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Cuba and USA Sweep Freestyle Gold Medals in Lima

Monday, May 7, 2018 - 02:22 By Taylor Miller

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LIMA (May 6) – The top of the podium was flooded with wrestlers clad in red, white and blue all night as USA produced five men’s freestyle Pan American champions, while Cuba claimed the other three gold medals in the final night of competition at the 2018 Pan American Championships.

The two nations went head-to-head in four of the night’s finals, trading gold-medal wins to split them 2-2.

2012 Olympic bronze medalist and three-time World medalist Livan LOPEZ AZCUY (CUBA) gave his nation a win in the first Cuba/USA final of the night with a convincing 6-1 victory against Nazar KULCHYTSKYY (USA) in the 74 kg gold-medal match.

The win marked Lopez’s third Pan American Championships title. His last one came in 2016.

At 86 kg, Yarygin champion David TAYLOR (USA) outlasted two-time Pan Am champion Yudenny TORREBLANCA (CUB) in a 3-2 win. Torreblanca struck first with a takedown but it was not enough as Taylor scored a takedown of his own to close out the first period. A second-period step out sealed the win for the American.

Three-time World medalist Reineris SALAS PEREZ (CUB) put up a decisive win against Kyven GADSON (USA) to take the crown at 92 kg. His 8-2 victory gave Salas Perez his fifth Pan American Championships title.

Closing out the night in the 125 kg final was 2017 World bronze medalist Nick GWIAZDOWSKI (USA), who shut out two-time Pan Am silver medalist Yudenny ALPAJON ESTEVEZ (CUB) with a 9-0 performance.

Other U.S. wrestlers winning gold included Logan STIEBER (USA) at 65 kg and James GREEN (USA) at 70 kg.

2016 World champion Stieber claimed top prize at 65 kg, wrapping up a 10-0 tech fall early in the first period over home crowd favorite Abel HERRERA PASTOR (PER). Stieber improved upon his third-place finish from last year.

For his efforts, Stieber was named the tournament’s outstanding wrestler.

Green, a 2017 World silver medalist and 2015 World bronze medalist, captured his second-consecutive Pan Am gold at 70 kg. In Sunday night’s finals, Green dominated Hernan GUZMAN IPUZ (COL) with a 10-0 victory. It was his second tech fall over the Colombian as the two met earlier in the day in pool action.

Joseph COLON (USA) also won a gold medal for the U.S. defeating Joshua Bodnarchuk of Canada in their second meeting of the day with a 10-0 technical fall.

Reineri ANDREU ORTEGA (CUB) won the first gold medal of the night for Cuba with first-period tech fall over Oscar TIGREROS URBANO (COL) in the 57 kg final. It was the Cuban’s second tech fall of day.

His day was highlighted by a 7-4 win over 2017 World silver medalist Thomas GILMAN (USA).

The USA ran away with the team title, scoring 230 points, which was 100 points more than runner-up Cuba. Taking home bronze in the team race was Canada with 123 points.

MEN’S FREESTYLE RESULTS
57 kg
GOLD - Reineri ANDREU ORTEGA (CUB) df. Oscar Eduardo TIGREROS URBANO (COL), 10-0
BRONZE - Thomas Patrick GILMAN (USA) df. Pedro Jesus MEJIAS RODRIGUEZ (VEN), 11-4
BRONZE – Juan Rubelin RAMIREZ BELTRE (DOM) win by forfeit Victor Manuel BARRON CARDENAS (MEX)

61 kg
GOLD - Joseph Daniel COLON (USA) df. Joshua BODNARCHUK (CAN), 10-0
BRONZE - Juan Antonio RODRIGUEZ JOVEL (ESA) df. Alexis OLVERA MAGALLANES (MEX), 8-6

