#Fortaleza2018

Six U.S. Wrestlers in Position to Win Gold at #Fortaleza2018

Friday, August 17, 2018 - 20:19 By Taylor Miller

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Joilson de Brito Ramos Junior Brazil

FORTALEZA, Brazil – After the first session of Greco-Roman action, the United States have six wrestler contending for gold at the 2018 Junior Pan American Championships in Fortaleza, Brazil.

Nine of the day’s 10 weight classes were contested as round robins. Of those nine, four weights had six athletes, allowing for pool play, including 60 kg, 63 kg, 77 kg and 130 kg.

In the only eight-man bracket of the tournament, 2017 Senior and Junior Pan Am silver medalist Joilson DE BRITO RAMOS JUNIOR (BRA) moved to the 67 kg finals with a dominant performance, winning two matches by tech fall.

The host country favorite will take on Julian HORTA (COL), who won bronze in both styles at last year’s tournament.

Moving to the finals at 60 kg is 2017 Junior Pan Am bronze medalist Andre CORTES (COL) and 2015 Cadet Pan Am champion and 2016 Cadet Pan Am silver medalist Samuel UGALDE (MEX).

At 63 kg, Dylan GREGERSON (USA) advanced to the finals, defeating three-time Pan Am medalist and 2017 Junior Pan Am runner up Jose DAVILA CABELLO (PER) in the first round.

Meeting up with Gregerson in the finals is Irving SALAZAR (MEX), who won Cadet Pan Am medals in 2015 and 2016.

The 77 kg finals features another athlete from Mexico, 2015 Cadet Pan Am runner-up Hector RODRIGUEZ. He will take on Jhonny ARIAS (COL).

The finalists at 130 kg are Anthony CASSIOPPI (USA) and Paul MORALES (MEX).

At last year’s Junior Pan Ams, Cassioppi won gold in both freestyle and Greco-Roman. Morales is a 2016 Cadet Pan Am silver medalist.

At 55 kg, 2017 Junior World silver medalist Cevion SEVERADO (USA) defeated 2016 Cadet World silver medalist Nestor DELGADO (MEX) in the first round with a second-period pin.

Should he win his match tonight, he will claim gold at the weight class.

Leonard MERKIN (USA) completed his tournament this morning, going 4-0 at 72 kg. Regardless of tonight’s results with the remaining matches left at the weight, Merkin will be awarded gold.

One of the round-five bouts at 82 kg is a true championship bout as Jhon CARMONA (COL) and returning Junior Pan American champion Carlos ESPINOZA (PER), who each went 3-0 in the first session.

At 87 kg, should Cameron CAFFEY (USA) win his bout against Nicolas BAEZ (ARG), he will claim the crown.

Austin HARRIS (USA) has already sealed the gold medal at 97 kg, winning both of his matches in a three-man bracket.

The medal matches are set for 5 p.m. ET live on Trackwrestling.  

 

#wrestlemanama

Bahrain to host 2026 World Championships

Tuesday, September 16, 2025 - 12:02 By United World Wrestling Press

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ZAGREB, Croatia (September 16) -- For the first time in history, the World Championships are headed to Bahrain.

The 2026 World Championships will be held in Manama, Bahrain from September 5 to 13, United World Wrestling announced on Tuesday, during the ongoing World Championships in Zagreb.

No Arab country has ever hosted a World Championships but Bahrain will etch its name in history with the 2026 edition.

Secretary General of the Bahrain Olympic Committee Faris AL-KOOHEJI attended the press conference at the Arena Zagreb for the historic announcement. UWW President Nenad LALOVIC and Al-Kooheji announced the host together and signed the agreement.

"Bahrain has a superstar in wrestling," UWW President Lalovic said. "They probably want to use this opportunity to promote the sport through this superstar [Akhmed] TAZHUDINOV (BRN). But he's not the only one.

"They also want to develop the local Bahrain born athletes to compete because they have the role model of the top achievement in wrestling. This is something that we considered and that is why we made this decision.

Bahrain won its first-ever gold medal in Olympics in Paris when Tahzudinov ran-through the 97kg weight class and captured the gold medal. A year before that, he won the world title in the same weight class.

Tazhudinov is also an Asian champion, Asian Games champion and winner of other Ranking Series events.

Lalovic on the fact that wrestling wants to change the host continent of the World Championships more regularly.

 "We also want to change the continent regularly," he said. "A state that can organize the Asian [Youth] Games like they will do now in October, they will not face any problem with the championships, especially that we give all the assistance possible for the execution"

Manama, Bahrain will host the Asian Youth Games in which wrestling will be held from October 28 to 30.

Expressing its gratitude to UWW and readiness to host the mega event, Al-Kooheji said that the tournament will help Bahrain take wrestling to the grassroot levels in the country.

"For us, wrestling is a long term project," Al-Kooheji said. "Wrestling is a growing sport. It's a strategic sport for us. We got a gold medal in Paris, and we're looking to getting more medals. That gold medal started to inspire a lot of people, locally, to pursue wrestling, which is why part of the discussions with United World Wrestling is to even help us add wrestling in schools."

The Bahrain Olympic Committee expects that the World Championships will have a positive impact in growing the sport in the country.

"Strong economic impact [from the event]," he said. "We're going to get lots of travel spectators from Iran, the United States, and other countries as well. It's going to encourage the local community. They will understand more wrestling."