#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)

#WrestleTirana

Greco-Roman must-watch battles at U23 Worlds

Friday, October 20, 2023 - 07:40 By Vinay Siwach

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TIRANA, Albania (October 19) -- The Greco-Roman at the U23 World Championships will reignite the rivalries among wrestlers from Iran, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia and Turkiye. These are some of the countries that dominate the classic style and when the wrestlers perform from October 27 to 29, it will be a spectacle. Here's what to watch in Greco-Roman at the U23 World Championships

Must-watch match-ups

At 130kg, the battle for gold can be a four-way battle with Mikhail LAPTEV (AIN), Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI), Muhammet BAKIR (TUR) and Mykhailo VYSHNYVETSKYI (UKR) all entered. Laptev is the bronze medalist from the 2021 U23 World Championships while Hedayati is the U20 world champ. Bakir won the gold at the U20 level in 2021.

Vyshnyvetskyi will try to upgrade his silver from last year after losing the final to Fatih BOZKURT (TUR). He won the gold medal at the U20 Worlds in 2022 as he defeated Hedayati in the final.

A similar battle will be seen at 87kg as the 82kg U23 world champion Exauce MUKUBU (NOR) is moving up to 87kg to challenge the defending champion Istvan TAKACS (HUN).

Joining the two are U20 world champion Achiko BOLKVADZE (GEO) and Alireza MOHMADIPIANI (IRI) who is coming off a silver-medal finish at the World Championships in Belgrade.

Alex SZOKE (HUN) is the defending champion at 97kg and will be the favorite to win the gold medal. But the return of Pavel HLINCHUK (AIN) should put some pressure on Szoke.

Hlinchuk won the gold at the U20 World Championships in 2021 and then finished with a silver at the U23 Worlds. He will look to change the color of his medal this year.

Sohrabi-Snjoyan Rematch

A rematch of the 67kg final last year is on the cards as both Danial SOHRABI (IRI) and Gagik SNJOYAN (FRA) are entered. Sohrabi stormed back from 7-0 down to beat Snjoyan 17-7 and claim the gold medal. Snjoyan, however, has been out of action since that final due to an injured shoulder.

Sohrabi has had a busy year as he wrestled in three of the four Ranking Series, the World Championships and recently the Asian Games.

60kg minefield

The 60kg bracket can see intense competition with 2021 U23 world champion Anvar ALLAKHIAROV (AIN) returning. He wrestled at the senior World Championships in Belgrade but failed to win a medal. Joining him is U20 world champion Suren AGHAJANYAN (ARM) who will be looking to at the U23 world title.

SUMIT (UWW) will be keen to avenge his U20 Worlds loss against Aghajanyan as he aims to become the first finalist in Greco-Roman at the U23 World Championships. Returning bronze and U23 European silver Melkamu FETENE (ISR) is also coming to Tirana.

Last year's 55kg silver medalist Nihad GULUZADE (AZE) is moving up to 60kg as he continues to search for a world title. He finished with a silver medal at 55kg in Pontevedra.

Nurmukhammet ABDULLAEV (KGZ) will undoubtedly be the dark horse of this weight class.

New challengers

Tirana will see a number of wrestlers from the 2021 class of U20 World Championships. But the young crop is out to challenge them. The U20 wrestlers trying to make a mark at U23 are Denis MIHAI (ROU) at 55kg, Aghajanyan at 60kg, Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) at 77kg, Alperen BERBER (TUR) at 82kg, Achiko BOLKVADZE (GEO) at 87kg and Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) at 130kg.

Aghajanyan, Berber, Bolkvadze and Hedayati are coming off title-winning runs at the U20 Worlds in August.