Lopez Goes For Fourth Gold in Pan American Games Wrestling

Tuesday, July 14, 2015 - 01:48 By William May

TORONTO (July 13) – Five-time world champion Mijain LOPEZ (CUB) attempts to become the third wrestler in Pan American Games history to win four gold medals when action gets under Wednesday in Mississagua, west of Toronto.

If successful, Lopez will join Greco-Roman greats Hector MILIAN (CUB) and Juan MAREN (CUB) as the only winners of four gold medals in Pan American Games wrestling.

Milian won four gold medals from 1987 to 1999 at 100kg and 130kg, while Maren struck gold four times (1991-2003) at 62kg, 63kg and 66kg.

In addition to his three Games’ gold medals, Lopez is also a nine-time Pan American championships titlist, winner of five world championship titles, as well as being gold medalist at the Beijing 2008 and London 2012 Olympic Games.

Along with Lopez’ bid for a fourth gold medal on the second day of the wrestling competition, five wrestlers in freestyle and three in women’s wrestling will seek their second gold medals at these continental Games.

The United States will try to double up on the final day of wrestling competition as 2011 gold medalists Jordan BURROUGHS (74kg) and Jake HERBERT (86kg) all hoping to repeat their success of four years ago in Guadalajara, Mexico.

World bronze medalist Livan LOPEZ AZCUY (CUB), who won the gold medal at 66kg in Guadalajara, will have to unseat Burroughs at 74kg if he wants to make it two in a row.

Meanwhile, Franklin GOMEZ (PUR), world silver medalist and Pan Am Games champion at 60kg in 2011, is entered at 65kg and will likely have to face Brent METCALF (USA), currently ranked No.5 in the world, if he is to repeat as a Pan Am Games champ.

In the women’s events, two-time Olympic Games bronze medalist Jackeline RENTERIA CASTILLO (COL) seeks her first gold medal in the Pan Am Games since winning at 55kg in Rio de Janeiro in 2007.

Renteria is entered at 63kg for Toronto and could face defending champion Katerina VIDIAUX (CUB) for the gold medal, while Lisset HECHEVARRIA (CUB) must overcome a crowded field at 75kg to repeat.

Greco-Roman

Cuba has been the dominant force in the classic style over the last eight Pan Am Games and has amassed 57 gold medals overall – more than double the 27 gold medals won by the U.S. since Greco-Roman was first contested in 1975.

Cuba won six of the seven gold medals on offer in Guadalajara and swept all seven categories at Santo Domingo (DOM) 2003. The last time Cuba did not win a majority of the gold medals was in San Juan in 1979, when Cuba and the U.S. each won four with Canada grabbing the remaining two.

In addition to super heavyweight Lopez, Cuba sends three-time Pan American champion Ismael BORRERO (59kg) along with 2015 Pan Am winners Miguel MARTINEZ (66kg) and Julio BASTIDA (74kg) to Toronto.

The U.S. has been Cuba’s main challenger in the Americas the last 40 years and comes to Toronto with world bronze medalist Andy BISEK (75kg), April’s Pan Am winner Robert SMITH (130kg) and 2014 Pan Am champ Jon ANDERSON (85kg).

Spenser MANGO (59kg) and Borrero both finished in fifth place at the 2014 world championships and could be headed for a showdown in the featherweight final. Jansel RAMIREZ (DOM), 2010 Pan Am champ, will challenge for a place on the podium.

The Dominican Republic, which won a total of six medals in 2011, sends only three wrestlers, including Ramirez. Notably absent is Guadalajara bronze medalist and Pan Am runner-up Ramon Antonio GARCIA (130kg), but freestyle entry Josue ENCARNACION (125kg) also has Greco-Roman experience.

Women’s Wrestling

Women’s Wrestling was first contested at Santo Domingo 2003 and over the first three meetings, action was only contested in the four previous Olympic weight categories – 48, 55, 63 and 72kg. Action in Mississagua will be held, for the first time, in six weight categories.

The United States ran away with all four gold medals in 2003 and leads the overall medal standings for women with seven, followed by Canada and Cuba with two each.

Canada’s two gold medals were won by Beijing 2008 gold medalist Carol HUYNH (48kg) in 2003 and 2007. Genevieve MORRISON (CAN), winner of the Pan Am title in April, will try to keep the flyweight crown in Canada.

