#UWWAwards

'21 Breakthrough Performances of the Year: Geraei, Zare and Focken

By Eric Olanowski

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (December 7) -- Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI), Amir ZARE (IRI) and Aline FOCKEN (GER) have been named United World Wrestling’s Breakthrough Performance of the Year award winners.

Geraei came into 2021 without having a world or Olympic medal on his resume. The 25-year-old, known as ‘The Iceman,’ defied all expectations and claimed Olympic gold in Tokyo and closed out his improbable ’21 campaign with a world-title run in Oslo.

Zare, at just 20-year-old, had a colossal year. He collected an Olympic bronze medal in Tokyo before upsetting three-time world champ Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) and Olympic gold medalist Taha AKGUL (TUR) en route to gaining heavyweight supremacy at the Oslo World Championships.

Aline Focken picked the perfect time to retire. After missing out on the ’12 London Olympic Games and a ninth-place outing in Rio, the 12-year-veteran ended her career with an upset victory over five-time world champion Adeline GRAY (USA) in the 76kg Olympic finals.

#WrestleSantiago

USA opens Pan-Am Games with four golds

By Eric Olanowski

SANTIAGO, Chile (November 1) --- The United States had an impressive opening-day showing in Chile at the Pan-American Games, going an unblemished 11-0 and winning four golds.

Kyle SNYDER (USA), Mason PARRIS (USA), Zane RICHARDS (USA) and Tyler BERGER (USA) were the four Americans who reached the top of the podium on Wednesday.

Snyder picked up three lop-sided wins en route to his third Pan-Am Games titles. The Olympic champion scored technical superiority wins against Nishan RANDHAWA (CAN), Maxwell LACEY (CRC) and Arturo SILOT TORRES (CUB). Snyder’s blanked Randhawa and Lacey, but gave up a four-point throw against Silot Torres, winning the 97kg finals bout 14-4.

Snyder is now a three-time Pan-American Games gold medalists, winning it all in 2015, '19 and '23.

At 125kg, Mason PARRIS (USA) closed out his three-win day with a chippy 2-0 win over Jose DIAZ (VEN) in the 125kg finals. Parris, the reigning world bronze medalists, and Diaz traded heavy hands for the duration of six-minute bout, but it was ultimately Parris’ two-point first period that determined the match.

Zane RICHARDS (USA) rebounded after a tumultuous World Championships to take 57kg Pan-Am Games gold. Richards’ toughest bout came in the semifinals, where he defeated Darian CRUZ (PUR), 8-2. In addition to his win over the Puerto Rican, Cruz also tech falled Juan RAMIREZ (DOM) and Oscar TIGREROS (COL) on his way to winning gold.

Tyler BERGER (USA) kept the clean slate alive for the United States on Wednesday night after upending Franklin MAREN CASTILLO (CUB, 3-0, in the 74kg finals. Berger scored a shot clock point before finishing a two-point attack with nine seconds left in the first period.

Thursday’s opening round matches begin at 10:00 (local time), with the bronze and gold-medal bouts begin at 16:00.

RESULTS:

57kg
GOLD - Zane RICHARDS (USA) df. Oscar TIGREROS (COL), 10-0
BRONZE - Darian CRUZ (PUR) df. Ramirez Beltre JUAN RUBELIN (DOM), via forfeit
BRONZE - Diversent Martinez OSMANY (CUB) df. Almendra HERNAN DAVID (ARG), via fall

74kg
GOLD - Tyler BERGER (USA) df. Franklin MAREN CASTILLO (CUB), 3-0
BRONZE - Anthony Jose MONTERO CHIRINOS (VEN) df. Anthony VALENCIA (MEX), 7-2
BRONZE - Adam THOMSON (CAN) df. Luis BARRIOS ROCHEZ (HON), 6-5

97kg
GOLD - Kyle SNYDER (USA) df. Arturo SILOT TORRES (CUB), 14-4
BRONZE - Nishan RANDHAWA (CAN) df. Maxwell LACEY (CRC), 7-6
BRONZE - Cristian SARCO (VEN) df. Matias URIBE (CHI), 10-0

125kg
GOLD - Mason PARRIS (USA) df. Jose DIAZ ROBERTTI (VEN), 2-0
BRONZE - Catriel MURIEL (ARG) df. Jonovan SMITH (PUR), 7-6
BRONZE - Aaron JOHNSON (JAM) df. Elison ADAMES (DOM), 5-1