wrestleOaxtepec

Four Different Countries Claim Junior Women’s Titles at #WrestleOaxtepec

Friday, June 11, 2021 - 23:37 By Taylor Miller

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Photo of Nyla BURGESS (CAN). Photo by Osvaldo Aguilar. 

OAXTEPEC, Mexico – It was all women’s freestyle action today at the Cadet and Junior Pan American Championships, where 12 athletes claimed gold medals in Oaxtepec, Mexico.

This week, the top-eight in the Olympic weights of the Junior divisions will earn bids to the 2021 Junior Pan American Games in Cali, Colombia, in December.

Four different countries collected titles in the Junior women’s division. The champions included Amani JONES (USA) at 55 kg, Mayra PARRA ALVAREZ (VEN) at 57 kg, London HOUSTON (USA) at 59 kg, Yolanda CORDERO VARGAS (CUB) at 62 kg, Nyla BURGESS (CAN) at 68 kg and Yelena MAKOYED (USA) at 76 kg.

Parra’s win at 57 kg was the first gold for Venezuela since 2017.

In the Cadet division, USA won four of the six weights with gold medals from Brianna GONZALEZ (USA) at 46 kg, Faith COLE (USA) at 49 kg, Jaclyn DEHNEY (USA) at 53 kg and Marissa JIMENEZ (USA) at 61 kg.

Mexico picked up golds at the other two weights, with Bertha ROJAS CHAVEZ (MEX) winning at 57 kg and Melanie JIMENEZ VILLALBA (MEX) emerging victorious at 65 kg.

En español
OAXTEPEC, México – 12 más atletas ganaron medallas de oro en la competencia de hoy en solo estilo libre femenino en los campeonatos panamericanos cadete y juvenil en Oaxtepec, México.

En los torneos juveniles, los ocho mejores luchadores en las clases de peso olímpico califican para los Juegos Panamericanos Juveniles en diciembre en Cali, Colombia.

Ganando títulos en la división juvenil fueron Amani JONES (USA) en 55 kg, Mayra PARRA ALVAREZ (VEN) en 57 kg, London HOUSTON (USA) en 59 kg, Yolanda CORDERO VARGAS (CUB) en 62 kg, Nyla BURGESS (CAN) en 68 kg y Yelena MAKOYED (USA) en 76 kg.

La victoria de Parra fue la primera medalla de oro para Venezuela desde 2017.

En la division cadete, USA ganó cuatro de los seis pesos. Las campeonas estadounidenses fueron Brianna GONZALEZ (USA) en 46 kg, Faith COLE (USA) en 49 kg, Jaclyn DEHNEY (USA) en 53 kg y Marissa JIMENEZ (USA) en 61 kg.

México capturó oros en los otros dos pesos, con Bertha ROJAS CHAVEZ (MEX) ganando en 57 kg y Melanie JIMENEZ VILLALBA (MEX) superando en 65 kg.

JUNIOR WOMEN’S FREESTYLE RESULTS
55 kg
GOLD - Amani JONES (USA)
SILVER- Victoria ROJAS CHAVEZ (MEX)

57 kg
GOLD - Mayra PARRA ALVAREZ (VEN)
SILVER - Yailin JIMENEZ (DOM)
BRONZE - Bronwyn MACGREGOR (CAN)
BRONZE - Yaynelis SANZ VERDECIA (CUB)

59 kg
GOLD - London HOUSTON (USA)
SILVER - Jolie BRISCO (CAN)
BRONZE - Lucero SANCHEZ SILVA (MEX)

62 kg
GOLD - Yolanda CORDERO VARGAS (CUB)
SILVER - Astrid MONTERO CHIRINOS (VEN)
BRONZE - Aliyah YATES (USA)
BRONZE - Alejandra RIVERA ARRIAGA (MEX)

68 kg
GOLD - Nyla BURGESS (CAN)
SILVER - Sandra ESCAMILLA MENCHACA (MEX)
BRONZE - Jamilex CUMBICOS CASTILLO (ECU)
BRONZE - Gloria SEGURA FEBLES (DOM)