Angelica BUSTOS BONE (ECU), the 2014 Pan Am champ, 2013 world bronze medalist Alyssa LAMPE (USA) and 2011 bronze medal winner Carolina CASTILLO HIDALGO (COL) lead a pack of wrestlers trying to take the 48kg title south of the Canadian border.

Along with Morrison, Pan Am champ Justine DISTACIO (75kg), 2014 Pan Am champion Michell FAZZARI (58kg) and two-time junior world champ Dorothy YEATS (69kg) will also be prospecting for gold.

World champ Adeline GRAY (USA), No.1 in the current world rankings, will face a crowded field at 75kg which includes world silver medalist Aline FERREIRA (BRA), 2011 Pan Am gold medalist Hechevarria and Andrea OLAYA GUTIERREZ (COL), a bronze medal winner at the Pan Am championships in April.

Along with Renteria and Vidiaux at 63kg, other favorites in the women’s events include Pan Am champs Sayury CANON (COL) at 53kg, Joice SILVA (BRA) at 58kg and Yudaris SANCHEZ (CUB) at 69kg.

Freestyle

In the first two Pan American Games in 1951 and 1955, Argentina and the U.S. split the gold medals, 4-4, in both years. But, U.S. wrestlers swept the gold medals the next three meetings and never looked back.

The U.S. leads the freestyle medal standings with 91 gold medals followed by Cuba with 30. Argentina is in third place with its eight gold medals from 60 years ago.

But in 2011, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico picked up their first Pan American Games gold medalists with Juan RAMIREZ BELTRE (DOM) at 55kg and Franklin GOMEZ (PUR) at 60kg.

With four of the seven 2011 gold medalists returning, the early favorites in 2015 have already emerged with Gomez and Metcalf the go-to guys at 65kg, Azcuy and Burroughs at 74kg -- where Burroughs owns a win over Azcuy in last year’s Pan Am finals.

Meanwhile, world bronze medalist at 61kg Yowlys BONNE (CUB) appears to be on a tear since dropping to 57kg this spring, but John PINEDA (CAN) will try to trip up or, at least, slow down the 2011 bronze medal winner at 60kg.

Two-time world silver medalist Reineris SALAS (CUB) has won four Pan Am championship titles but gets his first chance at the Pan American Games. Herbert, the Games’ defending champion, is also the 2009 world silver medalist.

At 97kg, Javier CORTINA LACERRA (CUB) is the 2014 Pan Am champ as well as a bronze medal winner at the world championships. Former junior world champ Kyle SNYDER (USA) is the new kid on the block after defeating defending Games’ champion Jacob VARNER (USA) in the U.S. world team trials.

Schedule

Tuesday, July 14
16:30–18:15 – Medical exam & Weigh-in: Greco-Roman 59-66-75-85kg

Wednesday, July 15
14:30–17:30 – Qualification & Repechage Rounds: Greco-Roman 59-66-75-85kg
16:30–18:15 – Medical exam & Weigh-in: Greco-Roman 98-130kg; Women 48-53-58kg
20:00–22:30 – Finals & Award Ceremonies: Greco-Roman 59-66-75-85kg

Thursday, July 16
14:30–17:30 – Qualification & Repechage Rounds: Greco-Roman 98-130kg; Women 48-53-58kg
16:30–18:15 – Medical exam & Weigh-in: Women 63-69-75kg; Freestyle 57-65kg
20:00–23:00 – Finals & Award Ceremonies: Greco-Roman 98-130kg; Women 48-53-58kg

Friday, July 17
14:30–17:30 – Qualification & Repechage Rounds: Women 63-69-75kg; Freestyle 57-65kg
16:30–18:15 – Medical exam & Weigh-in: Freestyle 74-86-97-125kg
20:00–23:00 – Finals & Award Ceremonies: Women 63-69-75kg; Freestyle 57-65kg

Saturday, July 18
14:30–17:30 – Qualification & Repechage Rounds: Freestyle 74-86-97-125kg
20:00–22:30 – Finals & Award Ceremonies: Freestyle 74-86-97-125kg

#JapanWrestling

World Champs Morikawa, Ishii Set Up Clash in 68kg Final

Friday, May 22, 2026 - 12:40 By Ken Marantz

TOKYO (May 22) -- The first of what could be several clashes of Japanese women titans was set up when reigning world champions Miwa MORIKAWA and Ami ISHII advanced to the 68kg final at the Meiji Cup All-Japan Championships in Tokyo on Friday.

Morikawa, the world champion at 65kg, had her hands full in grinding out a 3-2 win over world U20 champion Rey HOSHINO in their semifinal, scoring the decisive takedown off a counter in the final minute.

