#Lima2019

Cuba and USA impress in Pan Am Games finals on Friday

By Taylor Miller

LIMA, Peru – USA won three gold medals, while Cuba dominated to a Pan Am Games title on Friday night in Lima, Peru.

The United States picked up two titles in women’s freestyle and one in men’s freestyle.

At 62 kg, Kayla MIRACLE (USA) defeated two-time Olympic bronze medalist for the title with a dominant technical fall. Miracle led 7-0 at the break before finishing up the match with a takedown and later a crotch lift for an eventual 12-0 win.

Winning gold at 68 kg was 2018 World bronze medalist Tamyra MENSAH-STOCK (USA), who picked up a win by pin in 2:17 in the finals over 2017 Pan American champion Olivia DI BACCO (CAN). The fall came shortly after Mensah-Stock scored on a single leg.

2017 Junior World champion Daton FIX (USA) won gold in men’s freestyle at 57 kg, rolling to a quick 11-0 win in about 90 seconds over 2011 Pan Am Games champion Juan RAMÍREZ BELTRE (DOM).

Earlier in the day, Fix recorded a 4-1 win over 2017 U23 World champion Reineri ANDREU ORTEGA (CUB).

Claiming a gold for Cuba on Friday was two-time Senior World bronze medalist Alejandro VALDÉS TOBIER (CUB), who won the 65 kg bracket in men’s freestyle.

Valdes screamed past Albaro RUDESINDO CAMACHO (DOM) with a first-period 10-0 technical fall. It marks Valdes' fourth Pan Am level gold medal. 

In addition to Valdes’ gold, Cuba won three other bronze medals, coming at 68 kg and 76 kg in women’s freestyle and 57 kg in men’s freestyle.

There was one other gold medal match on Friday night.

Representing Canada, Justina DI STASIO (CAN), a 2018 World champion at 72 kg, won the women’s freestyle 76 kg title on Friday night, outlasting 2014 World silver medalist Lais NUNES DE OLIVEIRA (BRA), 2-1. Di Stasio held criteria, 1-1, at the end of the match but received another point when Brazil challenged a call but failed.

The tournament wraps up on Saturday with the remaining men’s freestyle weights – 74 kg, 86 kg, 97 kg and 125 kg.

2019 PAN AMERICAN GAMES

Women’s freestyle results
62 kg
GOLD - Kayla MIRACLE (USA) df. Jackeline RENTERIA CASTILLO (COL), 12-0
BRONZE - Lais NUNES DE OLIVEIRA (BRA) df. Nathali GRIMAN HERRERA (VEN), 4-1
BRONZE - Abnelis YAMBO MIRANDA (PUR) df. Mayra ANTES CASTILLO (ECU), fall 2:54

68 kg
GOLD - Tamyra MENSAH (USA) df. Olivia DI BACCO (CAN), fall 2:17
BRONZE -Ambar GARNICA FLORES (MEX) df. Yanet SOVERO NIÑO (PER), 8-5
BRONZE -Yudari SÁNCHEZ RODRÍGUEZ (CUB) df. Maria ACOSTA ACOSTA (VEN), 5-3

76 kg
GOLD - Justina DI STASIO (CAN) df. Aline DA SILVA FERREIRA (BRA), 2-1
BRONZE - Mabelkis CAPOTE PÉREZ (CUB) df. Diana CRUZ ARROYO (PER), 10-0
BRONZE - Andrea OLAYA GUTIERREZ (COL) df. Andrimar LAZARO DIAZ (VEN), 4-0

Men’s freestyle results
57 kg
GOLD -Daton FIX (USA) df. Juan RAMÍREZ BELTRE (DOM), 11-0
BRONZE - Reineri ANDREU ORTEGA (CUB) df. Daniel ALVES DO NASCIMENTO (BRA), 10-0
BRONZE -Darthe CAPELLAN (CAN) df. Oscar TIGREROS URBANO (COL), 8-7

65 kg
GOLD - Alejandro VALDÉS TOBIER (CUB) df. Albaro RUDESINDO CAMACHO (DOM), 10-0
BRONZE -Jaydin EIERMAN (USA) df. Agustin DESTRIBATS (ARG), 15-4
BRONZE - Mauricio SANCHEZ SALTO (ECU) df. Brandon DÍAZ RAMÍREZ (MEX), 3-0

#WrestleBudapest

Higuchi, Kiyooka reach finals at Budapest Ranking Series

By Vinay Siwach

BUDAPEST, Hungary (June 6) -- The final Ranking Series before the Olympics kicks off in Budapest. Seven weight classes in Freestyle will be in action with top wrestlers in all the weight categories. The ranking, and ultimately the seeds for the Olympics will be determined after this Ranking Series.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER

13:25: Abbas EBRAHIMZADEH (IRI) blanks Haji ALIYEV (AZE) 6-0 in the 65kg semifinal. Top win for the Iran wrestler who will now wrestle Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) for the gold medal. Kiyooka defended well against a storming Austin GOMEZ (MEX) in the second period to win 12-6.

