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Saturday Night's Pan-American Finals Set

Saturday, May 7, 2022 - 15:07 By Eric Olanowski

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ACAPULCO, Mexico (May 7) --- The third day of action at the Pan-American Championships is underway in Mexico. Today, fans will see wrestling at FS 79kg and 92kg, and WW 50kg, 53kg, 57kg, 62kg, 68kg and 76kg. 

ICYMI:  Day Two photos | Godinez stuns two world champs for Pan-Am title

Saturday's final matchups:

Women's Wrestling 
50kg: Sarah Ann HILDEBRANDT (USA) vs. Madison Bianca PARKS (CAN) 
53kg:  Luisa Elizabeth VALVERDE MELENDRES (ECU) vs. Dominique Olivia PARRISH (USA) 
57kg: Yaynelis SANZ VERDECIA (CUB) vs. Alma Jane VALENCIA ESCOTO (MEX) 
62kg: Kayla Colleen Kiyoko MIRACLE (USA) vs. Ana Paula GODINEZ GONZALEZ (CAN) 
68kg: Hangelen LLANES ECHEVARRIA (CUB) vs. Soleymi Antonieta CARABALLO HERNANDEZ (VEN) 
76kg: Dymond Precious GUILFORD (USA) vs. Genesis Rosangela REASCO VALDEZ (ECU) 

Freestyle
79kg: Nordic-style bracket 
92kg: Nordic-style bracket 

1:45: That'll do it for our morning session coverage. We'll see you back here at 17:00 for the Day Three finals.

1:32: Parrish trailed 4-0 but scored five unanswered points and upset world bronze medalist Stewart, 5-4. She'll wrestle Luisa Elizabeth VALVERDE MELENDRES (ECU) in the 53kg finals. 

1:21: Quick note: Gilberto Segundo AYALA RODRIGUEZ (VEN), who is wrestling on Mat A, is 41-years-old.

1:18: Valencia cruised to an 18-7 win over on Mat A. That'll bring up two-time world champion J'den Cox of the United States. 

1:15: JB does it again. He quickly finished Rivera, 10-0. His three wins have been 12-1, pin (up 10-0 at the time) and 10-0. 

1:13: I feel like he's wrestled seven times today already, but Burroughs is back on Mat B. He's wrestling Colombia's Juan Sebastian RIVERA GARCIA (COL).

1:09: Alma Jane VALENCIA ESCOTO (MEX), Mexico's first-ever women's wrestling Olympian, is up now on Mat A. She's wrestling Camila Agustina AMARILLA (ARG) for a spot in the 57kg semifinals. 

1:08: U23 world champ Alexandria Rebekkah TOWN (CAN) started her day with an easy 10-0 tech over Tatiana HURTADO LERMA (COL). She scored a takedown and transitioned into a trapped-arm gut wrench.

12:51: With so many stars in action today, I forgot that Kayla MIRACLE (USA) was wrestling. The reigning world silver medalist just demolished Yolanda Mercedes CORDERO VARGAS (CUB), 10-0, in 63 seconds and reached the 62kg semifinals.

12:44: There's the upset of the day! Reasco closed out the match with a third takedown, ending Di Stasio's hopes of becoming a five-time Pan-Am champion. The Ecuadorian won the match, 10-4.

12:32: What an opening two minutes for Genesis Rosangela REASCO VALDEZ (ECU). She's leading Canada's world champion and four-time Pan-Am gold medalist Justina Di Stasio 7-2 heading into the break.

12:15: World bronze medalist Sam Stewart just suffered a cut on her forehead but is continuing to wrestle. They taped her up and she's back in on a single while holding the 5-0 lead. It looks like she'll hang on and will wrestle Parrish for a spot in the 53kg finals. 

12:04: Dom Parrish just said, "Not today, Karla." The Mexican corning won the challenge, making the score 3-1 with seven ticks left. When the action resumed, the American picked up a takedown and stole the match as time expired. She'll await the winner of Sandy Yalixa PARRA PARRA (COL) and Samantha Leigh STEWART (CAN).

