#WrestleOttawa

USA Wins Six Gold Medals, Cuba Claims Two in Last Day of #WrestleOttawa C'ships

By Taylor GREGORIO

Photo of Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) by Tony Rotundo. 

OTTAWA, Canada – The United States claimed six gold medals on Monday night, and Cuba collected two in the final session of the Pan American Championships in Ottawa, Canada.

Among those winning gold for USA were Olympic champions Jordan BURROUGHS (74 kg) and Kyle SNYDER (97 kg).

Burroughs went toe-to-toe with 2011 World silver medalist Franklin GOMEZ MATOS (PUR) in the finals bout at 74 kg. Burroughs led 2-0 at break and kicked up his offense in the second period with a pair of takedowns and a leg lace for an eventual 8-1 victory.

The win marks Burroughs’ fourth Pan Am Championships title. He is also a three-time Pan Am Games champion.

For gold at 97 kg, Snyder looked solid against three-time World medalist Reineris SALAS PEREZ (CUB), using a series of takedowns and gut wrenches for a dominant 11-1 win.

The United States produced back-to-back falls in the finals at 65 kg and 70 kg.

John Michael DIAKOMIHALIS (USA) pinned Mauricio SANCHEZ SALTOS (ECU), locking up a cradle from a snap-down to end the bout in 49 seconds.

Reigning Pan American champion at 70 kg Anthony ASHNAULT (USA) barely spent any longer on the mat, when he faced Hugo DE LIMA VIANA DE SOUZA (BRA) in round five of round-robin action.

Ashnault scored on a takedown, then from a gut wrench, pinned de Lima in 51 seconds for his second Pan Am title. It was Ashnault’s third pin of the day and he was named the Outstanding Wrestler.

Tyler GRAFF (USA), who was fifth at the 2019 World Championships, secured the crown at 61 kg, beating Scott SCHILLER (CAN) in the finals with a decisive 11-0 tech fall. It was the only bout of the day contested at 61 kg.

At 125 kg, Anthony NELSON (USA) won the title with an injury forfeit from Amarveer DHESI (CAN). It is his first Pan Am gold.

Photo of Yurieski TORREBLANCA QUERALTA (CUB) by Tony Rotundo. 

Two-time U23 World champion Reineri ANDREU ORTEGA (CUB) claimed his second Pan American Championships title, emerging from the 57 kg bracket.

In the finals, Andreu trailed Pedro MEJIAS RODRIGUEZ (VEN) at the break, but broke away in the second period with a pair of takedowns for an eventual 4-2 victory.

Also winning a gold medal for Cuba was Yurieski TORREBLANCA QUERALTA at 86 kg.

Taking on Pool AMBROCIO GREIFO (PER) in the gold medal match, Torreblanca went up 6-0 before Ambrocio suffered an injury that kept him from completing the match.

The Pan American Olympic Qualifier will take place March 13-15 in Ottawa, Canada.

Freestyle team results
1. USA – 205
2. Canada – 120
3. Cuba – 100
4. Venezuela – 66
5. Mexico – 59
6. Puerto Rico – 57
7. Dominican Republic – 44
8. Peru – 35
9. Argentina – 35
10. Brazil – 30

Final men’s freestyle results
57 kg
GOLD – Reineri ANDREU ORTEGA (CUB) df. Pedro MEJIAS RODRIGUEZ (VEN), 4-2
BRONZE – Darian CRUZ (USA) df. Edwin SEGURA GUERRA (GUA), 10-0
BRONZE - Juan Rubelin RAMIREZ BELTRE (DOM) df. Ligrit SADIKU (CAN), injury default

61 kg
GOLD – Tyler GRAFF (USA)
SILVER – Scott SCHILLER (CAN)

70 kg
GOLD – Yianni DIAKOMIHALIS (USA) df. Mauricio Javier SANCHEZ SALTOS (ECU), fall
BRONZE – Sixto AUCCAPINA PEDRAGAS (PER) df. David DOS SANTOS MOREIRA (BRA), 9-0
BRONZE - Agustin DESTRIBATS (ARG) df. Jose Javier RODRIGUEZ COLON (PUR), 10-0

