#Fortaleza2018

Canada Boasts Three Champs, USA Wins Women's Freestyle Team Title at #Fortaleza2018

By Taylor Miller

FORTALEZA, Brazil – North America ran away with the top-three spots in the team race of the women’s freestyle tournament at the 2018 Junior Pan American Championships, with USA taking first, followed by Mexico and Canada.

The U.S. won two weight classes with 2017 Cadet Pan American champion Cameron GUERIN claiming the crown at 55 kg and Brianna CSONTOS dominating at 62 kg.

Csontos was named the tournament’s Outstanding Wrestler and was awarded the Golden Boot after recording three first-period falls and a decision.

In addition to two champs, USA had five silver medalists, helping the squad to 172 points and its second team title of the weekend.

Mexico picked up three champions, including Mariela ESCALANTE HERNANDEZ, who defeated Greidy ESTUPINAN PEREZ (COL) in the 50 kg finals, 5-3.

Also claiming gold for Mexico was Atzimba LANDAVERDE MORENO at 65 kg and Miriam OLVERA GONZALEZ at 76 kg.

Overall, Mexico score 152 points with three champions, one runner-up and three bronze medalists.

Three 2017 Junior Pan Am runners-up made it to the top of the podium on Saturday, all hailing from Canada. Gold medalist included Jayd DAVIS at 53 kg, Hannah TAYLOR at 57 kg and Dejah SLATER at 68 kg.

Two additional bronze-medal performances and a silver pushed Canada onto the podium with 135 points and the third-place team trophy, edging out Brazil’s 131 points.

The two other wrestlers securing Pan American titles on Saturday were Katherine RENTERIA CUERO (COL) at 59 kg and Thais DE LUCAS DE OLIVEIRA (BRA) at 72 kg.

The tournament continues Sunday with men’s freestyle action beginning at 9 a.m. ET live on unitedworldwrestling.org.

Team results (top five)
1. USA – 172
2. Mexico – 152
3. Canada – 135
4. Brazil – 131
5. Colombia – 80

Final results

50 kg
GOLD - Mariela ESCALANTE HERNANDEZ (MEX)
SILVER - Greidy ESTUPINAN PEREZ (COL)
BRONZE - Evelyn MATOS SANTOS (BRA)
BRONZE - Adela MORALES VARGAS (ECU)

53 kg
GOLD - Jayd DAVIS (CAN)
SILVER - Vayle BAKER (USA)
BRONZE - Rita ROJAS CHAVEZ (MEX)

55 kg
GOLD - Cameron GUERIN (USA)
SILVER - Karla ACOSTA MARTINEZ (MEX)
BRONZE - Becky CORNEJO MUNOZ (ECU)

57 kg
GOLD - Hannah TAYLOR (CAN)
SILVER - Michaela BECK (USA)
BRONZE - Susana LOZANO VEYTIA (MEX)

59 kg
GOLD - Katherine RENTERIA CUERO (COL)
SILVER - Brenda REYNA (USA)
BRONZE - Sara BRINKAC (CAN)

62 kg
GOLD - Brianna CSONTOS (USA)
SILVER - Paula MONTOYA GARCIA (COL)
BRONZE - Xiao LIU (CAN)

65 kg
GOLD - Atzimba LANDAVERDE MORENO (MEX)
SILVER - Megan FENDELET (CAN)
BRONZE - Andrea GARCIA MUNOZ (COL)

68 kg
GOLD - Dejah SLATER (CAN)
SILVER - Kayla MARANO (USA)
BRONZE - Grabriela PEDRO DA ROCHA (BRA)

72 kg
GOLD - Thais DE LUCAS DE OLIVEIRA (BRA)
SILVER - Andrea SENNETT (USA)
BRONZE - Adaljiza SANCHEZ IBARRA (MEX)

76 kg
GOLD - Miriam OLVERA GONZALEZ (MEX)
SILVER - Beatriz RODRIGUES DOS REIS (BRA)

 

#WrestleLA

UWW announces new Olympic qualification process for LA 2028

By United World Wrestling Press

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (February 2) -- United World Wrestling has overhauled the qualification process for the Olympic Games.

