#panam2018

Cuba and USA Set to Clash in #PanAm2018 Men’s Freestyle Finals

Sunday, May 6, 2018 - 21:45 By Taylor Miller

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Lima (May 6) – Cuba and the USA will have four head-to-head matchups in Sunday night’s men’s freestyle finals at the 2018 Pan American Championships in Lima, Peru. Overall, the U.S. put seven in the finals, while Cuba advanced five.

Finals at 74 kg, 86 kg, 97 kg and 125 kg will pit the nations against each other.

At 74 kg, Nazar KULCHYTSKYY (USA) will challenge 2012 Olympic bronze medalist and three-time World medalist Livan LOPEZ AZCUY (CUB) for the title. Both wrestlers teched their ways to the finals.

2018 Ivan Yarygin Memorial champion David TAYLOR (USA) is set to do battle with two-time defending Pan Am champion Yurieski TORREBLANCA QUERALTA (CUB).

In the semifinals, Torreblanca edged out Pedro Francisco CEBALLOS FUENTES (VEN), who finished fifth at the 2016 Olympic Games. Torreblanca took a 3-1 decision to earn his spot in the final.

Three-time Senior World bronze medalist Reineris SALAS PEREZ (CUB) put himself in position to wrestle for gold with decisive wins over opponents from Dominican Republic, Canada and Puerto Rico.

Advancing through the other side at 97 kg was Kyven GADSON (USA), who edged out a win on criteria over Jose DIAZ ROBERTTI (VEN), 3-3, in the semis.

The 125 kg final features 2017 World bronze medalist Nick GWAIZDOWSKI (USA) against two-time Pan American silver medalist Yudenny ALPAJON ESTEVEZ (CUB).  Neither wrestler gave up a point in the first half of the day. Gwiazdowski outscored his opponents, 22-0, and Alpajon outscored his competition, 15-0.

There were two semifinals, 57 kg and 65 kg, where the USA and Cuba matched up. They split the bouts.

At 57 kg, U23 World champion Reineri ANDREU ORTEGA (CUB) advanced to the finals, after taking out 2017 Senior World silver medalist Thomas GILMAN (USA) in the semifinals with a 7-4 win.

In gold-medal match, Andreu will take on 2017 Junior Pan Am finalist Oscar Eduardo TIGREROS URBANO (COL).

2016 World champion Logan STIEBER (USA) emerged victorious from the 65 kg semifinal that pitted him against 2017 World bronze medalist Alejandro Enrique VALDES TOBIER (CUB). Stieber came back from a 7-0 deficit to lead Valdes, 10-9, with six seconds left when Valdes injury defaulted.

Stieber will take on Abel Gerald HERRERA PASTOR (PER), who teched his way to the finals, guaranteeing a medal for the host country.

Two others from the United States seek gold tonight, Joseph COLON (USA) at 61 kg and James GREEN (USA) at 70 kg. Both competed in six-man brackets that went through pool play before deciding semifinalists.

A 2017 World silver medalist and 2015 World bronze winner, Green is the only U.S. wrestler looking to defend his 2017 Pan Am title. He will face Hernan Dario GUZMAN IPUZ (COL), who he defeated earlier in the day with a 13-2 technical fall.

Colon will face Joshua BODNARCHUK (CAN), who he also defeated in the morning session, 11-1.

A slight change in the schedule sets tonight’s finals for 6 p.m. ET live on unitedworldwrestling.org.

MEN’S FREESTYLE MATCHUPS
57 kg
GOLD - Oscar Eduardo TIGREROS URBANO (COL) vs. Reineri ANDREU ORTEGA (CUB)
BRONZE - Pedro Jesus MEJIAS RODRIGUEZ (VEN) vs. Thomas Patrick GILMAN (USA)
BRONZE – Victor Manuel BARRON CARDENAS (MEX) vs. Juan Rubelin RAMIREZ BELTRE (DOM)

61 kg
GOLD - Joseph Daniel COLON (USA) vs. Joshua BODNARCHUK (CAN)
BRONZE - Juan Antonio RODRIGUEZ JOVEL (ESA) vs. Alexis OLVERA MAGALLANES (MEX)

65 kg
GOLD - Abel Gerald HERRERA PASTOR (PER) vs. Logan Jeffery STIEBER (USA)
BRONZE - Michael Stanley David ASSELSTINE (CAN) vs. Alejandro Enrique VALDES TOBIER (CUB)
BRONZE – Albaro RUDESINDO CAMACHO (DOM) vs. Freddy Leonardo VERA FAJARDO (ECU

