Multiple World and Olympic Champions to Compete at Pan American Olympic Qualifier

Wednesday, March 11, 2020 - 02:27 By Taylor GREGORIO

Photo of David TAYLOR (USA).

The 2020 Pan American Olympic Qualifier is set for this March 13-15 in Ottawa, Canada. The event serves as a qualifier for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics as the top-two from each bracket will earn a bid for their country at the respective weight.

The Pan Am Olympic Qualifier is the second of three qualifying phases. The first was the 2019 World Championships, where the top-six from each Olympic weight qualified for Tokyo. The final event is the World Olympic Qualifier in Sofia, Bulgaria, scheduled for later this year.

Action begins on Friday with all six Greco-Roman weights, followed by women’s freestyle on Saturday and wrapping up with men’s freestyle on Sunday. Fans can watch the action live on unitedworldwrestling.org.

Men’s freestyle
Qualified: Colombia (86 kg), United States (74 kg, 97 kg)

57 kg
Highlighting this weight class is 2017 and 2019 U23 World champion Reineri ANDREU ORTEGA (CUB), who won the Pan American Championships last week in Ottawa.

Also in the mix is 2017 World silver medalist Thomas GILMAN (USA) and 2020 Pan Am bronze medalist Juan RAMIREZ BELTRE (DOM).

65 kg
Leading this weight class is 2017 and 2018 World bronze medalist Alejandro VALDES TOBIER (CUB), who is also a 2019 Pan American Games champion.

Three of last week’s medalists will compete this weekend, including silver medalist Mauricio Javier SANCHEZ SALTOS (ECU) and bronze medalists Agustin Alejandro DESTRIBATS (ARG) and Sixto Miguel AUCCAPINA PEDRAGAS (PER).

The 2020 Pan Am champion John Michael DIAKOMIHALIS (USA) is not registered for the Pan American Olympic Qualifier. Instead, it will be 2012 Cadet World champion Zain RETHERFORD (USA).

74 kg
There are two past World medalists registered at 74 kg, Jeandry GARZON CABALLERO (CUB) and Franklin GOMEZ MATOS (PUR).

Garzon is a 2007 World silver runner-up and three-time World bronze winner (2005, 2006, 2010), while Gomez won silver at the 2011 World Championships.

Last week, Gomez was the Pan Am runner-up, and Garzon finished with bronze. Both lost to Jordan BURROUGHS (USA), who qualified the United States at 74 kg with a bronze-medal finish at the 2019 World Championships.

Also wrestling this week is Anthony Jose MONTERO CHIRINOS (VEN), who won 2020 Pan American bronze.

86 kg
2018 World champion David TAYLOR (USA) returns to competition for the first time since his title run at the 2018 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

Joining him at the weight are 2020 Pan American champions Yurieski TORREBLANCA QUERALTA (CUB) and Angus Patrick ARTHUR (JAM). Torreblanca won at 86 kg, and Arthur became the first Jamaican to claim Pan Am gold, winning the 92 kg bracket last week.

Other medalists from the Pan Am Championships that will compete are silver medalist Pool Edinson AMBROCIO GREIFO (PER) and Clayton Steven PYE (CAN).

Already qualified at this weight for the Olympic Games is Carlos IZQUIERDO MENDEZ (COL) after taking fifth at the 2019 Worlds.

97 kg
The favorite at this weight is two-time World silver medalist and 2010 World bronze winner Reineris SALAS PEREZ (CUB). Last week, he fell in the 2020 Pan Am finals Kyle SNYDER (USA), who already qualified the United States for the Olympics with a bronze medal at 2019 Worlds.

Pan Am runner-up at 92 kg Maxwell Lemar LACEY GARITA (CRC) will bump up to 97 kg this week in attempt to qualify Costa Rica for the Games for the first time in the nation’s history.

Also competing is 2020 Pan Am bronze medalist Luis Miguel PEREZ SOSA (DOM).

