#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)

 

#JapanWrestling

Ozaki, Tanabe take special wrestling trip to Iran

By Vinay Siwach

TEHRAN, Iran (April 28) — While most Paris Olympic medalist from Japan are preparing for June’s Meiji Cup at their base universities in Japan, world champion Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) and Asian champion Kaisei TANABE (JPN) have managed to squeeze in a educational trip to Iran despite their busy training schedule.

Ozaki, who won bronze medal at the Paris Olympics at 68kg, returned to international competition recently won a silver medal at 62kg at the Asian Championships in March. She is expected to compete at the Meiji Cup which will be held in Tokyo from June 19 to 22.

“I am in Iran right now,” Ozaki told UWW. “It’s a place I always wanted to visit. I am really happy.”

Ozaki visited Tehran as part of her education trip and exchanged wrestling notes with few of the Iranian wrestlers who are part of the team.

“Iran has many world and Olympic champions and I wanted to study wrestling here,” she said. “I stayed for a week and this experience will help me learn me about wrestling.”

Nonoka OZAKI (JPN)Nonoka OZAKI (JPN), left, and Kaisei TANABE (JPN), third from left, in Iran. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Tanabe won the gold medal at the Asian Championships at 65kg and also attended the training camp with Iran wrestlers.

The Nippon Sports Science University wrestler is also expected to compete at the Meiji Cup and if he wins, he will book his ticket to the World Championships in September where he can meet Paris Olympic silver medalist Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) who was present at the training camp in Tehran.

Amouzad lost the 65kg final in Paris to Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) who is a teammate of Tanabe at NSSU.