70 kg
GOLD - James Malcolm GREEN (USA) vs. Hernan Dario GUZMAN IPUZ (COL)
BRONZE - Marcos PEREIRA DE OLIVEIRA JUNIOR (BRA) vs. Alexander CHAVES (CAN)

74 kg
GOLD - Nazar KULCHYTSKYY (USA) vs. Livan LOPEZ AZCUY (CUB)
BRONZE - Jevon BALFOUR (CAN) vs. Nestor Joaquin TAFUR BARRIOS (COL)
BRONZE – Jorge Ivan LLANO (ARG) vs. Carlos Eduardo ROMERO MILLAQUEO (CHI)

86 kg
GOLD - Yurieski TORREBLANCA QUERALTA (CUB) vs. David Morris TAYLOR III (USA)
BRONZE - Julio Rafael RODRIGUEZ ROMERO (DOM) vs. Pool Edinson AMBROCIO GREIFO (PER)
BRONZE – Carlos Arturo IZQUIERDO MENDEZ (COL) vs. Pedro Francisco CEBALLOS FUENTES (VEN)

97 kg
GOLD - Kyven Ross GADSON (USA) vs. Reineris SALAS PEREZ (CUB)
BRONZE - Charles Zachary MERRILL (PUR) vs. Jordan STEEN (CAN)
BRONZE – Miguel Javier SANCHEZ GERALDO (MEX) vs. Jose Daniel DIAZ ROBERTTI (VEN)

125 kg
GOLD - Yudenny ALPAJON ESTEVEZ (CUB) vs. Nicholas Edward GWIAZDOWSKI (USA)
BRONZE - Catriel Pehuen MURIEL (ARG) vs. Carlos Jose FELIX GARCIA (DOM)
BRONZE - Jose Noel ERAZO HENRIQUEZ (ESA) vs. Korey JARVIS (CAN)

 

#WrestleUlaanbaatar

Ulaanbaatar Open 2025 Live Blog: Day 2

Friday, May 30, 2025 - 02:48 By Vinay Siwach

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ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (May 30) -- The action after Ulaanbaatar Open 2025 continues with three Greco-Roman weight classes and five Women's Wrestling weight classes in the Mongolian capital. European champion Kerem KAMAL (TUR) is at 63kg while a strong women's field will also be on the mat.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 1 RESULTS

14:55: NEHA (IND) ends the 57kg semifinal with a double-leg attack for four points and beats Ana PEREIRA (BRA) 11-0 to enter the final at 57kg against Bolortuya KHURELKHUU (MGL).

14:50: Mongolia has a finalist! Bolortuya KHURELKHUU (MGL) manages to beat European silver medalist Elvira SULEYMAN KAMALOGLU (TUR) 4-0 in the 57kg semifinal.

14:40: Natalia MALYSHEVA (UWW) enters the final at 53kg after an 11-4 win over Otgontuya CHINBOLD (MGL). Apart from the four-point throw from Chinbold, Malysheva never looked in trouble in the semifinal. She will face Antim in the final, who won their round-robin match.

14:27: ANTIM (IND) puts on a takedown masterclass in the 53kg semifinal and beats Ariunzaya ODONCHIMEG (MGL) 10-0 to enter the final.

14:24: Another pin in semifinals! Natalia PUDOVA (UWW) survives a pin attempt from Munkhnar BYAMBASUREN (MGL) and then flips the script with a over-under throw and secures the fall. She will wrestle Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) for the gold medal.

14:20: Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) and NEELAM (IND) put on a show in the 50kg semifinal. Neelam tried to trip Demirhan who counter trips for four points. India challenge but is lost. Neelam goes behind in the next action and throw Demirhan for four points. But Demirhan keeps Neelam in a headlock and secures the pin.

14:10: Hanjae CHUNG (KOR) books a rematch with Kerem KAMAL (TUR) in the 63kg final after a hard-fought victory over Mohammad KESHTKAR (IRI). Keshtkar was cautioned early and Chung led 1-0. He got the par terre to be 2-0 up but failed to score. Keshtkar got on board with the par terre point in the second period but did not score any points. He threw everything he had at Chung who defended all attacks for a 2-1 win.