76 kg
GOLD - Yelena MAKOYED (USA)
SILVER - Linda Marilina MACHUCA (ARG)
BRONZE - Neirili BANGUERO MARTINEZ (VEN)
BRONZE - Gabriela CANALES HERRERA (MEX)

CADET WOMEN’S FREESTYLE RESULTS
46 kg
GOLD - Brianna GONZALEZ (USA)
SILVER - Yusneiry AGRAZAL WEST (PAN)
BRONZE- Jaren Avril Marcela OSORIO IXPATA (GUA)

49 kg
GOLD - Faith COLE (USA)
SILVER - Yorlenis MORAN SANCHEZ (PAN)
BRONZE - Danna Edelmira MARTINEZ ORDONEZ (MEX)

53 kg
GOLD - Jaclyn DEHNEY (USA)
SILVER - Jelissa Jocelyn HERNANDEZ GOMEZ (MEX)
BRONZE- Ashly Nicole IBOY ESCOBAR (GUA)

57 kg
GOLD - Bertha ROJAS CHAVEZ (MEX)
SILVER - Alexis JANIAK (USA)
BRONZE - Leonela GRUEZO ORTIZ (ECU)

61 kg
GOLD - Marissa JIMENEZ (USA)
SILVER - Camila ROA ORTEGA (PER)
BRONZE - Makayla BROWNE (BAR)

65kg
GOLD - Melanie JIMENEZ VILLALBA (MEX)
SILVER - Madeline KUBICKI (USA)
BRONZE - Juliana NEPER OLIVEIRA SANTOS (BRA)

 

#development

Afghanistan Coaches Build Skills at UWW Level 1 Coaching Course

Tuesday, June 30, 2026 - 06:58 By United World Wrestling Press

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ALMATY, Kazakhstan (June 30) -- Eleven coaches from Afghanistan were among 21 participants who completed a United World Wrestling Level 1 Coaching Course in Almaty, strengthening the country's coaching capacity while building closer ties with neighboring Kazakhstan.

Organized through a partnership between Olympic Solidarity, the Kazakhstan National Olympic Committee, the Afghanistan National Olympic Committee, the Kazakhstan Wrestling Federation, and United World Wrestling, the course focused on developing internationally recognized coaching competencies while fostering collaboration between the two wrestling nations.

Apart from the 11 coaches from Afghanistan, coaches from Kazakhstan also joined for a comprehensive program. The curriculum covered coaching responsibilities, skill development using UWW's Key Factors teaching methodology, athlete-centered learning through discovery games, coaching self-reflection, risk management, and practical coaching assessment.

Afghanistan

UWW Educator and former world champion Mohammed ABDELFATTAH praised the participants for their commitment throughout the program.

"I was very impressed with the overall level of the participants," Abdelfattah said. "The coaches were highly motivated, actively participated in every session, and continuously asked thoughtful questions throughout the course."

Abdelfattah was particularly encouraged by the technical level demonstrated by the Afghan coaches.

"The Afghan coaches demonstrated a strong technical understanding of wrestling." he said. "After speaking with several participants, I learned that traditional wrestling is extremely popular in Afghanistan and shares many technical similarities with Olympic wrestling. This provides coaches with an excellent technical foundation for further development."

The practical sessions proved to be a particular highlight, with coaches working through technical demonstrations, problem-solving exercises, and athlete-centered coaching activities designed to strengthen both technical instruction and coaching methodology.

The Afghanistan Wrestling Federation views the course as an important step in its long-term development strategy. Dr. Yonus POPALZY, an Afghan NOC and Olympic Council of Asia member, was instrumental in the development, organization, and success of the course.

Participants highlighted the practical nature of the course and the opportunity to exchange ideas with coaches from different backgrounds.

"The course exceeded our expectations. The practical sessions and interactive teaching methods gave us new ideas that we can immediately apply in our daily coaching."