11:57: Things are heating up over on Mat B between Karla Abigail ACOSTA MARTINEZ (MEX) and Dominique Olivia PARRISH (USA), The Mexcian wrestler had the 3-1 lead but there's an exposure under review right now which pushed the American in front on criteria.

11:38: No surprise here. Hildebrandt picked up an early takedown and........four laces to win the match, 10-0.

11:35: We'll go from one Olympic bronze medalist to another. The "Lace Queen" Sarah Ann HILDEBRANDT (USA) is wrestling Shammilka Alondra MIRANDA DIAZ (PUR) on Mat A.

11:32: Cox looks like he's in top shape. He scored three takedowns -- two of which were from counter offense -- a pair of exposures and a stepout to win the bout, 11-0.

11:26: You know there's a star coming up when you see all the photographers scramble to one mat. That star is J'den Michael Tbory COX (USA) and he's wrestling Jeremy Adam POIRIER (CAN) on Mat A.

11:16: That was quick. Burroughs blasts through Victor J SANTOS ACOSTA (PUR) 10-0 in 69 seconds. Classic Burroughs with some solid transition offense. He's moving his feet well today and picking his shots with purpose.

11:05: Justina Renay DI STASIO (CAN) kicked off her quest for a fifth Pan-Am title with a quick 12-0 win over Luz Maria HERNANDEZ HERNANDEZ (MEX). She'll wrestle Genesis Rosangela REASCO VALDEZ (ECU) in her next bout.

10:56: In our premier match of the morning, U23 world runner-up Tatiana RENTERIA RENTERIA (COL) edged junior world champion Milaimys de la Caridad MARIN POTRILLE (CUB), 4-3. The Colombian will take on Emelyn Anyelina BAUTISTA CORCINO (DOM) next.

10:42: Yes, Mat B will house a lot of the stars, but I'll show Mat A some love. Here are a few wrestlers to pay attention to that'll wrestle on Mat A:

Bout 144 - J'den COX (USA) - World champion and Rio Olympic bronze medalist
Bout 146 - Sarah Ann HILDEBRANDT (USA) - Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist 

10:36: It seems that Mat B is going to be the mat to watch. Here are the upcoming stars that'll be wrestling on the mat:

Bout 181 - Justina Renay DI STASIO (CAN) - '18 world champion
Bout 182 - Milaimys de la Caridad MARIN POTRILLE (CUB) - '19 junior world champ
Bout 185 - Jordan Ernest BURROUGHS (USA) - World and Olympic champion
Bout 190 - Samantha Leigh STEWART (CAN) - '21 world bronze 
Bout 195 - Kayla Colleen Kiyoko MIRACLE (USA) - '21 world silver 
Bout 197 - Ana Paula GODINEZ GONZALEZ (CAN) - '21 U23 world champ

10:29: I'm back to my perch after shooting some rapid-fire question videos with Zahid VALENCIA (USA) and Forrest MOLINARI (USA), so be on the lookout for those on all of our social media channels! 

10:10: Burroughs picks up a quick 10-1 win over Barmish. The 79kg bracket is a Nordic-style chart, so the American will have next round off but will jump back to action in the third round against Juan Sebastian RIVERA GARCIA (COL).

10:00: World and Olympic champion  Jordan Ernest BURROUGHS (USA) will kick off the day against Samuel Jacob BARMISH (CAN) on Mat A.

 

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Five talking points from Pan-Am Championships brackets

Thursday, May 5, 2022 - 10:52 By Vinay Siwach

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ACAPULCO, Mexico (May 5) -- As the Pan-Am Championships kick off in the picturesque town of Acapulco, there will be some major talking points from the tournament.

Cuba has returned to the tournament after a break and has entered in all three styles. Apart from that, a few stars from the age-group level would be waiting to make their mark at the senior level and this is a perfect chance to pocket a Pan-Am medal.

Here are the five biggest talking points of the Championships over the next four days. Check all 30 brackets here

Greco-Roman

Oscar PINO (CUB), 130kg

More than two years after he last competed, Pino is returning to the mat. The three-time World Championships medalist at 130kg has to make way for four-time Olympic champion Mijain LOPEZ (CUB) every four years.