74 kg
GOLD – Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) df. Franklin GOMEZ (PUR), 8-1
BRONZE – Anthony MONTERO CHIRINOS (VEN) df. Enrique PEREZ CASTELLANOS (GUA), 12-2
BRONZE - Jeandry GARZON CABALLERO (CUB) df. Jorge Ivan LLANO (ARG), 11-0

86 kg
GOLD – Yurieski TORREBLANCA QUERALTA (CUB) df. Pool AMBROCIO GREIFO (PER), injury default
BRONZE – Alex DIERINGER (USA) df. Carlos Arturo IZQUIERDO MENDEZ (COL), 11-1
BRONZE – Clayton PYE (CAN) df. Ricardo Adrian BAEZ (ARG), 11-0

97 kg
GOLD – Kyle SNYDER (USA) df. Reineris SALAS PEREZ (CUB), 11-1
BRONZE – Luis Miguel PEREZ SOSA (DOM) df. Jose Daniel DIAZ ROBERTTI (VEN), 5-3

125 kg
GOLD – Anthony NELSON (USA) df. Amarveer DHESI (CAN), injury default
BRONZE – Oscar PINO HINDS (CUB) df. Brandon AGUIANO FLORES (MEX), 10-0

#WrestleAthens

U17 World Wrestling Championships 2025: Day 1 Highlights

By Vinay Siwach

ATHENS, Greece (July 28) -- The World U17 Championships kicks off in Athens, Greece with five Greco-Roman weight classes. Iran, Azerbaijan, Georgia will be in contention to win the team title.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | FULL PREVIEW

READ THE REPORT OF ALL SEMIFINALS HERE

18:00: Welcome back to the World U17 Championships coverage! The semifinals in 48kg, 55kg, 65kg, 80kg and 110kg will begin now!

15:00: The semifinals will begin at 18:00 hours local time! The opening ceremony will be at 17:00 hours. Stay tuned!

14:45: Asian domination at 55kg! Alkham ABDIRASULOV (KGZ) will face Aditya GUPTA (IND) and Makhdi BAROTOV (TJK) will take on Nurali ASKAR (KAZ) in the semifinals.

14:35: Asian champion HARDEEP (IND) beats European bronze medalist Anatolii NOVACHENKO (UKR), 9-0, with turns from par terre and enters the semifinals at 110kg.

14:30: Yazdan DELROUZ (IRI) holds his positions good and gets both par terre points in the match against Hu Anshi NUERLEBIEKE (CHN) and makes it to the 110kg semifinal.

14:20: Aditya GUPTA (IND) with a takedown in the final second of the bout to beat Rakhman GAMIDOV (UKR) 4-2. He was down 2-2 on criteria but manages to wrap his arm around Gamidov to score a takedown. Ukraine challenges for time but it was inside the last second.

14:02: Madness on Mat A! Luka MARTIASHVILI (GEO) was trying to stop a pin from Nijat YEYLAGALIYEV (AZE) and turns it around and manages to pin the Azerbaijan wrestlers for the win at 80kg!

13:50: Makhdi BAROTOV (TJK) continues his good show at 55kg as he pins Osman OZDEMIR (TUR) and advances to the quarterfinals.

13:45: Asian silver medalist Sadriddin TULKINBOEV (UZB) drops his 55kg 1/8 final to Aditya GUPTA (IND), 4-1. Gupta did not get any turn from par terre but Tulkinvoev scored a stepuot in the second period and made it 1-1. But due to a new rule currently being tested by UWW, a 1-1 scoring in Greco-Roman will see the wrestler who scored the first point, win on criteria. Gupta keeps his attacks and there is no par terre for Tulkinboev. Uzbekistan throw a challenge for "nothing", as the review team said. Gupta wins 4-1

13:25: Rakhman GAMIDOV (UKR) digs deep and pulls off a four-pointer later in the match to win 5-2 against Naru SEMBA (JPN) at 55kg. He was down 2-1 with just 30 seconds left.

