014 Pan Am champ Luisa VALVERDE (ECU.

Greco-Roman - 98kg (8 entries)
GOLD: Yasmany LUGO (CUB) df. Kevin MEJIA (HON) by Fall
BRONZE: Luillys PEREZ (VEN) df. Jose ROCHA (MEX), 4-0
BRONZE: Davi ALBINO (BRA) df. Oscar LOANGO (COL), 5-1

Semifinals: Kevin MEJIA (HON) df. Luillys PEREZ (VEN), 8-2
Semifinals: Yasmany LUGO (CUB) df. Davi ALBINO (BRA) by TF, 8-0

1/4 Finals: Kevin MEJIA (HON) df. Jose ROCHA (MEX), 6-0
1/4 Finals: Luillys PEREZ (VEN) df. Caylor WILLIAMS (USA), 11-4
1/4 Finals: Yasmany LUGO (CUB) df. Oscar LOANGO (COL) by TF, 9-0
1/4 Finals: Davi ALBINO (BRA) df. Jeremy LATOUR (CAN) by TF, 10-1

Greco-Roman - 130kg (8 entries)
GOLD: Mijain LOPEZ (CUB) df. Andres AYUB (CHI) by TF, 8-0
BRONZE: Josue ENCARNACION (DOM) df. Charles THOMS (CAN), 2-0
BRONZE: Robby SMITH (USA) df. Moises PEREZ (VEN) by Default

Semifinals: Andres AYUB (CHI) df. Josue ENCARNACION (DOM), 3-3
Semifinals: Mijain LOPEZ (CUB) df. Robby SMITH (USA) by TF, 8-0

1/4 Finals: Josue ENCARNACION (DOM) df. Luciano DEL RIO (ARG), 6-5
1/4 Finals: Andres AYUB (CHI) df. Charles THOMS (CAN) by TF, 10-2
1/4 Finals: Robby SMITH (USA) df. Edgardo LOPEZ (PUR) by Fall
1/4 Finals: Mijain LOPEZ (CUB) df. Moises PEREZ (VEN) by TF, 9-0

Women’s Wrestling - 48kg (8 entries)
GOLD: Genevieve MORRISON (CAN) df. Thalia MALLQUI (PER), 5-4
BRONZE: Alyssa LAMPE (USA) df. Yusnelis GUZMAN (CUB) by TF, 12-2
BRONZE: Carolina CASTILLO (COL) df. Angelica BUSTOS (ECU), 1-1

Semifinals: Genevieve MORRISON (CAN) df. Yusnelis GUZMAN (CUB), 6-0
Semifinals: Thalia MALLQUI (PER) df. Carolina CASTILLO (COL), 4-3

1/4 Finals: Yusnelis GUZMAN (CUB) df. Kamila BARBOSA (BRA) by TF, 15-4
1/4 Finals: Genevieve MORRISON (CAN) df. Alyssa LAMPE (USA), 12-8
1/4 Finals: Thalia MALLQUI (PER) df. Angelica BUSTOS (ECU), 3-0
1/4 Finals: Carolina CASTILLO (COL) df. Sehilyn OLIVEIROS (VEN) by TF, 10-0

Women’s Wrestling - 53kg (7 entries)
GOLD: Whitney CONDER (USA) df. Alma VALENCIA (MEX), 3-2
BRONZE: Yamilka DEL VALLE (CUB) – uncontested
BRONZE: Betzabeth ARGUELLO (VEN) df. Luisa VALVERDE (ECU) by Fall

Semifinals: Whitney CONDER (USA) df. Yamilka DEL VALLE (CUB) by Fall
Semifinals: Alma VALENCIA (MEX) df. Luisa VALVERDE (ECU) by TF, 11-0

Qualifications: Yamilka DEL VALLE (CUB) df. Brianne BARNEY (CAN), 10-1
Qualifications: Luisa VALVERDE (ECU) df. Giulia RODRIGUES (BRA), 5-4
Qualifications: Alma VALENCIA (MEX) df. Betzabeth ARGUELLO (VEN) by TF, 12-1

Women’s Wrestling - 58kg (8 entries)
GOLD: Joice SILVA (BRA) df. Yakelin ESTORNELL (CUB), 6-5
BRONZE: Lissette ANTES (ECU) df. Sandra ROA (COL) by TF, 12-1
BRONZE: Yanet SOVERO (PER) df. Alejandra ROMERO (MEX), 6-6

Semifinals: Yakelin ESTORNELL (CUB) df. Sandra ROA (COL), 4-4
Semifinals: Joice SILVA (BRA) df. Yanet SOVERO (PER), 5-3