65 kg
GOLD - Logan Jeffery STIEBER (USA) df. Abel Gerald HERRERA PASTOR (PER), 10-0
BRONZE - Alejandro Enrique VALDES TOBIER (CUB) df. Michael Stanley David ASSELSTINE (CAN), 10-0
BRONZE – Albaro RUDESINDO CAMACHO (DOM) df. Freddy Leonardo VERA FAJARDO (ECU), 10-0

70 kg
GOLD - James Malcolm GREEN (USA) df. Hernan Dario GUZMAN IPUZ (COL), 10-0
BRONZE - Alexander CHAVES (CAN) df. Marcos PEREIRA DE OLIVEIRA JUNIOR (BRA), 10-0

74 kg
GOLD - Livan LOPEZ AZCUY (CUB) df. Nazar KULCHYTSKYY (USA), 6-1
BRONZE - Nestor Joaquin TAFUR BARRIOS (COL) dec. Jevon BALFOUR (CAN), 8-6
BRONZE – Jorge Ivan LLANO (ARG) df. Carlos Eduardo ROMERO MILLAQUEO (CHI), 9-1

86 kg
GOLD - David Morris TAYLOR III (USA) df. Yurieski TORREBLANCA QUERALTA (CUB), 3-2
BRONZE - Pool Edinson AMBROCIO GREIFO (PER) df. Julio Rafael RODRIGUEZ ROMERO (DOM), 10-0
BRONZE – Pedro Francisco CEBALLOS FUENTES (VEN) win by forfeit Carlos Arturo IZQUIERDO MENDEZ (COL)

97 kg
GOLD - Reineris SALAS PEREZ (CUB) df. Kyven Ross GADSON (USA), 8-2
BRONZE - Jordan STEEN (CAN) df. Charles Zachary MERRILL (PUR), 11-1
BRONZE – Jose Daniel DIAZ ROBERTTI (VEN) df. Miguel Javier SANCHEZ GERALDO (MEX), 11-0

125 kg
GOLD - Nicholas Edward GWIAZDOWSKI (USA) df. Yudenny ALPAJON ESTEVEZ (CUB), 9-0
BRONZE - Catriel Pehuen MURIEL (ARG) df. Carlos Jose FELIX GARCIA (DOM), 13-3
BRONZE - Korey JARVIS (CAN) df. Jose Noel ERAZO HENRIQUEZ (ESA), 10-0

#WrestleUlaanbaatar

Ulaanbaatar Open 2026 Greco-Roman Day 1 Results & Highlights

Wednesday, June 3, 2026 - 17:22 By Vinay Siwach

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ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (June 4) -- The first day of the Ulaanbaatar Open will feature seven Greco-Roman weight classes. The third Ranking Series stop offers vital Ranking points which will in turn help earn a seed at the World Championships.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | ULAANBAATAR OPEN PREVIEW

14:35: 97kg semifinals - Minho LEE (KOR) showed some fight but eventually fizzled out as Nurassyl AMANALY (KAZ) secured the fall after a 10-4 lead. Amanaly will face Asian silver medalist NITESH (IND) in the final after the Indian defeated Gankhuyag GANBAATAR (MGL), 4-1. 

14:10: The 87kg semifinals took some time but they are done! Azat SALIDINOV (KGZ) finished his semifinal with a 9-0 victory over Seunghwan LEE (KOR) and in the second semifinal, Asian bronze medalist Sunil KUMAR (IND) held on to a 3-1 victory over Luis AVENDANO (VEN) after scoring a turn from par terre in the second period.

Switching to remaining semifinals on one mat!

13:45: An all-Bulgarian final at 82kg! Deyvid DIMITROV (BUL) wins his semifinal 9-1 in the first period against Imur TEMIRBEKOV (KGZ) while Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL) blanks Lkhagvasuren DASHJAMTS (MGL), 9-0.

