#WrestleAcapulco

Live Blog: Pan-American Championships (Day Two)

By Eric Olanowski

ACAPULCO, Mexico (May 6) -- On Thursday we crowned seven Greco-Roman champions. Today, we'll hand out the final Greco golds at 77kg, 82kg and 87kg and the women's wrestling titles at 55kg, 59kg, 65kg and 72kg.

ICYMI: Day One Photos Pino Hinds returns to Greco, wins fourth Pan-Am title

Day Two finals (as they come in)

Greco-Roman
72kg: Nordic-style bracket
77kg: Yosvanys PENA FLORES (CUB) vs. David Elias CHOC HUOC (GUA)
82kg: Reinier JIMENEZ TERRY (GUA) vs. Daniel VICENTE GOMEZ (MEX) 

Women's Wrestling
55kg:  Jacarra Gwenisha WINCHESTER (USA) vs. Karla Lorena GODINEZ GONZALEZ (CAN) 
59kg: Nordic-style bracket
65kg: Forrest Ann MOLINARI (USA) vs. Miki Elizabeth ROWBOTTOM (CAN) 
72kg: Nordic-style bracket

12:45: That does it for the morning session. Reminder: we'll start at 15:00 and not 17:00 as listed on the schedule.

12:40: In the battle of world champions, Winchester made quick work of Winchester, picking up the 11-0 first-period tech fall.

12:29: World champions Winchester and Yepez Guzman are coming up next on Mat B.

12:26: We're waiting for confirmation on a challenge, but it looks like Guatemala is going to put a second wrestler into the Greco-Roman finals. Reinier JIMENEZ TERRY (GUA) just took out Nestor Joaquin TAFUR BARRIOS (COL), 11-0.

12:20: Choc Huoc just punched his ticket to the 77kg finals with a 10-1 win over Joilson DE BRITO RAMOS JUNIOR (BRA). He'll wrestle Cuba's Tokoyo Olympian Pena Flores for gold.

12:02: Upset of the day: Karla Lorena GODINEZ GONZALEZ (CAN) upset U23 world champion Lucia Yamileth YEPEZ GUZMAN (ECU), 4-2, punching her ticket to the 55kg semifinals.

11:50: At every event, there are always one or two wrestlers who I've never seen wrestle that catch my eye. Yesterday, it was Mexico's Samuel GURRIA VIGUERAS (MEX). Today, it's Guatamal's David Elias CHOC HUOC (GUA). Thus far, he's  2-0 and has outscored his opponents 17-0.

He'll wrestle the winner of Luis Alfredo DE LEON (DOM) and Joilson DE BRITO RAMOS JUNIOR (BRA) in today's 72kg semifinals.

11:22: Tokyo Olympian Yosvanys PENA FLORES (CUB) leads Emmanuel Alexis BENITEZ CASTRO (MEX) by one point heading into the break over on Mat A.

11:09: Things are happening quick today. World bronze medalist Forrest Ann MOLINARI (USA) kicked off her day with a 10-0 win Saidy Lorena CHAVEZ FIGUEROA (HON) and is up 8-0 against Atzimba Morelia LANDAVERDE MORENO (MEX) over on Mat A.

10:42: Jessel Rojas kept her foot on the gas and scored 19 points to win the bout against Mota Pettis, 19-8. She'll wrestle Canada's Laurence BEAUREGARD (CAN) next.

10:36: Xochitl Citalli MOTA PETTIS (USA) and Ameyalli Sayil JESSEL ROJAS (MEX) are lighting things up on Mat B. They've put up 16 points in the opening period and there is still 28 seconds left.

10:30: U23 world champion Lucia Yamileth YEPEZ GUZMAN (ECU), who is wrestling up a weight class at 55kg, started her day off with a 6-1 win over Brenda Esmeralda Isay FERNANDEZ SALAZAR (MEX). She'll take on Karla Lorena GODINEZ GONZALEZ (CAN) in the second round of the 55kg Nordic style bracket.

10:20: We apologize for the delay. The on-site ambulance was behind 15 minutes and we couldn't start until it arrived/ But it's here and were wrestling!

10:08: Wolrd champion Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA) kicks off the second day of action over on Mat B. She'll take on Nadia TRUJILLANO (PER).