Beginning with the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, the 16 wrestlers who qualify per weight class will earn their spots through four routes: the World Championships, Continental Qualifiers, the World Olympic Qualifier, and the UWW Rankings.

The first phase of qualification will be the 2027 World Championships that will award 72 quotas for the Olympics. Each medalist [gold, silver, two bronzes] in the 18 Olympic weight classes will earn LA 2028 spots for their respective National Olympic Committees (NOC).

The second phase will be the UWW Rankings in which the first three wrestlers of the rankings, not qualified in the first phase, will obtain one quota place for their NOC for the LA28 Olympic Games. The UWW Rankings will include the seven main events organized before the LA28 Olympic Games:

- 2027 Senior Continental Championships*
- 2027 Ranking Series (3 events)
- 2027 Senior World Championships
- 2028 Ranking Series (1 event)
- 2028 Senior Continental Championships*

*UWW may include Continental Games for ranking but will only consider best two out of three continental results.

This means that 54 more wrestlers will earn Olympic quotas for their respective NOCs.

Phase three for qualifying will include the Continental Qualifiers -- Europe, Asia, Pan-America, and Africa & Oceania. These tournaments will award two quotas per weight class.

Top two wrestlers, the finalists, in each of the 18 Olympic weights will earn LA 2028 quotas for respective NOCs. A total of 144 wrestlers will be awarded at these continental events.

The fourth and final phase of qualification will be the World Olympic Qualifier which will offer 18 quotas. The gold medal winners in each of the 18 Olympic weight classes will earn the spot for their respective NOCs.

Only the countries that did not obtain a quota place during the previous three phases may participate in the World Olympic Qualifiers. The participating countries may only send two wrestlers across all styles at the World Qualifier.

For the LA 2028 qualifying cycle, UWW will award quotas at the following events:

4 quotas - 2027 World Championships
3 quotas - Ranking Series UWW Rankings
8 quotas - Continental Qualifiers (2 Europe, 2 Asia, 2 Pan-America, 2 Africa & Oceania)
1 quota - World Olympic Qualifier

Furthermore, the 2028 Continental Championships will be held before the Continental Qualifiers, ensuring that the three quotas via ranking are finalized before continental qualification events begin.

Ranking Series Participation Guidelines

Each country may enter a maximum of two wrestlers per weight class and a two-kilogram weight allowance will apply for Ranking Series events, but not for Continental or World Championships where standard weight rules apply.

The point allocation for these Ranking events will also be reviewed.

Seeding Changes

During the Olympic cycle, seeds will be assigned based on the following event tiers:

Four-seed events:
Continental Championships
Continental Qualifiers
World Qualifier

Eight-seed events:
Ranking Series
World Championships
Olympic Games

Seeding for the 2028 Olympic Games will be based on results from:

- Three 2027 Ranking Series events
- 2027 Continental Championships (or Continental Games, if applicable)
- 2027 World Championships
- One 2028 Ranking Series event
- 2028 Continental Championships

These same events will be used to seed wrestlers throughout the 2028 season, including the Ranking Series, Continental Championships and Qualifiers, the World Olympic Qualifier, and the Olympic Games.

For the 2027 Ranking Series events, 2027 Senior Continental Championships and the 2027 Senior World Championships, the results of 2026 Senior World Championships will also be considered to seed the athletes.

As is the rule, the ranking points obtained at the 2026 Senior World Championships will be removed after the 2027 Senior World Championships.

A key change is that at the Olympic Games, the seed belongs to the country, which keeps the seed even if it replaces the athlete who earned it. In all other events, the seed belongs to the wrestler, and a nation loses that seed if a different athlete competes.

For clarification regarding the new Olympic qualification process, all NFs and NOCs can contact sports@uww.org.