125 kg
Nick GWIAZDOWSKI (USA) heads into the heavyweight bracket with the most freestyle success, owning 2017 and 2018 World bronze medals as well as the 2019 Pan Am Games title.

However, looking to dethrone him is three-time World medalist in Greco-Roman Oscar PINO HINDS (CUB), who won silver at the 2019 Worlds and bronzes in 2017 and 2018.

Because of his silver medal in Kazakhstan, Pino qualified Cuba for the 130 kg weight in Greco for the Olympics. This weekend, he looks to qualify another weight for Cuba, taking on freestyle this season. Last week, he won bronze at the Pan Am Championships.

2020 Pan Am silver medalist Amarveer DHESI (CAN) is also expected to compete at the weight. Dhesi is a 2014 Junior World champion.

Photo of Erica WIEBE (CAN).

Women’s freestyle
Qualified: United States (68 kg, 76 kg)

50 kg
This weight features World champion Jessica Anne Marie MACDONALD (CAN), who also owns bronze medals from the 2011 and 2013 World Championships.

Looking to shake up the bracket is 2018 World runner-up at 53 kg Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA), who is making the transition down to 50 kg for the Olympic year. Hildebrandt was the 2019 Pan Am Games champion and holds four Pan Am Championships gold medals.

There are three medalists from last week that are entered, including silver medalist Carolina CASTILLO HIDALGO (COL) and bronze medalists Kamila BARBOSA VITO DA SILVA (BRA) and Jacqueline Del Rocio MOLLOCANA ELENO (ECU).

Additionally, 2019 Pan American Championships winner and 2019 Pan Am Games silver medalist Yusneylis GUZMAN LOPEZ (CUB) will compete.

53 kg
The 2019 World champion at 55 kg, Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA), is also moving down a weight class and is registered at 53 kg.

She’ll be met with other talents like past Pan Am medalists Samantha Leigh STEWART (CAN), Lianna de la Caridad MONTERO HERRERA (CUB) and Luisa Elizabeth VALVERDE MELENDRES (ECU).

Stewart is a 2016 Pan American champion. This weekend will mark her first continental event since she won her title.

2019 Pan Am Games bronze medalist Montero enters the bracket fresh off a silver-medal finish at the 2020 Pan Am Championships.

Winning the 2020 title was Valverde, who is also a 2011 Cadet World bronze medalist.

57 kg
Highlighting this weight is 2016 Olympic champion Helen MAROULIS (USA), who is competing in her first Pan Am event since 2012. Maroulis is also a 2015 and 2017 World champion. She took the 2019 season off, and is back for the Olympic year.

Reigning World champion and 2016 World bronze medalist Linda MORAIS (CAN) is also in the mix as well as 2019 Pan Am Games champion Lissette Alexandra ANTES CASTILLO (ECU) and 2020 Pan Am bronze medalist Betzabeth Rebeca SARCO COLMENAREZ (VEN).

62 kg
Leading the way in international credentials is two-time Olympic bronze medalist and 2017 World bronze winner Jackeline RENTERIA CASTILLO (COL). Last week, Renteria was seventh at the 2020 Pan Am Championships.

Another World medalist set to compete is 2017 bronze winner Michelle Christina FAZZARI (CAN).

2019 Pan American Games champion Kayla MIRACLE (USA) will represent the United States, rather than the 2020 Pan Am winner Mallory VELTE.

68 kg
There are a pair of World medalists entered at 68 kg, including Danielle Suzanne LAPPAGE (CAN) and Yudari SANCHEZ RODRIGUEZ (CUB).

Lappage is a 2018 Senior World silver medalist. This week marks her first Senior Pan American event as she seeks to qualify her country for Tokyo.

Fresh off a silver-medal finish performance, Sanchez goes into the weekend with three age-group World medals: 2018 U23 gold, 2017 Junior silver and 2017 U23 bronze.

