#WrestleBuenosAires

Burroughs wins sixth Pan Am C'ship title; Ecuador nets two women’s champions

Saturday, May 6, 2023 - 01:14 By Taylor GREGORIO

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BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (Mat 5) – Women’s action wrapped up on Friday, while freestyle began at the 2023 Pan American Championships in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Ecuador collected a pair of Pan Am titles in women’s freestyle today at 53kg and 57kg.

Lucia YEPEZ GUZMAN (ECU) won her first Senior Pan-Am title with an outstanding performance at 53kg. In the final, she defeated Betzabeth AGUELLO VILLEGAS (VEN). The Venezuelan was first on the board with a passivity point but Yepez soon scored a takedown from a counter. In the second period, Yepez was awarded a passivity point and a pair of caution-and-ones to win the bout, 5-1.

Earlier in the day, Aguello Villegas knocked off reigning world champion Dominique PARRISH (USA), 8-6, in the quarterfinals.

At 57kg, an early upset of Olympic champion and weight-class favorite Helen MAROULIS (USA) paved the way for another competitor to add “continental champion” to her resume. Luisa VALVERDE MELENDRES (ECU) capitalized on the opportunity, making her way to the finals, where she defeated Giullia OLIVEIRA (BRA), 4-2. The win marks her second Pan Am gold.

Canada earned a champion with Ana GODINEZ GONZALEZ (CAN) completing a title run at 62kg. In the finals, Godinez tallied a pin over Nathali GRIMAN HERRERA (VEN) in the first period. Despite Griman scoring first, Godinez stormed back with a throw near the edge, putting Griman to her back for a fall in 1:21.

One of the most promising up-and-coming heavyweights hails from Cuba— Milaimys MARIN POTRILLE (CUB). With U20 and U23 world gold as well as a Youth Olympic Games title, Marin Potrille added her first senior-level continental title. In the finals, she faced Tatiana RENTERIA RENTERIA (COL). Marin carried a 3-0 lead into the break, thanks to a buzzer-beating takedown. In the second period, Marin added a pair of step outs and a go-behind takedown to complete a decisive 7-0 win.

Between the two styles, the U.S. registered four gold-medal performances. Highlights from the day included Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) winning his sixth Pan-American championship title and Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) earning her seventh Pan-American championship gold.

Six-time world champion and Olympic gold medalist Burroughs dominated at 79kg, outscoring his competition, 30-0, to top the podium. In the finals, his shortest match of the day, Burroughs took just 74 seconds to earn the win over Jasmit PHULKA (CAN). Burroughs scored on a takedown into a leg lace followed by a four-point takedown from a blast double and ended it with another signature blast double.

Wrestling at 50kg in women’s freestyle, Hildebrandt, a world and Olympic medalist, went 3-0 on the day with all three wins coming in the form of 10-0 technical falls, including her finals win over Jacqueline MOLLOCANA ELENO (ECU). In just 48 seconds, Hildebrandt scored a takedown and locked up a tight leg lace for four turns to earn No. 8.  

Winning her third Pan-Am championship on Friday was Forrest MOLINARI (USA), who snatched the crown at 68kg. Molinari, a World bronze medalist, needed just 46 seconds to secure a pin in the finals over Ambar GARNICA FLORES (MEX). In a scramble, Molinari scored a takedown and bullied Garnica to her back for the fall.

In freestyle, Michael MACCHIAVELLO (USA) won the five-man round robin at 92kg. In the gold-medal matchup, Macchiavello went up early, 6-0, countering an attempted arm throw from Jeremy POIRIER (CAN) for a takedown into two turns from a gut wrench. Moments later, Macchiavello used a knee pick to get Poirier to his back for a fall in 1:39.

Women’s wrestling
50kg
GOLD – Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) df. Jacqueline MOLLOCANA ELENO (ECU), 10-0
BRONZE – Yusneylis GUZMAN LOPEZ (CUB) df. Thalia OLIVEIRA DE FREITAS (BRA), fall 1:45
BRONZE – Patricia BERMUDEZ (ARG) df. Madison PARKS (CAN), fall 5:24

53kg
GOLD – Lucia YEPEZ GUZMAN (ECU) df. Betzabeth AGUELLO VILLEGAS (VEN), 5-1
BRONZE – Karla ACOSTA MARTINEZ (MEX) df. Dominique PARRISH (USA), 4-2
BRONZE – Laura HEERIN AVILA (CUB) df. Thalia MALLQUI PECHE (PER), 11-0

57kg
GOLD – Luisa VALVERDE MELENDRES (ECU) df. Giullia OLIVEIRA (BRA), 4-2
BRONZE – Angela ALVAREZ MARTINEZ (CUB) df. Nes RODRIGUEZ TIRADO (PUR), fall 1:53
BRONZE – Betzabeth SARCO COLMENAREZ (VEN) df. Camila AMARILLA (ARG), fall 0:38

62kg
GOLD – Ana GODINEZ GONZALEZ (CAN) df. Nathali GRIMAN HERRERA (VEN), fall 1:21
BRONZE – Kayla MIRACLE (USA) df. Javiera ROCO PARDO (CHI), 10-0
BRONZE – Lais NUNES (BRA) df. Katherine RENTERIA CUERO (COL), fall 2:04

68kg
GOLD – Forrest MOLINARI (USA) df. Ambar GARNICA FLORES (MEX), fall 0:46
BRONZE – Hangelen LLANES ECHEVARRIA (CUB) vs. Soleymi CARABALLO HERNANDEZ (VEN), 8-3
BRONZE – Yanet SOVERO NINO (PER) vs. Saidy CHAVEZ FIGUEROA (HON), 3-1

76kg
GOLD – Milaimys MARIN POTRILLE (CUB) df. Tatiana RENTERIA RENTERIA (COL), 7-0
BRONZE – Justina DI STASIO (CAN) df. Maria Jose ACOSTA ACOSTA (VEN), 4-1
BRONZE – Genesis REASCO VALEZ (ECU) df. Emelyn BAUTISTA CORCINO (DOM), 11-0

Freestyle
79kg
GOLD – Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) df. Jasmit PHULKA (CAN), 10-0
BRONZE – Shane JONES (PUR) df. Victor HERNANDEZ LUNA (MEX), 11-0
BRONZE – Nestor TAFUR BARRIOS (COL) df. Alexander CUSINGA GOMEZ (PER), 10-0

92kg
GOLD – Michael MACCHIAVELLO (USA)
SILVER – Jeremy POIRIER (CAN)
BRONZE – Luis VILLAGOMEZ PAREDES (ECU)

#WrestleCoralville

Pan-American Championships 2026 Day 1 Highlights

Thursday, May 7, 2026 - 14:28 By Eric Olanowski

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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.