13:00: AMAN (IND) moves into the final of the 57kg after a 14-4 technical superiority win over Aryan TSIUTRYN (AIN). He will wrestle world silver medalist Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) for the gold medal. Higuchi was in all sorts of trouble in his semifinal against Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE) when the Azerbaijan wrestler used a high chest wrap to lead 8-0. But Higuchi managed to defend the last turn. He scores a takedown and uses a gut wrench to finish the bout 18-8 inside the first period.

12:45: An upset from Yusup BATIRMURZAEV (KAZ) as he pins Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) in the 125kg final. Petriashvili looks in some trouble with his elbow and has called for a medical timeout. But the pin takes him out of the final. 

12:40: Alisher YERGALI (KAZ) with a stunning late exposure takedown to beat Abolfazl BABALOO (IRI) 3-2 and enter the 97kg final. On Mat C, the 92kg world champion Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) looked like entering the final when he led 5-0 against Magomedkhan MAGOMEDGOV (AZE) but the Azerbaijani world silver medalist came back to beat him 15-7.

12:30: Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ) with a fall over Nahshon GARRETT (USA) after building a 10-1 lead in the 61kg semifinal. He will wrestle the winner of Shahdad Ali KHOSRAVI (IRI) and Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) for the gold medal.

12:15: That will sting Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) for some time. Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE) pins Abdullaev in the 57kg quarterfinal and sets up a semifinal against Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) who defeated Almaz SMANBEKOV (KGZ) 11-0 in the quarterfinal.

12:12: Haji ALIYEV (AZE) cannot find a way past Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) at 65kg! After building a 4-1 lead at the break, he hits a huge four-pointer on Aliyev to steer clear and win 9-3.

12:00: Mason PARRIS (USA) was checked by Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) on different occasions but Parris won the 125kg bout 9-2. The Georgian, who qualified for the Paris Olympics at 97kg, is wrestling at 125kg in this Ranking Series.

11:45: Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO), who got a walkover in his first bout, works to a technical superiority win over Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (AIN) at 125kg. Moments later, at 57kg, AMAN (IND) rolls to an 11-1 win over Roberti DINGASHVILI (GEO)

11:35: World champion Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) drops his Round 2 bout! Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) scores three technical points to lead 3-0 but Muszukajev's takedown cuts the lead to 3-2 with 30 seconds left on the clock. Kiyooka defends well and hits a counter takedown in the end, adding lace to win 7-2.  

11:27: Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) does not show up for his Round 2 bout against Haji ALIYEV (AZE) at 65kg. A big result for Aliyev who is now poised to finish at the top of group A.

11:25: Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) dominates Giorgi GONIASHVILI (GEO) at 61kg and wins 18-5 to advance. Harutyunyan will come down to 57kg for the Paris Olympics.

11:20: Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM), wrestling at 70kg instead of his preferred 65kg, rolls to an 11-0 victory at Alibek OSMONOV (KGZ). The ranking points won at 70kg will not be added to the ranking points of Tevanyan at 65kg.

11:15: Paris-bound wrestler Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) comes back from a 2-0 deficit to beat Ali Hossein MOMENIJOUJADEH (IRI) 6-2 at 57kg. He will wrestle Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE) in the quarterfinals.

11:00: Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM) with a top 9-2 win over Evan HENDERSON (USA) at 70kg. The Armenian controlled the bout throughout for the win. 

10:50: World champion Iszmail MUSZUKAKEV (HUN), wrestling for the first time since winning the World Championships, begins with a solid 6-2 win over Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB). He keeps it under control despite many attacks from Jalolov.

10:45: Haji ALIYEV (AZE) vs Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) felt like a long bout! Aliyev got a 1-0 lead at the break for Kiyooka's inactivity. Kiyooka got one point in the second period but Aliyev scored a counter just after the clock expired to lead 3-1. A stepout for Kiyooka with 17 seconds left on the clock. He needed a takedown to win and tried for one but Aliyev bodylocked for a takedown to win 5-2.

10:35: Austin GOMEZ (MEX), qualified for the Olympic Games at 65kg, begins with a 10-0 rout of Gyoergy SZILAGYI (HUN). The 65kg wrestlers are drawn in round-robin and will be wrestling again.

10:30: The first bouts in Budapest are crazy. Austin GOMEZ (MEX) is on Mat C but on Mat B, it's world champion Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) against Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) and on Mat C, it's Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) vs Haji ALIYEV (AZE).