Obituary

Bulgarian Olympic Champ Dobrev Passes Away

By United World Wrestling Press

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY (April 3) -- Bulgarian wrestler Dimitar Dobrev, a 1960 Olympic champion and multiple-time Olympic medalist in Greco-Roman, passed away on April 1. He was 87 years old. 

Dobrev competed at the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne, Australia, claiming a silver medal in the middleweight division. Four years later, Dobrev captured a gold medal at the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome, Italy, competing at middleweight. In addition, he placed in the top five at the World Championships three times. Dobrev was the first and only Bulgarian to serve as the national coach of both freestyle and Greco. 

Born in Ezerche, Bulgaria, Dobrev participated in gymnastics before his competitive wrestling career. He later became a mathematician.

#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