13:15: Big win for ANUJ (IND) at 65kg as he beats Asian bronze medalist Xusan GIEZIDINOV (UZB) 8-0. High pace match from Anuj to block Geizidinov.

13:05: Janes NAZARYAN (ARM), European silver medalists, reaches the quarterfinal at 65kg, after a technical superiority 9-1 win over Huseyn ISGANDAROV (AZE).

12:50: Nijat YEYLAGALIYEV (AZE) bounces back from 5-0 down by blocking a throw from Mardanbek MAKHKAMBAYEV (KAZ) and gut wrenches his way to a 13-5 win at 80kg.

12:46: Ismail BEREKET (TUR) continues his big-throwing streak as he beats Stepan DANHEL (CZE) 9-0 in a minute 50 seconds at 80kg. The European bronze medalist is looking better with every win.

12:45: How do you win with one second remaining?! Kaisei YAMAMOTO (JPN) hits a four-pointer in the final second after getting thrown by Martin MANJIKYAN (ARM) and wins 6-6. He can't believe it as well

12:40: Zhanarbek SEIITOV (KGZ) uses the gut-wrench to great effect and wins his 48kg bout against Fuhua KANG (CHN) 10-2. He gets Asian bronze medalist Bunyod HASANOV (UZB) in the next round after Hsanov pulled off a late throw against Amirmohammad HAJIVAND (IRI) and win 4-3.

12:35: HARDEEP (IND), Asian champ at 110kg, gets both the par terre points and beats Baktur SOVETKHAN (KAZ), 2-0, in the opening round.

12:30: Quick work from Sayidamir NEMATOV (UZB) at 110kg as he beats European champ Rihad IBRAHIMLI (AZE) 10-0 in the first period.

12:20: Hu Anshi NUERLEBIEKE (CHN) was so calm despite being down 8-1 against Vasileios BOUNTOULIS (GRE) at 110kg. Nuerlebieke locked Bountoulis in bodylocks twice in last 15 seconds and threw him for two four-pointers to win 9-8. He was thrown for two four-pointers in the first period by Bountoulis.

12:15: A 2024 Asian U15 champ Makhdi BAROTOV (TJK) stops European silver medalist Giorgi CHACHUA (GEO) 4-2 in their 55kg bout.

11:50: Alkham ABDIRASULOV (KGZ) pulls off a stunning win over Amirreza  TAHMASBPOUR (IRI) 5-3 at 55kg. Abdirasulov scores a correct throw to lead 3-3 on criteria but Iran challenges for no points. The challenge is won but on review, it's four points for Abdirasulov wins the bout

11:20: Pan-Am champion Arseni KIKINIOU (USA) has a hard time against Janes NAZARYAN (ARM), who is an European silver medalist, as he cannot get a turn but Nazaryan manages to score. Nazaryan wins 4-1

11:05: Big match between Asian champion Abdulaziz KHOLMIRZAEV (UZB) and European silver medalist Benediktas BUBELEVICIUS (LTU). Kholmirzaev and Bubelevicius go back-and-forth but Kholmirzaev manages to hang on for an 11-6 win.

10:45: Luka MARTIASHVILI (GEO), who finished 5th at 92kg at the European Championships, is back at 80kg and finishes with two front headlocks to win 9-0 in just 21 seconds against David VILK (CRO).

10:40: Big throws right from the start in Athens! European bronze medalist Ismail BEREKER (TUR) launches Samarth GOVEKAR (IND) for big throws and wins the opening bout at 80kg 11-0 in just a minute and 28 seconds.

10:30: Welcome to the World U17 Championships in Athens. It is being held at the iconic Ano Liosia Olympic Hall, the venue where wrestling competition during the 2004 Olympics was held.