10:00: Important update for Friday's night session. Wrestling will begin at 15:00 instead of 17:00.

#WrestleAlexandria

Egypt dominates GR, Nigeria shines in WW at African Championships

By Vinay Siwach

ALEXANDRIA, Egypt (March 18) -- Led by world bronze medalist Abdellatif MOHAMED (EGY) and U20 world champion Moustafa ALAMELDIN (EGY), Egypt produced a stunning performance at the African Championships, winning nine Greco-Roman gold medals in Alexandria.

In Women's Wrestling, Nigeria won four gold medals out of the five weight classes contested on Monday in Alexandria.

The nine golds helped Egypt win the Greco-Roman team title in front of the home crowd with 240 points. Algeria was second with 184 points and Tunisia finished third with 95 points.

Mohamed wrestled three matches in a Nelson bracket and won all three without surrendering a point. He defeated Hichem KOUCHIT (ALG), who later finished with a silver, 8-0 and Ahmed SEREHALI (MAR) 8-0. His final was against Brahim MALKI (TUN) who forfeited.

Moustafa ALAMELDIN (EGY)Moustafa ALAMELDIN (EGY) won the gold medal 67kg in Greco-Roman. (Photo: UWW / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Alameldin was even better as he won three of the four bouts via technical superiority while one was a walkover for the U20 world champion. In his first bout, he Souhaib KHDAR (MAR) 8-0 followed by a 9-0 win over Fayssal BENFREDJ (ALG) and 10-0 blanking of Sahid KARGBO (SLE).

Top seed Alameldin finished all his bouts well before regulation time. His first win, over Khdar, came in just 24 seconds.

At 60kg, Haithem MAHMOUD (EGY) defeated youngster Mohamed DRIDI (ALG), 8-1, in the final. He scored a stepout and later got a throw from par terre to get four points and led 6-0 at the break.

Dridi failed to score any points from par terre in the second period. Mahmoud got a front headlock and threw Dridi which was scored four points. Algeria challenged the call and it was scored only two points. However, Mahmoud still had enough to win the gold medal 8-1. In their Round 3 match, Mahmoud had blanked Dridi 8-0.

Mohamed KHALIL (EGY)Mohamed KHALIL (EGY) launches Shafaihuuna Benhard (NAM) for a big throw. (Photo: UWW / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Mohamed KHALIL (EGY) won the gold medal at 77kg but did not have a smooth sailing. In his four bouts, Khalil dominated three while the one against Chawki DOULACHE (ALG) was a close contest.

The two met in Round 2 and the winner was most likely to win the gold medal. Khalil was called passive in the first period giving Doulache a 1-0 lead. But Khalil got the 1-1 criteria lead in the second period after Doulache was called passive. Both of them failed to score any action points but Khalil was the important win over Doulache to win the gold medal.

While Noureldin HASSAN (EGY) did not keep a clean sheet, he won the 87kg gold medal with four technical superiority wins in four bouts. Hassan did not face any real challenge from his opponents and only Haithem ISSAD (ALG) scored any points on Hassan.

In the Round 5 bout, Issad hit an arm throw and scored two points over Hassan. But that was all from Issad as Hassan dominated the bout from there and won 10-2.

The silver medal went to Roberto NSANGUA (ANG) who became the first wrestler from Angola to win silver at the African Championships. His only loss at the tournament was against Hassan.

 

At 97kg, Emad ABOUELATTA (EGY) won the gold medal after four wins. He was barely tested in his bouts apart from one against Wissam KOUAINSO (MAR) who had built a 3-0 lead at the break. He even defended well from par terre and did not give any points.

Abouelatta remained relentless in his attacks and after a failed front headlock attempt, he quickly moved behind Kouainso and hit a big throw for four points that gave him the 5-3 win.

Shaaban ABDELLATIF (EGY) won the gold medal at 55kg while Adham ELSAYED (EGY) won the gold medal at 63kg after Abdennour LAOUNI (ALG) pulled out of the final due to injury. The 82kg gold medal was captured by Mahmoud IBRAHIM (EGY).

