#Kiev2018

Lalovic Visits Kiev for Inspection of Euro Cadet C’Ships

By United World Wrestling Press

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY (March 12) – United World Wrestling president Nenad LALOVIC and UWW-Europe president Tzeno TZENOV traveled to Kiev last week to inspect the hosting conditions for the 2018 European Cadet Championships  to be held in April.

"It is very important for Ukraine as this championship is qualification on Youth Olympic Games which will be held in Argentina in October of this year,” said Lalovic, a member of the IOC executive board. “I know that they will do an exceptional job of hosting.”

"We have an experience of holding serious European sports competitions. Last year we have organized the European Boxing Championship in Kharkiv and the European championship on a diving in Kyiv,” said Igor RAYNIN, Head of Presidential Administration. “This year we will organize two finals of the Champions League of UEFA. And, certainly, the European Cadet Wrestling Championship - we are capable to organize at the high international level.”

Raynin also noted that the all-European sporting event much attention from the President of Ukraine, the Ministry of Youth and Sport, the Kiev city administration and the Ukrainian Wrestling Association.

Raynin said the preparation for competitions of such level the conditions guaranteeing safety and respect for each athlete in full accordance with the international rules and the current legislation of Ukraine will be created.

The parties have reached the agreement that national federations of the countries which plan to be presented in the European Wrestling Championship have to submit the application for participation of the athletes in due time.

The Minister of youth and sport of Ukraine Igor ZHADNOV and the first vice-president of Ukrainian Wrestling Association Alexandr DOROVSKOY also participated in the meeting.

Lalovic and Tzenov had also meetings with Vice-Prime Minister of Ukraine Vyacheslav KYRYLENKO where they discussed all outstanding questions connected with organization of future European Cadet Wrestling Championship in Kyiv.

"Last year Ukraine has held a number of sports competitions of the international level - the World Ice Hockey Championship in the IA division, the European Boxing Championship, the European diving championship,” said Kyrelenko. “And we will do everything possible that this Championship have taken place at the high level.”

LIVE BLOG: Pan-American Championships (DAY ONE)

By Eric Olanowski

CORALVILLE, USA (May 7) -- The opening day of the Pan-American Championships is set to kick off this morning at 10:00 (local time) with Greco-Roman action. The eight weight classes that'll take the mat this morning are 55kg, 60kg, 63kg, 67kg, 77kg, 82kg, 87kg and 130kg. 

Start in Action: 
- Luis ORTA (CUB) – Tokyo 2020 gold, Paris 2024 bronze
- Yasmani ACOSTA (CHI) - Paris 2024 silver
- Oscar PINO HINDS - Returning Pan-Am champion, World silver
- Beka MELELASHVILI (USA) - Returning Pan-Am champion
- Jeremy Renzo PERALTA (ECU) - Returning Pan-Am champion

BOUT ORDER | SCHEDULE 

1:11: We're going to take a short four-minute break before heading into the semifinal matches. We'll see you over on UWW+ for those at 1:15 (local time).

12:18: Terrible scene here in Iowa. Olympic runner-up Yasmani ACOSTA (CHI) went for a throw in his semifinal match and suffered a tournament-end injury to his right knee. He was take off on a wheel chair, ending his day and tournament here at the Pan-American Championships.

12:01:  Eduardo BERNAL MOLINA (CHI) was just about to give up the tech fall when he caught Diego MARTINEZ DE LEIJA (MEX) on his back for the fall. He moved into the 77kg semifinals with that fall, and will meet the winner of Justin BOYCE (BAR) and Oscar Antonio BARRIOS ROCHEZ (HON).

11:31: U23 world bronze medalist Otto BLACK (USA) earns the 8-0 win in his senior Pan-Am debut, punching his ticket to the 67kg semifinals later today.

11:10: Orta moves into the 67kg semifinals with a fall over Horta after leading 9-0. He awaits the winner of Alejandro VARELA (GUA) and Angelo CAFE DE OLIVEIRA (BRA). That match is underway on Mat B, with the Guatemalan  winning, 9-2

11:01: For a second time today, we have a meeting of Pan-Am champions. This time, it's four-time Pan-Am champ Orta Sanchez taking on Julian HORTA (COL). The Cuban has an early 2-0 lead coming from a pair of step outs.

10:51: As expected when you have two high level Greco guys like Melelashvili and Gregorich, it was a low scoring affair, but in the end it was a 1-1 criteria win for the American. He scored the first point, which gave him the criteria advantage at the end of the bout. I'll tell you what, though, it was weird seeing a Cuban Olympic champion in Borrero, cornering an American, who was beating a Cuban. Borrero certainly knew Gregorich's strengths and helped Melelashvili use them to his advantage.

10:31: We have a pair of Pan-Am champions coming up on Mat B next in Beka MELELASHVILI (USA) and Daniel GREGORICH (CUB). The American is the reigning champ, while the Cuban won the event in 2024. 

10:23: Not wrestling related, but Cuban world and Olympic champion Ismael BORRERO (CUB) is cornering USA WRESTLING athletes. He is now living in Colorado Springs, USA, where he is an Assistant Greco-Roman Coach.

10:08 - Whistles are ringing through the Xtream Arena here in Iowa, which means wrestling is underway. We're only running two mats here. The first star that'll be in action will be world and Olympic champion Luis ORTA (CUB). He's currently 16-0 at the Pan-American Championships and is looking for his fifth continental title.