#Fortaleza2018

Brazil to Play Host to 2018 Junior Pan American Championships, Aug. 17-19

Thursday, August 16, 2018 - 20:34 By Taylor Miller

Share this article

FORTALEZA, Brazil – The 2018 Junior Pan American Championships are slated for this weekend, Aug. 17-19 in Fortaleza, Brazil. The talented field features four past age-group World medalists and several past Pan American medalists across Cadet, Junior and Senior levels.

The tournament begins with Greco-Roman action on Aug. 17, followed by women’s freestyle on Aug. 18 and men’s freestyle to wrap up the event on Aug. 19.

GRECO-ROMAN, Aug. 17

There are two World medalists in the Greco-Roman field, both registered to compete at 55 kg: 2017 Junior World runner-up Cevion SEVERADO (USA) and 2016 Cadet World silver medalist Nestor DELGADO (MEX).

Delgado owns a Pan American gold medal from his championship effort in 2016 at the Cadet Greco. This weekend will be Severado’s first trip to the continental championships.

Returning 2017 Junior Pan American champions include Joilson DE BRITO RAMOS JUNIOR (BRA) at 67 kg, Carlos Moises ESPINOZA CASTRO (PER) at 87 kg and Anthony CASSIOPPI (USA) at 130 kg.

Host country’s de Brito also won a medal at last year’s Senior Pan Ams, finishing with silver. Last summer, he represented Brazil at the Junior and Senior World Championships, and so far this year, he won gold at the South American Championships.

A three-time age-group Pan American medalist, Espinoza won his first Senior-level and fourth overall Pan Am medal, claiming bronze in front of a home crowd in Lima, Peru, in May. Espinoza also owns 2015 Cadet freestyle silver and 2016 Junior Greco bronze.

Making his second-consecutive trip to the Pan Am Championships, Cassioppi, who doubled up on gold at the event last year, will wrestle both styles again this weekend.

Other notable names entered include 2018 Senior Pan Am runner-up Gerardo Francisco OLIVA MONTES (PER) and 2017 Junior Pan Am silver medalists Thomas BRACKETT (USA), William Alberto MORENO CHUC (GUA) and Samuel Facundo UGALDE AGUILAR (MEX).

Moreno also won bronze at the 2017 Senior Central American and Caribbean Games.

WOMEN’S FREESTYLE, Aug. 18

The lone World medalist in the women’s division this weekend is Kayla MARANO (USA), who won Cadet World bronze in 2015. She will compete at 68 kg in Brazil.

USA will bring four other women’s freestylers who have represented the U.S. on the age-group World stage such as Vayle BAKER at 53 kg, Cameron GUERIN at 55 kg, Brenda REYNA at 59 kg and Ashlynn ORTEGA at 65 kg.

There are several 2017 Junior Pan American runners-up, looking to reach the top of the podium, counting Jayd DAVIS (CAN) at 53 kg, Hannah TAYLOR (CAN) at 57 kg, Dejah SLATER (CAN) at 68 kg and Fatima CRISANTO AYIL (MEX) at 62 kg.

Slater took fifth at the 2017 Junior World Championships in Tampere, Finland. Her Canadian teammates Davis and Taylor also competed at the event.

Other names to look out for include 2018 Senior Pan American bronze winner Michaela BECK (USA) at 57 kg and past Cadet Pan Am champions Guerin at 55 kg, Rita ROJAS CHAVEZ (MEX) at 53 kg and Fernanda ALDAZ LOPEZ (ECU).

Rojas has had a successful season, winning silver at the Senior Central American and Caribbean Championships and a bronze at the Senior Central American and Caribbean Games in July.

MEN’S FREESTYLE, Aug. 19

The men’s freestyle field is the biggest of the three styles with 56 entrants.

Highlighting the talented group is 2016 Cadet World silver medalist Vitali ARUJAU (USA), who will compete at 61 kg.

Cassioppi of USA is the only defending Junior Pan Am freestyle champion in the field as he won gold in both freestyle and Greco last year.

Looking to challenge Cassioppi is 2017 Junior Pan Am silver medalist Aly BARGHOUT (CAN), who will also compete this weekend at 125 kg. Barghout fell to Cassioppi in last year’s round robin action, 11-1.

Also in the mix at heavyweight is Jose DIAZ PONCIANO (GUA), who won bronze in both styles last year.