Ishii, the current 68kg world champ, had little trouble piling up the takedowns in a 10-0 victory over former world champion Masako FURUICHI.

Morikawa got the best of Ishii at the Emperor's Cup All-Japan Championships last December, winning 5-3 to earn a trip to the Asian Championships, where she had to settle for the silver medal.

This time there is more at stake in the final on Saturday, as the Meiji Cup is serving as the final qualifier for this year's Asian Games, to be hosted by Japan, and the World Championships.

Winners of both the Emperor's Cup and Meiji Cup automatically earn places on the national team; if they are different, a playoff is held between the two at the end of the day.

Given the stakes, Morikawa knows Ishii will be coming at her with all guns blazing, knowing she need to beat Morikawa twice to earn a national team berth.

"That [Emperor's Cup win] doesn't matter," Morikawa said. "In that match, I went all out to the end and came up with the victory. I think that tomorrow, she will really be coming after me. I have to show the willpower and guts to not give in. I will do my utmost to secure the national team place in one fell swoop."

Morikawa naturally would not reveal what strategy she has for Ishii, but says she will rely on what her coach, four-time Olympic champion Kaori ICHO, comes up with.

"She's really good with her attacks, and my strong point is defense," Morikawa said. "Kaori will devise a plan, and I'll just go along with that."

Yuka KAGAMI (JPN) reached the 76kg final at the Meiji Cup. (Photo: wrestling-spirits.jp / Takeo Yabuki)

In other semifinals on the second day of the four-day tournament at Tokyo's Komazawa Gym, Paris Olympic champion Yuka KAGAMI moved a step closer to returning to the global stage by making the 76kg final.

Kagami posted a slim 2-1 victory over Ayana MORO, with all of the points scored on the activity clock, to set up a meeting with Yasuha MATSUYUKI, who dealt her a stunning loss in the final of the Emperor's Cup, which was her first competition since Paris.

"I came to realize that last time, the fighting spirit that I had at the Olympics was taking a nap," Kagami said. "For these five months, I have prepared to come here and definitely win the title, then the playoff."

At 53kg, world champion Haruna MURAYAMA outlasted longtime rival and former Olympic champion Mayu SHIDOCHI 2-1 -- with all points scored on the activity clock -- to set up a final against Moe KIYOOKA for the second straight year.

Murayama defeated Kiyooka, the world 55kg champion in 2024, twice last year -- 3-1 in the final, then again 4-1 in the playoff -- to make the team to the World Championships in Zagreb, where she claimed her fourth career gold.

Kiyooka came back to win the Emperor's Cup title in Murayama's absence, and will be looking to avenge last year's losses as she attempts to fill the void left when Olympic champion Akari FUJINAMI moved up to 57kg.

In a tragic incident, Taishi NARIKUNI's bid to repeat the Freestyle-Greco double that he accomplished at the Emperor's Cup ended when he suffered a serious eye injury in his Greco 70kg quarterfinal -- which he won nonetheless, but then was easily beaten in the semifinals.

Facing Takara FUKUZAWA in the last eight, Narikuni took a hard shoulder to the eye, which knocked him woozy for awhile. He managed to continue on, finishing up a 5-0 victory. But, wearing a patch over his right eye in the semifinals against Hajime KIKUTA, he went down 8-0 in 28 seconds.

Narikuni was scheduled to also take the mat later in the day in the Freestyle 72kg final, but would end up defaulting that match. Family members said he was taken to the hospital and was diagnosed with a broke cheek bone below his eye and would undergo surgery on Saturday.

As defending Freestyle 97kg champion Arash YOSHIDA awaited his final, it was a tough day for rest of his family, whose Iranian father runs the kids wrestling club where the siblings got their start in the sport.

Keivan YOSHIDA, Arash's older brother who preceded him as 97kg champion in 2024, was ousted in the semifinals at 125kg, losing 11-1 to Hosei FUJITA.

Just moments later on an adjacent mat, younger brother Ariya YOSHIDA was dealt a tough 10-9 loss at 79kg to Kanata YAMAGUCHI.

In the final, Yamaguchi will face another wrestler with Iranian heritage, newly crowned Asian champion Keyvan GHAREHDAGHI, a 10-0 winner over Kohei KITAMURA in the other semifinal.

Lopez Goes For Fourth Gold in Pan American Games Wrestling

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World Champs Morikawa, Ishii Set Up Clash in 68kg Final