#WrestleGuatemalaCity

Cuatro Países Recogen Múltiples Campeonas de Estilo Libre Femenina

By Taylor Miller

GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala – Cuatro países ganaron más que una campeona en la acción de jueves del Campeonato Panamericano Juvenil en la Ciudad de Guatemala.

USA tuvo tres campeones en el estilo libre femenina, mientras Brasil, Colombia y Cuba ganaron dos campeonas cada uno.

Los Estados Unidos ganó el título del equipo con 210 puntos. En segundo lugar fue Canadá con 134 puntos y Brasil terminó en tercer lugar con 102 puntos.

Final team standings
1. USA – 210
2. Canada – 134
3. Brazil – 102
4. Ecuador – 72
5. Cuba – 70
6. Colombia – 50
7. Peru – 42
8. Panama – 31
9. Guatemala – 24
10. Argentina – 22

50 kg: Lucia YEPEZ GUZMAN (ECU) fue impresionante con tres victorias de puesta espalda y una victoria por decisión. En los finales Yépez derrotó a la Campeona Olímpica Juvenil y Campeona Mundial en la categoría cadetes Emily SHILSON (USA), 5-4. Es su tercer título panamericano y primero en el nivel juvenil.

GOLD – Lucia YEPEZ GUZMAN (ECU) df. Emily SHILSON (USA), 5-4
BRONZE – Evelyn MATOS SANTOS (BRA) df. Alexia SEAL (CAN), fall 2:27

53 kg: Laura HERIN AVILA (CUB) ganó el oro en 53 kg. Derrotó a la medallista de bronce mundial Tiare IKEI (USA) en su final combate, 10-0.

GOLD – Laura HERIN AVILA (CUB)
SILVER – Tiare IKEI (USA)
BRONZE – Becky CORNEJO MUNOZ (ECU)

55 kg: Alisha HOWK (USA) fue la primera campeona de los Estados Unidos de la noche. Dos de sus cuatro victorias fueron por puesta espalda.

GOLD – Alisha HOWK (USA)
SILVER - Nathaly HERRERA HUACRE (PER)
BRONZE - Virginie KAZE GASCON (CAN)

57 kg: Ana PEREIRA FRANCA (BRA) gano el primer oro del noche para Brasil. Nadie pudo marcarle puntos durante todo el torneo.

GOLD – Ana PEREIRA FRANCA (BRA)
SILVER – Gabrielle SKIDMORE (USA)
BRONZE – Jolie BRISCO (CAN)

59 kg: Katherine RENTERIA CUERO (COL) repitió como campeona panamericana juvenil. Ella recibió la bota de oro por ser la luchadora más destacada del torneo. Ganó cuatro combates con dos puestas espaldas y dos superioridades técnicas.  

GOLD – Katherine RENTERIA CUERO (COL)
SILVER – Emma PARKER (CAN)
BRONZE – Mia MACALUSO (USA)

62 kg: Dayselis RODRIGUEZ GARCIA (CUB) ganó el oro en su primera competencia panamericana. En su final lucha, Rodríguez ganó contra Meiriele CHARAMBA SANTOS HORA (BRA) por puesta espaldas.

GOLD – Dayselis RODRIGUEZ GARCIA (CUB)
SILVER – Alex LILES (USA)
BRONZE – Meiriele CHARAMBA SANTOS HORA (BRA)

65 kg: Cara BROADUS (CAN) tuvo un día fuerte con dos victorias por puesta espalda para ganar su primer título panamericano. Ella fue la segunda campeona de USA.

GOLD – Cara BROADUS (USA)
SILVER – Jamilex CUMBICOS CASTILLO (ECU)
BRONZE – Katie MULKAY (CAN)

68 kg: La segunda campeona brasileña fue Thamires MARTINS MACHADO (BRA). Todas de sus victorias fueron por superioridad técnica. Ha mejorado mucho desde su último torneo panamericano, donde resulto en el sexto lugar en 2017.

GOLD – Thamires MARTINS MACHADO (BRA)
SILVER – Alma MENDOZA (USA)
BRONZE – Berit JOHNSON (CAN)

72 kg: Tatiana RENTERIA (COL) ganó el segundo oro para Colombia. En su final combate, derrotó a Dymond GUILFORD (USA) con una acción de cinco puntos.

GOLD – Tatiana RENTERIA (COL)
SILVER – Dymond GUILFORD (USA)
BRONZE – Lily FRENCH (CAN)

76 kg: Kenya-Lee SLOAN (USA) fue la tercera campeona estadounidense. En camino a su medalla de oro, Sloan derrotó a la Campeona Olímpica Juvenil Milaimys MARIN POTRILLE (CUB) en la cuarta ronda por puesta espalda.

GOLD – Kenya-Lee SLOAN (USA)
SILVER – Milaimys MARIN POTRILLE (CUB)
BRONZE – Jasmine THEBEAU (CAN)

#WrestleZagreb

Zagreb Open Best Move: Blades Suplex

By Vinay Siwach

ZAGREB, Croatia (February 14) -- Kennedy BLADES (USA) is making the suplex her own. After thrilling a packed Champs de Mars Arena with a majestic suplex at the Paris Olympics, the 21-year-old star began her 2025 season with two of them at the Zagreb Open last week.

"When I get behind, in my mind, I am like I have to execute this because it's so rare to hit a suplex," Blades said in Zagreb. "So every time I get behind in matches or big stages, I try to hit the suplex. I want to do it at the world stage because I know it will be on the highlights."

At the Zagreb Open, Blades was at 68kg, two weight classes down from 76kg, in which she won the silver medal at the Paris Games. She debuted at 68kg with a fall over Kendra DACHER (FRA) and another fall over world bronze medalist Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE).

The first glimpse of her suplex in the match against Noémi SZABADOS (HUN). Close to a minute had gone in the bout when Blades used her reach for a outside single-leg. Instead of going for a takedown, she stood up and locked Szabados from behind and out came the throw.

However, the perfect arch was missing and it was awarded four points.

Blades wasn't satisfied. In Round 5 and leading 7-0, Blades countered Karolina POK (HUN) in a perfect set up for a suplex. Pok made a half-hearted attempt for a headlock but Blades snuck out and moved behind.

Pok knew it was coming. She did not resist and Blades did not relent. A picture-perfect arch, a beautiful throw, safe landing and a cheeky smile at the end. Blades was content.

"I just feel like when someone gets a headlock, they probably have to throw it really hard because growing up, I used to wrestle Greco in the summer," she said. "So my coach always taught us how to set up the suplex if they grab your head for a headlock and they don't go. When someone gets in a headlock position and they don't go super hard, then the suplex is there. If I would ever be in that position, I just go flat because I know that they can probably throw me. "

While it has become relatively easy for Blades to throw her opponents at 68kg, she still needs to tackle their speed and movement.

"I think at 68kg, the girls just feel lighter and that's what makes it a tiny bit easier," she said. "The difference though is that they wrestle a little bit more so my conditioning and footwork needs to be better. Whereas at 76kg, they're kind of hand fighting. It's more like strength. But at 68kg, it's speed and technique. It's hard to distinguish if it's easier or not, but I think the fact that I was able to lift the girls up easy was the best thing ever."

The suplex isn't new to Blades. She performed one at the U20 World Championships back in 2021, then at the Olympics and now in Zagreb. However, Blades picks the one in Paris as the best one so far.

"The best suplex is probably my Olympic one because that was straight back on her neck, on the Olympic stage, first match." she said. "I was on fire. I kind of want to see that the suplex I just hit because I think it was pretty nice. But the Olympic one is so hard to beat and I was in a pink singlet."