There a several wrestlers in the field who are multiple-time age-group Pan Am medal winners, including Brayden TODD (CAN) at 57 kg, Carson LEE (CAN) at 79 kg, Luis MORALES MAYANCHA (ECU) at 57 kg and Oscar CALVOPINA CANCIO (ECU) at 61 kg.

Lee won silver at this year’s Cadet Pan Ams in Guatemala and followed up that performance with a top-five finish at the Cadet World Championships last month in Zagreb, Croatia.

Other notable athletes are 2017 Senior South American Championships silver medalist Marcos CARROZZINO (BRA), 2018 Gran Prix of Spain bronze medalist Hunter LEE (CAN) and 2015 Cadet Pan Am champion Cristian SANTIAGO PEREZ (MEX).

Schedule
Friday, Aug. 17
10 a.m. – Preliminary rounds through semifinals (all Greco weights)
5: 30 p.m. – Opening Ceremonies
6 p.m. – Finals

Saturday, Aug. 18
10 a.m. – Preliminary rounds through semifinals (all women’s freestyle weights)
6 p.m. – Finals

Sunday, Aug. 19
10 a.m. – Preliminary rounds through semifinals (all men’s freestyle weights)
6 p.m. – Finals

#WrestleBudapest

Budapest Ranking Series Day 3 Wrestling Results & Highlights

Friday, July 17, 2026 - 08:05 By Vinay Siwach

Share this article

BUDAPEST, Hungary (July 17) -- UWW Wrestling: The Budapest Ranking Series will enter its third day with four Women's Wrestling weight classes -- 59kg, 62kg, 65kg and 68kg -- and two Greco-Roman weight classes -- 67kg and 77kg.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | TAZHUDINOV BOUNCES BACK | BULLEN'S MOVE

GR 77kg semifinals - Alexandru SOLOVEI (MDA) with a stepout, 13 seconds before the time expired to beat Danil GRIGOREV (RUS) at 77kg. Grigorev led 1-1 on criteria after both wrestlers exchanged par terre. But Solovei clearly kept the pressure and pushed Grigorev out. Russia challenged the call but lost it giving the Moldovan a 3-1 win. In the other semifinal, Moustafa ALAMELDIN (EGY) hangs on for a 2-2 criteria beat Sergei KUTUZOV (RUS). Both scored points in the first period and Alameldin kept that lead.

GR 67kg Semifinals - U23 world champion Mohamed ABDELREHIM (EGY) turns it around against Ruslan BICHURIN (RUS) with a four-point throw and a foul from Bichurin that gave him a 6-3 lead. He defended the lead to reach the final in which he will take on another Russian wrestler Dinislam BAMMATOV (RUS) who defeated Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM), 6-2. Bammatov scored two turns from par terre to lead 5-1. Galstyan got the par terre but did not score but challenged for a foul which was not there, giving Bammatov another point and a 6-2 win.

WW 68kg semifinals - Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) led 1-1 on criteria but she manages a takedown when Noémi SZABADOS (HUN) tries a throw. The defense from Kyrgyzstan wrestler always troubles her opponents. She will now face Jia LONG (CHN) in the final after the China wrestler defeated Nesrin BAS (TUR). Bas scored a stepout to make it 2-1 with Long leading. But Long exposed when Bas tried to hit a leg attack. She then managed a go-behind to lead 6-1. Turkiye challenged the scoring but lost it to add one more point for Long gave up a late stepout but wins 7-2

WW 65kg semifinals - Jennifer PAGE (USA) hangs on for a 4-2 win over Gulnura TASHTANBEKOVA (KGZ). She will take on compatriot Reese LARRAMENDY (USA) who defeated Miki ROWBOTTOM (CAN), via fall. She countered an attack from Rowbottom and then used the arm bar to get the pin.

WW 62kg semifinals - MANSI (IND) builds a 6-0 lead using the lace and then two takedowns to win 10-0 against compatriot SAVITA (IND). But she seems to have hurt her knee. In the other semifinals which went back and fourth, Ana GODINEZ (CAN) used a four-pointer in the first period to lead 7-7 criteria against Veranika IVANOVA (BLR) and then managed to win 13-7 to enter the final.

WW 59kg semifinals - Abigail NETTE (USA) gets two four-point throws against Mariia VYNNYK (UKR) to win 10-0 and move into the final in which she will face NEHA (IND) who defeated Altyn SHAGAYEVA (KAZ). Neha scored a takedown and two turns using the gut-wrench to lead 6-2. She gave up a takedown at the start of the second period but defended her lead to win 6-4.