13:30: At 77kg, Amuguleng BAI (CHN) with a four-point throw in the final 10 seconds to stun Bekzat ORUNKUL UULU (KGZ), 7-6, and advance to the finals. Bai was trailing 6-3 but out of nowhere he launches Orunkul Uulu to secure the win. He will face Stoyan KUBATOV (BUL) for the gold medal after he posted a controlled 3-1 win over Yeonghun NOH (KOR)

13:20: No mercy from Iranian duo of Danial SOHRABI (IRI) and Javad REZAEI (IRI) in 72kg semifinals. A very identical bout in their respective matches as both Sohrabi and Rezaei won in 1:39 seconds and score of 9-0. Sohrabi defeated Amanat SAMAT UULU (KGZ) while Rezaei moved past Zhantoro MIRZALIEV (KGZ) and will meet in the 72kg final.

13:15: The semifinals will begin with 67kg. Murat FIRAT (TUR) up against Sachin SAHRAWAT (IND) in the semifinals. He scores a stepout before given a par terre position from which he turns Sahrawat and then lifts him to throw for four points. India challenge the last throw but loses it and Firat wins 9-0. He will face Xinxin JIN (CHN) for the gold medal after Jin upsets Tsuchika SHIMOYAMADA (AUS), 4-2, in the other semifinal.

12:45: Payam AHMADI (IRI) does it! He wins the gold at 55kg after winning his Round 4 bout against Emin CAKIR (TUR), 9-0, his fourth technical superiority win of the morning session. He completed a 17-second win in Round 3. 

12:20: Tsuchika SHIMOYAMADA (AUS) continues his dominant run at 67kg as he beats Karanjit SINGH (IND), 12-3. Singh got the par terre and scored a turn but Shimoyamada used an arm-throw to take a 4-3 lead. He used another arm throw but did not succeed. However, he wrapped Singh's arm around his head to turn the Indian twice and lead 8-3. He used a reverse lift for four points to finish the bout right at the stroke of the break.

12:00: Continuing the round-robin bracket at 55kg, world silver medalist Payam AHMADI (IRI) with two beautiful throws over Davaabandi MUNKH ERDENE (MGL) to win his second bout 8-0. Two more wins and he will claim the gold medal.

11:45: At 97kg, Asian silver medalist NITESH (IND) has to work hard for his 3-1 victory over Juan DIAZ (VEN) in the quarterfinals. Nitesh is the favourite to win the gold medal but still needs two more wins.

11:22: Asian silver medalist Javad REZAEI (IRI) takes less than two minutes to complete a 10-0 win over former U23 world champion Sultan ASSETULY (KAZ) at 72kg. Two Iran wrestlers are entered at 72kg. Apart from Rezaei, Sohrabi is also wrestling in Ulaanbaatar with Iran hoping that they face each other and the winner likely to get the spot on the Iran team for the World Championships.

11:15: European silver medalist Murat FIRAT (TUR) takes some time but manages an 8-0 technical superiority victory over ALAMUSI (CHN) in 4:49 at 67kg.

11:10: No troubles for world bronze medalist and defending champion in Ulaanbaatar, Danial SOHRABI (IRI) as he finishes Borgil TUVSHINBAATAR (MGL) in just a minute and 26 seconds at 72kg. Sohrabi wins 10-0

11:00: Former Asian champion Tsuchika SHIMOYAMADA (AUS) with a statement win over Man Gwang SON (PRK) at 67kg. He got highlight reel going with big four-pointers as he moves on with a 10-1 victory

10:52: Amantur ISMAILOV (KGZ) with a big head lock throw and holds ANIL (IND) for a fall in the opening round bout at 72kg.

10:45: World silver medalist Payam AHMADI (IRI), in a Nordic bracket at 55kg, begins with a technical superiority win over Asian silver medalist LALIT (IND). He scored a takedown to lead 2-0 before given the par terre position. From 3-0, he scored a turn to make it 5-0 and Lalit committed a leg foul which gave two more points to Ahmadi. India challenge the call but it is lost, giving an 8-0 victory to Ahmadi 

10:30: Welcome to Ulaanbaatar Open in the Mongolian capital. Seven Greco-Roman weight classes will kick off the competition.