It was a similar case when he won the silver medal at the 2019 Worlds but had to vacate the space for Lopez for the Tokyo Games. He last participated in the '20 Pan-Am Championships at 125kg in freestyle and finished with a bronze.

In Mexico, he is pitted against Tanner FARMER (USA) in the opening round match at 130kg and a win will take him to the showdown against Olympian fifth-placer Yasmani ACOSTA FERNANDEZ (CHI). He wrestles Thursday.

It will be a test for Pino but he would like to add to his three Pan-Am gold, the last of which came in 2018.

TafurNestor TAFUR (COL) will be wrestling Greco-Roman in Mexico. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Tony Rotundo)

Nestor TAFUR (COL), 82kg

Another wrestler who will be competing in his non-favorable style is Nestor TAFUR (COL). But the 30-year-old will be making his debut in Greco-Roman on Friday.

A long-time freestyle wrestler for Colombia, Tafur will be wrestling at 82kg Greco-Roman and has been clubbed with Brayden AMBO (CAN) and Tyler CUNNINGHAM (USA) in Group B of the weight class.

Tafur, who trains in New York, has represented Colombia at the World Championships and has three Pan-Am Championships medals at 74kg and 79kg in freestyle.

But it is yet to be seen how he will take on the challenge of switching styles and winning another medal and first in Greco-Roman.

Lucia YEPEZLucia YEPEZ (ECU) will be eyeing her first senior Pan-Am medal. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Women's wrestling

55kg - Karla GODINEZ GONZALEZ (CAN) vs Lucia YEPEZ (ECU)

Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) will enter the Pan-Am Championships as the U23 world champion and has her reputation at stake. She is clubbed in Group B at 55kg with Brenda FERNANDEZ (MEX) and Karla GODINEZ (CAN).

Bout number 102 of the competition could well decide her position in the tournament as she faces Godinez, who was fifth at the U23 World Championships three years ago.

Yepez, a Tokyo Olympian at 50kg, will be making her debut at the senior Pan-Ams and will have to punch above her weight to challenge the likes of Godinez and Fernandez. If she wins the group, she will have to go through former world champion Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA) to win the gold.

Milaimys MARINMilaimys MARIN (CUB) is a junior and U23 world champion. (Photo: UWW / Sachiko HOTAKA)

76kg -- Tatiana RENTERIA (COL) vs Milaimys MARIN POTRILLE (CUB)

Another bout that will catch the attention of the fans is at 76kg. U23 World silver medalist Tatiana RENTERIA (COL) and former U23 and junior world champion Milaimys MARIN POTRILLE (CUB) are drawn together in the first round. In action on Saturday, the two are expected to put on a show.

Marin burst into the scene when she won the Youth Olympics in 2018 and followed that by winning the junior and U23 world titles a year later. She was not able to repeat that performance at the senior level in 2020 and 2021.

But still 20, Marin end the year with a junior Pan-Am Games title at 76kg, a run which had a win over junior world champion Kylie WELKER (USA).

Renteria is also looking for her first senior Pan-Am medal. She won the silver at the U23 Worlds last year at 76kg but is still adjusting to the jump in weight class from 68kg.

 

Freestyle

Nishanpreet SINGH RANDHAWA (CAN), 97kg

Canada's freestyle team isn't talked about much but Randhawa can spring a surprise in Pan-Am Championships. After missing the '21 championships, Randhawa is back with the hope of winning a medal in the '22 edition in Mexico.

Back in 2015, Randhawa had secured a bronze medal at the Junior World Championships going 3-1 at the tournament. His only loss came against Iran while he defeated wrestlers from South Africa, Tunisia and India.

He later won the junior Pan-Am title in 2016 and defended that a year later. He finished eighth at the U23 Worlds in 2019.

The British Columbia is now hoping to win his second senior Pan-Am medal, the first came in 2017 when he won the bronze medal in Brazil. He will begin his tournament against Miller MONDRAGON ARBOLEDA (COL) and a win will take him to the likely semifinal against Kyle SNYDER (USA). He will be in action on Sunday.