72kg was the only weight in which Egypt did not win a gold medal as Emad GHALY (EGY) fell to Abdelmalek MERABET (ALG), 9-0, in the semifinals. Radhwen TARHOUNI (TUN) then defeated Merabet in the final 5-1 to win the gold while Ghaly captured the bronze medal.

Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR)Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR) won the 57kg gold without giving up a single point. (Photo: UWW / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Nigeria shines

World bronze medalist Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR) and Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) began the season with gold medals at the African Championships as Nigeria dominated Women's Wrestling.

Five weight classes were on the mat on Monday and Nigeria won four gold medals. Apart from Adekuoroye and Oborududu, Christianah OGUNSANYA (NGR) won at 53kg and  Esther KOLAWOLE (NGR) won at 62kg.

Zaineb SGHAIER (TUN) denied Nigeria a clean sweep as she defeated Hannah RUEBEN (NGR) 12-2 in the 76kg gold medal bout.

df

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Shaaban ABDELLATIF (EGY)
SILVER: Sefiane GUEZZANIA (ALG)
BRONZE: Bofenda KALUWEKO (ANG)

60kg
GOLD: Haithem MAHMOUD (EGY) df. Mohamed DRIDI (ALG), 8-1

BRONZE: Latuf MADI (COM) df. Given SIKHOSANA (RSA), via inj. def.

63kg
GOLD: Adham ELSAYED (EGY) df. Abdennour LAOUNI (ALG), via inj. def.

BRONZE: Romio GOLIATH (NAM) df. Mouad JAHID (MAR), 16-11

67kg
GOLD: Moustafa ALAMELDIN (EGY)
SILVER: Fayssal BENFREDJ (ALG)
BRONZE: Sahid KARGBO (SLE)

72kg
GOLD: Radhwen TARHOUNI (TUN) df. Abdelmalek MERABET (ALG), 5-1

BRONZE: Emad GHALY (EGY) df. Anthony WESLEY (CPV), via fall (17-8)

77kg
GOLD: Mohamed KHALIL (EGY)
SILVER: Chawki DOULACHE (ALG)
BRONZE: Francisco KADIMA (ANG)

82kg
GOLD: Mahmoud IBRAHIM (EGY)
SILVER: Amar MOUMENE (ALG)
BRONZE: Belhasan AZAOUZI (TUN)

87kg
GOLD: Noureldin HASSAN (EGY)
SILVER: Roberto NSANGUA (ANG)
BRONZE: Hakim TRABELSI (TUN)

97kg
GOLD: Emad ABOUELATTA (EGY)
SILVER: Mohamed MISSAOUI (TUN)
BRONZE: Wissam KOUAINSO (MAR)

130kg
GOLD: Abdellatif MOHAMED (EGY)
SILVER: Hichem KOUCHIT (ALG)
BRONZE: Ahmed SEREHALI (MAR)

Women's Wrestling

53kg
GOLD: Christianah OGUNSANYA (NGR) df. Chahrazed AYACHI (TUN), 10-0

BRONZE: Nogona BAKAYOKO (CIV) df. Miriam NGOE WASE (CMR), 10-0
BRONZE: Hadir AHMED (EGY) df. Elisa RASOANANTENAINA (MAD), 4-0

57kg
GOLD: Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR) df. Chaimaa AOUISSI (ALG), via fall

BRONZE: Shaimaa ABDELZAHER (EGY) df. Natacha NABAINA (CMR), 10-0
BRONZE: Faten HAMMAMI (TUN) df. Zineb HASSOUNE (MAR), via fall

62kg
GOLD: Esther KOLAWOLE (NGR) df. Farah HUSSEIN (EGY), 11-0

BRONZE: Minette KRUGER (RSA) df. Eunice MBURU (KEN), 2-0
BRONZE: Mastoura SOUDANI (ALG) df. Fatoumata CAMARA (GUI), via fall (8-6)

68kg
GOLD: Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) df. Menatalla BADRAN (EGY), 13-2

BRONZE: Nour JELJELI (TUN) df. Blandine NGIRI (CMR), 8-2

76kg
GOLD: Zaineb SGHAIER (TUN) df. Hannah RUEBEN (NGR), 12-2

BRONZE: Amy YOUIN (CIV) df. Pelagie WILITA (CMR), 6-4