Also at this weight is 2020 Pan Am champion Yanet Ursula SOVERO NINO (PER) and 2020 Pan Am bronze winner Maria Jose ACOSTA ACOSTA (VEN).

The United States is already qualified at this weight, thanks to a Tamyra MENSAH-STOCK, who won gold at the 2019 Worlds.

76 kg
Another Olympic champion in the women’s field comes at 76 kg, where Erica WIEBE (CAN) is slated to compete this weekend. The Canadian is also a 2018 World bronze medalist.

An up-and-coming talent hitting the mat this week is 2019 Junior and U23 World champion Milaimys de la Caridad MARIN POTRILLE (CUB), who had a strong effort in a loaded Pan Am Championships bracket and finished fifth last week.

Marin fell in the bronze-medal match to 2014 World silver medalist Aline DA SILVA FERREIRA (BRA), who will also compete in Ottawa this week.

2020 Pan Am bronze medalist Andrea Carolina OLAYA GUTIERREZ (COL) is also registered.

The United States also earned a bid to Tokyo at 76 kg, when Adeline GRAY claimed gold at the 2019 World Championships. It was her fifth World title.

Photo of Gabriel ROSILLO KINDELAN (CUB).

Greco-Roman
Qualified: Cuba (67 kg, 130 kg)

60 kg
There are multiple Pan American champions that will compete for a qualification spot at 60 kg, including 2020 champion Dicther Hans TORO CASTANEDA (COL), 2019 champion Luis Alberto ORTA SANCHEZ (CUB) and 2015 and 2019 Pan Am Games champion Andres Roberto MONTANO ARROYO (ECU).

Also competing is 2019 Pan Am Games bronze medalist Ildar HAFIZOV (USA) and 2020 bronze medalists Jancel Miguel PIMENTEL GONZALEZ (DOM) and Emerson Isaias FELIPE ORDONEZ (GUA).

67 kg
There are three 2020 Pan American Championships medalists returning to competition this weekend.

Joilson DE BRITO RAMOS JUNIOR (BRA) won silver at 72 kg last weekend and will move down to 67 kg this weekend.

Cristhian Alberto RIVAS CASTRO (ECU) and Alejandro SANCHO (USA), who each won bronze at the championships are scheduled to compete in the Olympic Qualifier.

The 2020 Pan Am champ Ismael BORRERO MOLINA (CUB) will not compete as he already qualified Cuba for Tokyo after winning gold at the 2019 Worlds. Borrero is a 2016 Olympic champion and also won the 2015 World title.

77 kg
Yosvanys PENA FLORES (CUB) and Patrick SMITH (USA) traded wins at the 2020 Pan American Championships, with Smith winning the matchup in pool action and Pena ultimately claiming the title over Smith in the finals.

Pena also won the 2019 Pan American Championships, and later that year, Smith emerged with gold at the 20019 Pan American Games.

Both will wrestle again this weekend.

Also expected to compete is 2020 Pan Am bronze medalist Wuileixis de Jesus RIVAS ESPINOZA (VEN), who is a 2019 Pan Am Games runner-up.

87 kg
Bringing World medals to the weight is Daniel GREGORICH HECHAVARRIA (CUB), who is a 2018 U23 silver medalist and 2019 U23 bronze winner. Last week, he finished fifth at the Pan Am Championships, forfeiting in the bronze match.

Winning the 2020 Pan Am title was Josef RAU (USA. En route to his win last week, Rau defeated 2019 Pan Am Games champion Luis Eduardo AVENDANO ROJAS (VEN), who will also wrestle in the Qualifier.

Two other 2020 Pan Am medalists will compete, including silver medalist Carlos Andres MUNOZ JARAMILLO (COL) and bronze medalist Lesyan Osvaldo COUSIN OTOMURO (JAM).

