Toronto, Greco-Roman, Pan American Games

Montano Wins First Wrestling Gold for Ecuador at Pan Am Games

Thursday, July 16, 2015 - 03:41 By William May

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TORONTO, Canada (July 14) – Andres MONTAÑO (ECU) won Ecuador’s first gold medal in Greco-Roman wrestling at the Pan American Games on Wednesday with an 11-0 technical triumph over Ali SOTO (MEX).

Montaño converted an early takedown into a lift and turn for a 6-0 lead and then slammed the door on Soto with a bodylock takedown to the secure the gold medal.

It was the first gold medal for Ecuador in the classic style and first wrestling gold medal since 1971 when Sergio GONZALEZ (ECU) won the 48kg crown in freestyle in Cali, Colombia.

Meanwhile, U.S. wrestlers won two out of three in the gold medal finals as Andrew BISEK (75kg) and Jon ANDERSON (85kg) both dialed up technical falls in the finals.

Bisek converted in par terre with a chest-high gut wrench and lift to back-arching throw for a quick win over Alvis ALMENDRA (PAN), who takes home Panama’s first wrestling medal from the Games since 1991 despite the loss. Bisek outscored his opponents 25-0.

Anderson won his first Pan Am gold with a dominant tournament, matching Bisek’s output, beating opponents by a combined 25-0 score. Anderson pushed through Querys PEREZ (VEN) 9-0, finishing the bout with two takedowns.

Venezuela stands second in the medals table with one gold and one silver medal. Anderson won last year’s Pan Am Championships in Mexico City at 80kg.

Wuileixis RIVAS (VEN), the 2014 Pan Am champion at 71kg, gave Venezuela a wrestling gold medal for a second straight Games with a 13-1 technical fall win over Bryce SADDORIS (USA).

At 59kg, Cristobal TORRES (CHI) scored with a late go-behind takedown to sew up a 3-0 win over Dylan WILLIAMS (CAN) for one bronze medal.

Spenser MANGO (USA), the Pan American runner-up in April, flipped Jansel RAMIREZ (DOM) with a reverse waistlock and short lift in the first period and held on for a 6-3 win and the other bronze medal.

At 66kg, Miguel MARTINEZ (CUB), the gold medalist at the Pan Am Championships, scored with a go-behind takedown and bodylock before Jair Alexis CUERO (COL) defaulted. Mario MOLINA (PER) shook off an early four-point throw and forced a disqualification on Jefrin MEJIA (HON) in the second period for the second bronze.

Despite a disastrous opening session for Cuba, Martinez and Alan VERA (85kg) were able to secure a pair of bronze medals for the traditional Pan Am powerhouse.

Pan American runner-up Juan ESCOBAR (MEX) was the only wrestler to secure a fall in the medal matches Wednesday, when he stepped over an arm throw attempt by Luis AVENDANO (VEN) and pressed for the fall.

Greco-Roman Medal Match Results
59kg
GOLD: Andres MONTANO (ECU) df. Ali SOTO (MEX) by TF, 11-0
BRONZE: Cristobal TORRES (CHI) df. Dylan WILLIAMS (CAN), 3-0
BRONZE: Spenser MANGO (USA) df. Jansel RAMIREZ (DOM), 6-3

66kg
GOLD: Wuileixis RIVAS (VEN) df. Bryce SADDORIS (USA) by TF, 13-1
BRONZE: Miguel MARTINEZ (CUB) df. Jair Alexis CUERO (COL) by Default (6-0)
BRONZE: Mario MOLINA (PER) df. Jefrin MEJIA (HON) by Disqualification (9-4)

75kg
GOLD: Andrew BISEK (USA) df. Alvis ALMENDRA (PAN) by TF, 8-0
BRONZE: Carlos MUNOZ (COL) df. Maximiliano PRUDENZANO (ARG), 4-3
BRONZE: Juan ESCOBAR (MEX) df. Luis AVENDANO (VEN) by Fall

85kg
GOLD: Jon ANDERSON (USA) df. Querys PEREZ (VEN) by TF, 9-0
BRONZE: Cristian MOSQUERA (COL) df. Alfonso LEYVA (MEX) by TF, 8-0
BRONZE: Alan VERA (CUB) df. Oscar MARTINEZ (HON) by TF, 9-0

Pan Am Games, Toronto

Canadians Reel ‘Em In, but ‘Big One’ Gets Away in Pan Am Games

Saturday, July 18, 2015 - 04:17 By William May

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TORONTO, Canada (July 17) – Canada’s young trio of female entries on Friday reeled in nearly all the top-ranked wrestlers on the final day of women’s wrestling events at the Pan America Games.  But, in the end, the “Big One” got away.