14:00: In the first semifinal at 63kg, Kerem KAMAL (TUR) manages to hold off an attacking Aref MOHAMMADI (QAT) for a 6-3 win. Mohammadi scored a takedown early to lead 2-0 but Kamal got a reverse left for two points from par terre and then a takedown to lead 6-2. A stepout late made it 6-3 but that was all as Kamal enters the final.

13:40: In the final match of the session, Enes BASAR (TUR) bounces back after being 2-0 down with a series of gut wrenches and wins 10-2 at 60kg. The semifinals for a few weight classes will begin now. 

13:10: ANTIM (IND) was kept quiet for the first two minutes of the bout but Natalia MALYSHEVA (UWW) gives up a takedown and Antim goes for the leg lace for a turn. Malysheva defends but Antim then goes the other way for lace and gets the 11-0 win at 53kg.

13:00: Asian medalist and former world U17 champion HARSHITA (IND) with her second win at 72kg. She beats Kristina BRATCHIKOVA (UWW) 11-0 in Round 3

12:55: Bediha GUN (TUR) would be upset with herself as he lets go off an advantageous situation and leads 6-6 on criteria to Anudari BATKHUYAG (MGL) at 59kg.

12:45: Kerem KAMAL (TUR) continues to power his way at 63kg as he downs Hanjae CHUNG (KOR) majorly with his defense. Chung got the par terre advantage but Kamal managed to sneak out of a bodylock. He failed to score from par terre as well but scored a takedown later to make it 3-1. Lost challenge from Korea gave him another point.  

12:35: NEHA (IND) seems unfazed in her first senior international tournament. She pins Munkhchimeg URJIN (MGL) in her second bout of the day.

12:30: Enes BASAR (TUR) needs only one minute and 18 seconds to beat SURAJ (IND) 8-0 at 60kg and take a big step towards the gold medal.

12:15: Hamza BAKIR (TUR) keeps his winning run at 130kg. He beats PREM (IND) via technical superiority and is now the favorite to win the gold medal.

11:55: Big win for world U20 bronze medalist NEHA (IND) over European silver medalist Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR) at 57kg. The 18-year-old physical overpowered Kamaloglu and scored takedown. Kamaloglu scored a four-pointer but still went down 7-4 in a Round 2.

11:45: Natalia PUDOVA (UWW) with a big comeback win over NEELAM (IND). Pudova claims a 6-5 win at 50kg. The two wrestlers may wrestle again in the final if they can win all their remaining matches.

11:35: Akyl SULAIMANOV (KGZ) gave a scare to Enes BASAR (TUR) when he made it 5-5 with two minutes to go but Basar never got deterred with the score. He remains calm and wins 15-5.

11:26: European champion Kerem KAMAL (TUR) with a 4-1 win over Doolotbek CHOIBEKOV (KGZ). Kamal scored a turn from par terre and also had a point for lost challenge and then defended from par terre to win 4-1 at 63kg.

11:15: The only Brazil wrestler to have made the long trip to Ulaanbaatar Open makes it worth it as Ana PEREIRA (BRA) begins with a 2-1 win over Enkhtuvshin BALJINNYAM (MGL) at 57kg.

11:00: A little heated bout on Mat C between Mohammad KESHTKAR (IRI) and Aref MOHAMMADI (QAT) at 63kg, which ends in a thrilling fashion. Mohammadi was given both passivity advantages and he led 2-0 till the final 10 seconds. However, Keshtkar tried desperate headlock which Mohammadi seemed to have blocked. As Mohammadi scored the takedown, Keshtkar countered with a continuous roll and got two points. It was scored two points for Mohammadi and two points for Keshtkar. However, Iran challenged the call and on review, it was scored only two points for Keshtkar, as his attempted headpinch was called a slip throw. Keshtkar wins 2-2 on criteria.

10:55: Hanjae CHUNG (KOR) with two massive throws to stun Doolotbek CHOIBEKOV (KGZ) in the Round 1 bout of 63kg. Chung has been a former Asian Championships medalist and always a threat for medal.

10:50: Former world U17 champion SURAJ (IND) got throw for a four-pointer from Ganbayar NAMSRAI (MGL) but that was his only loss in concentration as he wins 8-5 against Namsrai at 60kg.

10:45: Paris Olympian Enes BASAR (TUR) defended well from par terre and beats Kurmanbek ZHAPAROV (KGZ) 8-3 to start his 63kg campaign.

10:30: Mongolia had some wrestle-offs to decide its competitors for the main draw as it had 5 wrestlers entered in a few categories. But we are all set for the Greco-Roman and Women's Wrestling now.