1/4 Finals: Yakelin ESTORNELL (CUB) df. Lissette ANTES (ECU), 5-5
1/4 Finals: Sandra ROA (COL) df. Michelle FAZZARI (CAN), 8-5
1/4 Finals: Yanet SOVERO (PER) df. Betzabeth SARCOS (VEN), 3-2
1/4 Finals: Joice SILVA (BRA) df. Alejandra ROMERO (MEX), 2-1

#UnitedWorldWrestling

UWW successfully hosts first-ever World Conference

Thursday, September 25, 2025 - 14:16 By United World Wrestling Press

ZAGREB, Croatia (September 24) -- United World Wrestling successfully hosted its first-ever World Conference in Zagreb, Croatia from September 17 to 19.

UWW President Nenad LALOVIC welcomed all the guest to the conference, held during the World Championships in Zagreb, and led the floor with discussions on Artificial Intelligence in wrestling, Amateur MMA, developing wrestling and the impact of social media to keep wrestling at the top.

United World Wrestling President Nenad LALOVIC at the World Conference. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

"On behalf of United World Wrestling, I wish you a warm welcome in Zagreb first, but to this conference too," Lalovic said. "We had this idea maybe almost a decade ago. We were seeking for a platform, how these good relations among wrestlers and the national federations can improve our sport."

Injury prevention, weight management, career transitions for wrestlers, as well as the future of the sport were some of the key discussions during the three-day event at the Westin Hotel.

International Olympic Committee member and former President of Croatia Kolinda GRABAR-KITAROVIC.

Former President of Croatia and International Olympic Committee member Kolinda GRABAR-KITAROVIC marked her presence at the historic event in capital city of Croatia.

Ministry of Tourism and Sports, Croatia State Secretary Josip PAVIC was also present at the conference and expressed his gratitude for entrusting Croatia for hosting the championships and the conference. Croatia Wrestling Federation President Vladimir BREGOVIC, Dean of University of Kinesiology, Zagreb Prof. Mario BAIC and numerous other stakeholders marked their presence at the conference.

On day one of the conference, UWW's growth in media and digital transformation was discussed with focus on strategy, social media, partnership and equipment and new technologies. The discussion then headed to Beach Wrestling and Associated Styles with Amateur MMA and Grappling as the main topics.

Zack ERRETT

The second day of the conference saw UWW Educator Zach ERRETT explaining the rules of Beach Wrestling, International Testing Agency Senior Legal Counsel Ayesha TALPADE presenting details of anti-doping program, followed by a panel discussion.

Kuniko TANIOKA, President of the Shigakkan University in Japan, led the discussion on sport nutrition and weight management along with UWW Medical Commission members Saam FALAHATI, Ioannis BARBAS and Szabolcs MOLNAR.

Former wrestlers shared their experiences on transitioning from wrestling to other jobs. Neven and Nenad ZUGAJ were among the panellists that also included Mijain LOPEZ, Taha AGKUL, Arsen JULFALAKYAN, Don RYAN, Alexei BAZULIN, Erica WEIBE, Bruce BAUMGARTNER.

Sofia MATTSSON

Head of the United States women's team Terry STEINER presented the "coaching the women's" part on day three. He explained how to support and train women wrestlers and led the panel that also had Tanioka, Marwa AMRI, Vincent AKA, Sofia MATTSSON, Wiebe and Nadine PIETSCHMAN.

"Depending on the success of this first World Conference, we will decide if in the future it will be a biannual one or a quadrennial one. Maybe every year if you have so much to say," Lalovic said. "World Championships is the best opportunity for that because people are already here. This physical presence is always more efficient."

A national federation workshop organized by United World Wrestling in Zagreb.

NF workshop

UWW also organized a workshop for the National Federations. UWW Sports Director Jean-Daniel REY and UWW Development Director Deqa NIAMKEY welcomed various NFs which had registered for the workshop.

Capacity building, finance and event organization were the key topics at the workshop. Croatia Wrestling Federation Secretary General Tin BREGOVIC, Professor of Kinesiology Nenad BORKOVIC, Professional Master in Social Innovation and Management Ivan BLAZEVIC led a panel discussion on the topic as they were part of the organizing committee for the World Championships in Zagreb.

Azerbaijan, Brazil, Spain and Thailand presented case studies related to event organization and the challenges of competitions.

Lopez Leads Trio of Cubans into Finals at Pan Am Games

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UWW successfully hosts first-ever World Conference