Youth Olympic Games

Argentina Celebrate as Machuca Makes YOG Gold Medal Finals

By Tim Foley

BUENOS AIRES (October 13) – After a length early session that saw 56 matches per mat, Argentinian fans were treated to the news that after a 4-0 start Linda Marilina MACHUCA (ARG) would be in tonight’s gold medal finale.

The 73kg grappler made easy work of all four opponents, capping her perfect morning session with a decisive victory over Khadija JLASSI (TUN), 5-2.

Wrestlers from 9 nations will be represented in the finals, with Uzbekistan position two athletes for gold.
 

Women’s Wrestling, 43kg

Simran SIMRAN (IND) v. Emily King SHILSON (USA)
Shahana NAZAROVA (AZE) v. Enkhzul BATBAATAR (MGL)
Justine Fanny VIGOUROUX (FRA) v. Maria LEORDA (MDA)
Heloisa Elena MARTINEZ (BRA) v. Sara Gouda Farouk MAHMOUD (EGY)
Christianah Tolulope OGUNSANYA (NGR) v. Ella Mae DERRY (NZL)

Women’s Freestyle, 49kg

Shokhida AKHMEDOVA (UZB) v. Emma Jonna Denise MALMGREN (SWE)
Tiare Lynn Masako Dizon IKEI (USA) v. Roza SZENTTAMASI (HUN)
Natallia VARAKINA (BLR) v. Zineb ECH CHABKI (MAR)

Maria Jose MOSQUERA ROJAS (VEN) v. Paulina Jean DUENAS (GUM)
Nilufar RAIMOVA (KAZ) v. Sopealai SIM (CAM)

Women’s Freestyle, 57kg

Anna Hella SZEL (HUN) v. Nonoka OZAKI (JPN)
Irina RINGACI (MDA) v. Anastasia BLAYVAS (GER)
Mayra Alejandra PARRA ALVAREZ (VEN) v. Andrea Monserrat LOPEZ MARTINEZ (MEX)
Hala Wael Imbabi AHMED (EGY) v. Mansi MANSI (IND)
Lydia TOIDA (CMR) v. Kaetlyn Rae Okada QUINTANILLA (GUM)

Women’s Freestyle, 65kg

Xinru ZHOU (CHN) v. Oksana CHUDYK (UKR)
Oyun Erdene TAMIR (MGL) v. Sunmisola Idowu BALOGUN (NGR)
Amina Roxana CAPEZAN (ROU) v. Viktoria VESSO (EST)

Yetzis Camila RAMIREZ MARQUEZ (CUB) v. Zaineb SGHAIER (TUN)
Sandra Elena ESCAMILLA MENCHACA (MEX) v. Natacha Véronique NABAINA (CMR)

Women’s Freestyle, 73kg

Linda Marilina MACHUCA (ARG) v. Milaimys de la Caridad MARIN POTRILLE (CUB)
Kseniya DZIBUK (BLR) v. Yuka KAGAMI (JPN)
Svetlana OKNAZAROVA (UZB) v. Julia Hanna Ellinor FRIDLUND (SWE)
Khadija JLASSI (TUN) v. Anika Elizabeth WHITE (CAN)
Vahide Nur GOK (TUR) v. Ioana Penina Nicole Uputaua LUDGATE (ASA)

#WrestleCoralville

Pan-American Championships 2026 Day 1 Highlights

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.