97 kg
We will likely see another entertaining rivalry at 97 kg as the 2020 Pan Am champion G’Angelo HANCOCK (USA) and 2020 runner-up Gabriel Alejandro ROSILLO KINDELAN (CUB) will be back at it this weekend.

Similar to Pena and Smith at 77 kg, Hancock and Rosillo went head-to-head twice in the Pan Am Championships, with Rosillo winning in the pool action but Hancock getting the victory in the finals.

Both own age-group World medals with Rosillo claiming gold at the 2019 Junior Worlds and Hancock owning bronze from the 2016 Junior Worlds.

Another World medalist in the mix is Kevin MEJIA CASTILLO (HON), who finished fourth at the Pan Am Championships. Defeating Mejia in the bronze match was Luillys Jose PEREZ MORA (VEN), who is also registered for this weekend.

130 kg
Two World medalists highlight the field in Yasmani ACOSTA FERNANDEZ (CHI) and Adam COON (USA).

Acosta won bronze at the 2017 World Championships, and Coon earned silver in the 2018 Worlds.

The American is fresh off producing a silver medal at the 2020 Pan Ams, while Acosta entered the event but did not compete.

Both 2020 Pan Am bronze winners are registered: Leo Dalis SANTANA HEREDIA (DOM) and Moises Salvador PEREZ HELLBURG (VEN).

Cuba is already qualified at the weight, thanks to a silver medal from Oscar PINO HINDS at the 2019 World Championships. This weekend, Pino will compete in freestyle in attempt to qualify Cuba for the Olympic Games at 125 kg.

#WrestleCoralville

USA puts aside Burroughs loss to win World Cup

Monday, December 12, 2022 - 04:27 By Vinay Siwach

CORALVILLE, Iowa (December 11) -- Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) had never lost at home to a non-American wrestler. He had never lost in a World Cup. No Iran wrestler had ever beaten him.

But all that changed when Ali SAVADKOUHI (IRI) used a takedown to gut in a 6-6 criteria win over Burroughs in the World Cup in Iowa on Sunday.

Beating Burroughs in his home country made it even more special for Savadkouhi who became the first Iranian wrestler to beat the 2012 Olympic champion whose career has spanned around 15 years.

The Asian champion may have broken new ground by joining the list, which only has five other wrestlers, to win against Burroughs, but his feat was not enough to guide Iran to the World Cup title as it lost the final to the USA 6-4 and finished second.

The USA, led by world champion Kyle SNYDER (USA), won three straight bouts after the Burroughs loss to claim its 15th World Cup. It caps off an incredible year for the USA freestyle team which also won the team title at the World Championships in Belgrade in September.

Ukraine won the women's World Cup as it stunned China 6-4 in the final and became the first European team to win the coveted trophy.

After beating Mongolia and Georgia in the group stage Saturday, the USA waited for its opponent from the other group. Iran defeated Japan and the All-World team to set a clash against the hosts.

The final began in front of a partisan Iowa crowd that cheered every point by an American wrestler. It cheered the most when Burroughs hit a double on Savadkouhi just before the activity clock expired. He also got a lace to make his score 4-0.

"I knew I was down," Savadkouhi said. "But I was thinking of moving forward and being offensive. I lost one opportunity to score. But I knew from the first minute that he will make a mistake."

Savadkouhi was speaking from experience as he had Burroughs on the line at the Yasar Dogu Ranking Series event in Istanbul in February. He was on his way to winning the bout as Burroughs was put on the activity clock in the final minute but Savadkouhi pulled the singlet and was penalized for it and lost.

Ali SAVADKOUHI (IRI) scored six points on Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) at 79kg. (Photo: UWW / Ginnie Coleman)

In Iowa, he did not make a mistake. He went on an outside single and scored the takedown to cut the lead to 4-2. Burroughs took time to return to neutral, showing signs of tiredness. Savadkouhi pushed more from here and 15 seconds later scored another takedown. He did not let Burroughs settle down in par terre and turned him, a rare sight, to add two more.