World champion Adeline GRAY (USA) turned upset-minded Justina DI STASIO (CAN) as time expired in the 75kg gold medal final for a 7-6 victory while denying Canada a perfect day on the mats in front of their adoring fans.

Ranked No.1 at 75kg by United World Wrestling, Gray notched a pair of technical falls in the afternoon, including a 10-0 thumping of world silver medalist Aline FERREIRA (BRA), who rebounded for a bronze medal in the evening session.

Gray, however, may have been surprised in the final by the tenacious Di Stasio, who scored a four-point takedown early in the second period for the lead – a lead that seesawed back and forth until the world champ’s last-second turn.

Earlier, Di Stasio bumped off 2011 Pan American Games gold medalist Lisset HECHEVARRIA (CUB), 4-4, in the semifinals in a rematch of their final at the Pan American championships. Di Stasio won the April match-up 5-3.

Braxton STONE (CAN) also bumped off a 2011 Pan American Games gold medalist in the 63kg final where she defeated Katerina VIDIAUX (CUB), 7-3. In the afternoon session, the 20-year-old Stone rallied for six points in the second period for a 6-5 triumph over two-time Olympic Games bronze medalist Jackeline RENTERIA (COL).

Meanwhile, former junior world champion Dorothy YEATS (CAN) got Canada rolling by pinning Pan American championships winner Yudaris SANCHEZ (CUB) in the quarterfinals at 69kg and the following up with a 14-3 technical fall over runner-up Luz VAZQUEZ (ARG) in the semifinals.

Yeats later locked up a cross-ankle lock and worked in for points on her way to a 13-2 win over Maria ACOSTA (VEN) in the final. Yeats’ win and Vazquez victory over Sanchez in the bronze medal bout secured the unofficial team title, 47-46, over Cuba.

 

Also, on the first day of men’s freestyle action at the Games, Yowlys BONNE (CUB) and Brent METCALF (USA) each won in the 57kg and 65kg finals, respectively, as Cuba and the U.S. split the two gold medal match-ups.

Bonne wrestled cautiously against Angel ESCOBEDO (USA), but when Escobedo attempted to lock up for a big throw, the world bronze medalist countered with a drop for four points and then, a lift and another drop for four more and a 10-0 technical fall.

Metcalf, meanwhile, got rolling in the second period of the 65kg with a pair of outside single-leg attacks and finished with a double-leg for an 8-2 victory over 2013 Pan American champ Franklin MAREN (CUB).

Wrestling at the Pan American Games concludes Saturday with the final four weight categories in freestyle – 74kg, 86kg, 97kg and 125kg.

Women’s Wrestling
63kg
GOLD: Braxton STONE (CAN) df. Katerina VIDIAUX LOPEZ (CUB), 7-3
BRONZE: Jackeline RENTERIA (COL) df. Jessica OLIVARES (PER), 8-5
BRONZE: Erin CLODGO (USA) df Dennisse ANTES (ECU) by Default

69kg
GOLD: Dorothy YEATS (CAN) df. Maria ACOSTA (VEN) by TF, 13-2
BRONZE: Diana MIRANDA (MEX) df. Dayanara RIVERA (PUR), 1-1
BRONZE: Luz VAZQUEZ (ARG) df. Yudaris SANCHEZ (CUB), 7-1

75kg
GOLD: Adeline GRAY (USA) df. Justina DISTASIO (CAN), 7-6
BRONZE: Lisset HECHEVARRIA (CUB) df. Jarismit WEFFER GUANIPE (VEN), 2-1
BRONZE: Aline FERREIRA (BRA) df. Ana GONZALEZ (PUR) by Fall

Freestyle
57kg
GOLD: Yowlys BONNE (CUB) df. Angel ESCOBEDO (USA) by TF, 10-0
BRONZE: Emir HERNANDEZ (COL) df. Pablo BENITEZ (PER), 6-1
BRONZE: Pedro MEJIAS (VEN) df. Kevin BONILLA (HON), 7-0

65kg
GOLD: Brent METCALF (USA) df. Franklin MAREN (CUB), 8-2
BRONZE: Franklin GOMEZ (PUR) df. Marvin MIRANDA (GUA) by TF, 10-0
BRONZE: Haislan GARCIA (CAN) df. Hernan GUZMAN (COL), 2-0
Gallery
2015 Pan American Games - Day 3