13:22: It was only a 46-second bout but Salvik GALTSYAN (ARM) shocks world champion Aytjan KHALMAKHANOV (UZB) with a fall. Galtsyan used an arm-throw to score first two points but Khalmakhanov also scores exposure for two points. However, Galtsyan never let's go of the arm and then stop on top of Khalmakhanov till the fall is confirmed.

13:20: Ana GODINEZ (CAN) reaches the 62kg semifinals after another top win. She scores a couple of stepouts and a takedown in her 6-2 win over Adaugo NWACHUKWU (USA). 

13:07: Jia LONG (CHN) takes out former European champion Alina SHAUCHUK (BLR), 8-2, at 68kg. Shauchuk scored the first takedown but Long took the 2-2 criteria lead. She then got another takedown in the second period and two turns to change the bout.

13:00: Sergei KUTUZOV (RUS) denies Anri PUTKARADZE (GEO) at 77kg with a 1-1 criteria win. He got the first par terre position which gave him the criteria

12:45: Grace BULLEN (NOR) has been saved by her pinning abilities and it looked like she once again managed to pull off an incredible fall over Ana GODINEZ (CAN) at 62kg. Down 6-4, Bullen gets an opening when Godinez tries an attack and Bullen throws her off for two points and holds her for a fall. However, Canada challenges asking for a foul as Bullen locked bout her hands behind Godinez's head. The challenge is won and the fall cancelled with Bullen leading 6-6 on criteria and 12 seconds left in the match. Godinez however manages a stepout and win 7-6 

12:37: Moustafa ALAMELDIN (EGY) stuns the home fans by throwing Levente LEVAI (HUN) twice in the 77kg bout and win 8-0. The second throw, when Alameldin was loading for a suplex, he dropped Levai in front to surprise the Hungarian

12:35: World champion at 63kg, Aytjan KHALMAKHANOV (UZB) rocks Mustafa YILDIRIM (TUR) with a 9-0 win at 67kg. No troubles for Khalmakhanov here.

12:15: Qi ZHANG (CHN) works on a throw for four points and holds her 6-2 lead to beat European champion Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR), who had moved up from 59kg to 62kg.

12:10: Surprising slow win for world bronze medalist Jia LONG (CHN) at 68kg against Sophia SCHAEFLE (GER). In fact, it was Schaefle who got the opening takedown and held Long in the position for fall. However, Long survived that. She scored just two takedowns and managed a 4-2 win.

12:05: Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) pins Irina KAZYULINA (KAZ) in the first period to win at 68kg and advance.

12:00: Incredible comeback from Alina SHEVCHENKO (RUS) over NISHA (IND) at 68kg. Nisha led 6-1 when she committed an offensive foul of twisting the ankle. At one point, Nisha led 7-2 but Shevchenko kept the pressure and added three takedowns to make it 8-7. Nisha tried hitting a head pinch but failed and Shevchenko got two points for the win.

11:40: Levente LEVAI (HUN) advances at 77kg after an 8-2 win over Rui LIU (CHN). Levai built a 7-1 lead before Liu was awarded passivity in the second period. He completed a body throw but was not awarded any points as Levai rotated in the air and landed back on his chest. China challenged but lost it, giving one more point to Levai

11:20: Nesrin BAS (TUR) with total control of her bout against Nigar MIRZAZADA (AZE) as she wins 10-0 at 68kg. She did not complete the bout in one move but manages to work on different techniques to achieve the five takedowns

11:10: In an all-China match-up at 68kg, Jia LONG (CHN) uses the gut-wrench to beat compatriot Zelu LI (CHN) 10-0 to advance.

10:55: Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) with four different takedowns against Laura KOEHLER (GER) to win 8-0 at 68kg. Solid defensive performance as well from the Olympic silver medalist

10:50: Ali ARSALAN (SRB) and Doniyorkhon NAKIBOV (UZB) in a heated bout at 77kg. Arsalan scored a takedown in the first period before a stepout made it 3-0 for him. Nakibov took a huge advantage when he began the second period with a stepout. He got the passivity in the second period and scored a turn from par terre to win 4-3.

10:35: What a start to the day! Former European champion at 72kg Levente LEVAI (HUN) with a four-pointer and then a huge five Idris IBAEV (GER) to complete a 9-0 win at 77kg.