From here, he had to defend the two-point lead for more than a minute. Burroughs tried but could not find a breakthrough. He pushed Savadkouhi out of bounds and got one point for fleeing to make it 6-6 but the Iranian still held criteria with nine seconds to go.

Ali SAVADKOUHI (IRI) celebrates after beating Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) in Iowa. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Savadkouhi managed to pass the time. He had achieved the unthinkable. He knew doing it in the US was special.

"I am happy to be the first Iranian to beat Burroughs and more importantly to win in his home country," he said. "I am blessed to be supported by Iranian people and the coaches."

Savadkouhi also talked about the confidence the Iran coaches had in him against Burroughs who had defeated Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI), who was in Iowa, in two finals at the World Championships.

"The coaches especially Pejman DOROSTKAR coach put more energy in me and he believed I will win," he said.

Kyle SNYDER (USA) managed to beat Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) 5-0 at 97kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

While Iran's gamble to wrestle Savadkouhi worked, another did not.

Two-time world champion at 92kg Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) bumped up to 97kg to wrestle Snyder as Iran tried to go for an outright win. But that did not pay off.

Snyder, who won the World Championships in Belgrade, was clearly the bigger and better wrestler and Ghasempour never managed to threaten with an attack. Snyder scored three stepouts against a tiring Ghasempour and a takedown to complete the win.

The USA was off to a strong start in the dual as Zane RICHARDS (USA) got a 4-3 win over Reza MOMENIJOUJAD (IRI) at 57kg before Seth GROSS (USA) manhandled U17 world champion Ebrahim ELAHI (IRI) at 61kg in a 10-0 win.

It took world champion Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) to win a rematch against John DIAKOMIHALIS (USA) at 65kg to put Iran on board. While the Belgrade final was a high-scoring affair, Amouzad and Diakomihalis were conservative in the match Sunday.

Amouzad scored a takedown but Diakomihalis was smart to not let him use the underhook to score stepouts. He then used two lighting fast duck-unders to take a 4-2 lead in the final. It looked like Amouzad was struggling to make a comeback but he scored via exposure and then added a late stepout to take a 5-4 lead and the win.

This should have put Iran in a strong position but Alec PANTALEO (USA) stunned Amirmohammad YAZDANI (IRI) at 70kg with a 4-3 win, keeping the momentum in the USA's favor. Yazdani gave up two takedowns and his offense never got going. In the dying moments, he scored exposure over Pantaleo and then got a turn but Pantaleo had his head outside the zone which resulted in no points for the turn.

With the USA leading 3-1, Mohmmadsadegh FIROUZPOUR (IRI) was under pressure to pull one back. He was facing Jason NOLF (USA) at 74kg and was the underdog. Nolf led 1-0 at the break for an inactivity point and Firouzpour was again put on the clock but this time he scored a takedown and defended that lead for the win.

Burroughs loss had made it 3-3 and Iran had a real shot at winning the World Cup. But Zahid VALENCIA (USA), with his swaying hair, defeated Alireza KARIMI (IRI) at 86kg before Nathan JACKSON (USA) beat U23 world champion Amirhossein FIROUZPOUR (IRI) at 92kg to all but seal the deal.

U23 world champion Amirreza MASOUMI (IRI) handed Hayden ZILLMER (USA) a 6-1 defeat as consolation at 125kg. Celebrating his win, he gestured his hands for the next one before symbolizing a crown on his head as if saying that he will be the next king of this weight class.

The All-World team, which came agonizingly close to making it to the final, came back Sunday to beat Georgia 8-2 and finish with a bronze medal at the World Cup on its debut.

Ukraine Ukraine won its first ever World Cup. (Photo: UWW / Ginnie Coleman)

Ukraine stuns China

Over the weekend, Ukraine showed that it is right up there with the top women's wrestling nations. In a tough year with wrestlers struggling to find training bases and fighting an emotional battle, Ukraine not only qualified for the World Cup, but it also went on to win it.

