#Fortaleza2018

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

By Taylor Miller

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

#Fortaleza2018

USA Wins Greco-Roman Team Title with Six Champions at #Fortaleza2018

By Taylor Miller

FORTALEZA, Brazil – The United States claimed the Greco-Roman team title at the 2018 Junior Pan American Championships, claiming six gold medals on Friday in Fortaleza, Brazil.

Winning titles for the U.S. was 2017 Junior World silver medalist Cevion SEVERADO at 55 kg, Dylan GREGERSON at 63 kg, Lenny MERKIN at 72 kg, Cameron CAFFEY at 87 kg, Austin HARRIS at 97 kg and Anthony CASSIOPPI at 130 kg.

Cassioppi repeated as the 2017 Junior Pan American Greco-Roman champion, defending his 2017 title when he pinned Paul MORALES (MEX) early in the finals.

He was the tournament’s Outstanding Wrestler.

Also repeating a gold-medal performance was 2017 Junior Pan Am champion and 2018 Senior Pan Am runner-up Joilson DE BRITO RAMOS (BRA), who won the 67 kg bracket on Friday with a 10-1 finals win over 2017 Junior Pan Am bronze medalist Julian HORTA (COL).

Winning gold for Colombia was 2017 Pan Am bronze winner Andres Cortes, who outlasted Samuel UGALDE (MEX) with a 3-3 decision on criteria.

Mexico claimed multiple champions, striking gold at 77 kg with Hector RODRIGUEZ and at 82 kg with Alfredo DE STEFANO MUNOZ.

Overall, the U.S. won the team title with Mexico taking second and host Brazil finishing third.

Final results

55 kg
GOLD - Cevion SEVERADO (USA)
SILVER - Nestor DELGADO (MEX)
BRONZE- Luis MORALES (ECU)

60 kg
GOLD - Andres CORTES (COL)
SILVER - Samuel UGALDE (MEX)
BRONZE - Ricardo QUINONEZ (ECU)

63 kg
GOLD - Dylan GREGERSON (USA)
SILVER - Irving SALAZAR (MEX)
BRONZE - Jharold DE LA TORRE (ECU)

67 kg
GOLD - Joilson DE BRITO RAMOS (BRA)
SILVER- Julian Horta (COL)
BRONZE - Juan Palma (ECU)
BRONZE- Manuel Herrera (MEX)

72 kg
GOLD - Leonard MERKIN (USA)
SILVER - Evaristo HERNANDEZ (MEX)
BRONZE - Michael Nascimento (BRA)

77 kg
GOLD - Hector RODRIGUEZ (MEX)
SILVER - Jhonny ARIAS (COL)
BRONZE- Anthony MANTANONA (USA)

82 kg
GOLD - Alfredo DE STEFANO MUNOZ (MEX)
SILVER - Carlos ESPINOZA CASTRO (PER)
BRONZE - Jhon CARMONA ALCANTARA (COL)

87 kg
GOLD - Cameron CAFFEY (USA)
SILVER - Fabio CONCEICAO RODRIGUES (BRA)
BRONZE - Nicolas BAEZ (ARG)

97 kg
GOLD - Austin HARRIS (USA)
SILVER - Bryan CRUZ PALACIOS (PER)
BRONZE - Gabriel ROCHA DE LIRA (BRA)

130 kg
GOLD - Anthony CASSIOPPI (USA)
SILVER - Paul MORALES BOJORQUEZ (MEX)
BRONZE - Andrew GUNNING (PER)