Ukraine defeated the mighty China 6-4 in the final Sunday to claim its first-ever World Cup to cap off a successful year on a high. It did this a day after defeating women's wrestling powerhouse Japan to reach the final.

China, a close second to Japan when it comes to women's wrestling, was the favorite on paper but struggled with the high-paced and crafty wrestling of the Ukrainian team which had been in the US for the last three weeks.

The USA Wrestling, working along with the United World Wrestling, Olympic Solidarity, the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine and the USOC, invited the team for a camp before the World Cup at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.

Alina HRUSHYNA (UKR) defeated Olympic silver medalist Qianyun PANG (CHN) at 55kg. (Photo: UWW / Ginnie Coleman)

That seemed to have worked for Ukraine as it broke Japan's title defense on Sunday. Japan sent a fairly young team to Iowa as most of its stars decided to skip the tournament for the Emperor's Cup scheduled to be held December 22-25. It is the first step towards qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

In the final against China, there was no lack of support for the Ukraine team as the crowd at the Xtreme Arena continued to push the team with its cheering.

Oksana LIVACH (UKR) gave a dream start with a come-from-behind win at 50kg. Jiang ZHU (CHN) was on her way to win the bout when Livach unleashed a cool headlock for four and win the bout 4-4.

"I am very exhausted," she said after the win. "I am glad that I won for Ukraine. It is a very important win for us. The coaches said that I have to win the first match."

Li DENG (CHN) tied the dual 1-1 with a 2-1 win over Albina RILLIA (UKR) at 53kg which meant that the 55kg clash between Olympic silver medalist Qianyu PANG (CHN) and European champion Alina HRUSHYNA became even more important.

Hrushyna led 2-1 with three points being awarded for inactivity and Pang tried desperately for an attack in the final few seconds. She head-pinched Hrushyna, who was ready for it, defending the attempt with ease and scoring a takedown for a 4-1 win.

Yuliia TKACH (UKR) secured a fall over Yongxin FENG (CHN) at 57kg. (Photo: UWW / Ginnie Coleman)

Veteran Yuliia TKACH (UKR) then got fall over Yongxin FENG (CHN) to swing it in Ukraine's favor. Qi ZHANG (CHN) did give China another chance by beating Iryna BONDAR (UKR) 7-2 at 59kg but that hope was short-lived as Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) put a cradle on Xinyuan SUN (CHN) for the fall inside the first period.

The two falls gave Ukraine a huge advantage if the dual was to end 5-5.

China was well aware of the scenario and Jia LONG (CHN) went all out against Kateryna ZELENYKH (UKR) at 65kg. In what will be the contender for the bout of the day, Long secured a fall despite being tossed twice for four-pointers. But she kept her composure and kept coming back and got a pin with two seconds remaining.

With Feng ZHOU (CHN) not available at 68kg, China banked on former world medalist Yue HAN (CHN) against Tetiana SOVA RIZHKO (UKR). Han almost did the job and was on her way to a 4-2 win when Rizhko got a single leg for two and Han made an illegal hold during the attack to be penalized for one point.

Rizhko's 5-4 win made it difficult for China to think of winning the title. However, QIANDEGENCHAGAN (CHN) gave it a shot. She defeated Alla BELINSKA (UKR) 9-1 to leave Juan WANG (CHN) with only one option -- to win the 76kg bout via fall.

Wang did try that but Anastasiia SHUSTOVA (UKR) did not let it go for long. Shustova went on the offense and kept it up for the entire bout, winning 9-5 for an outright win.

Mongolia finished third in the World Cup after it beat the USA 7-3 in the morning session.

Multiple World and Olympic Champions to Compete at Pan American Olympic Qualifier

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USA puts aside Burroughs loss to win World Cup