#WrestleOttawa

Olympic Champions Borrero Molina, Burroughs and Snyder Set for Pan American Championships in Ottawa

By Taylor GREGORIO

Photo of Jordan BURROUGHS (USA). Photo by Tony Rotundo.

The Pan American Championships are set for March 6-9 in Ottawa, Canada, and will feature nearly 200 athletes from 19 different countries, including six World and Olympic champions.

Men’s freestyle (March 8-9)

Leading the field in men’s freestyle are Olympic champions Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) and Kyle SNYDER (USA). Both are two-time Pan Am Games champions as well.

Burroughs, who will compete at 74 kg, is a 2012 Olympic champion and four-time World champ, with his most recent World gold coming in 2017. In 2018 and 2019, he tallied back-to-back World bronze medals.

Looking to knock off Burroughs at 74 kg, is a duo of past World medalists, Jeandry GARZON CABALLERO (CUB), a 2007 World silver medalist and three-time World bronze winner, and Franklin GOMEZ MATOS (PUR), who won silver at the 2011 World Championships.

Burroughs defeated both Garzon Caballero and Gomez Matos en route to his Pan Am Games title. Gomez Matos finished with silver, while Garzon Caballero earned bronze.

Photo of Reineris SALAS PEREZ (CUB) and Kyle SNYDER (USA). Photo by Tony Rotundo. 

Snyder is a 2016 Olympic champion and 2015 and 2017 World champion. He also owns World silver from 2018 and World bronze from 2019. Snyder will compete at 97 kg.

Also at 97 kg is two-time World silver medalist and 2010 World bronze winner Reineris SALAS PEREZ (CUB). Salas Perez is a five-time Pan American Championships gold medalist as well as a 2015 Pan Am Games champion.

Other returning Pan American Games champions expected to compete include Alejandro VALDES TOBIER (CUB) at 65 kg and Yurieski TORREBLANCA QUERALTA (CUB) at 86 kg.

Valdes Tobier enters the tournament with 2017 and 2018 World bronze medals. Joining him at 65 kg with World medals is John (Yianni) DIAKOMIHALIS (USA), who is a two-time Cadet World champion, winning gold in 2015 and 2016.

Aside from Torreblanca Queralta, in the mix at 86 kg is Carlos IZQUIERDO MENDEZ (COL), who was fifth at the 2019 World Championships and was one of only three men’s freestyle athletes from the Pan-American region to qualify their weight for the 2020 Olympics (the other two being Burroughs and Snyder).

Either James Patrick DOWNEY III (USA) or Alex DIERINGER (USA) will represent the United States at 86 kg. Both are Junior World silver medalists with Downey winning his in 2012 and Dieringer claiming his in 2013.

Photo of Reineri ANDREU ORTEGA (CUB). Photo by Sachiko Hotaka. 

Favored at 57 kg is 2017 and 2019 U23 World champion Reineri ANDREU ORTEGA (CUB). In addition to his World golds, Andreu Ortega also owns a gold from the 2018 Pan American Championships and has collected bronzes at the 2019 Pan Am Games as well as the 2017 and 2019 Pan Am Championships.

Leading the field at 125 kg is Oscar PINO HINDS (CUB), who is a three-time World medalist in Greco-Roman, including a silver at the 2019 World Championships to qualify Cuba for the Olympic Games at 130 kg in Greco. Last season, he balanced both styles, competing in freestyle at the Pan American events and wrapping up his season in Greco at Worlds. For 2020, Pino Hinds is expected to compete exclusively in freestyle.

At last year’s Pan American Championships, Pino Hinds won bronze, and just months later, he improved to a silver medal at the Pan American Games.

Looking to challenge him at the weight is 2014 Junior World champion Amarveer DHESI (CAN). This week will mark his first Pan Am event at the Senior level.

While all 10 Worlds weights will be contested, there are few competing at the non-Olympic weights. Some of note include 2019 Senior World fifth-place finisher Tyler GRAFF (USA) at 61 kg, 2019 Pan American Championships gold medalist Anthony ASHNAULT (USA) at 70 kg and 2019 Junior World bronze medalist Hunter LEE (CAN) at 92 kg.

Photo of Adeline GRAY (USA). Photo by Kadir Caliskan. 

Women’s freestyle (March 7-8)

Three World champions highlight the women’s freestyle entries, including 2019 World champs Tamyra MENSAH-STOCK (USA) at 68 kg and Adeline GRAY (USA) at 76 kg and 2018 World champion Justina DI STASIO (CAN) at 76 kg.

Mensah-Stock and Gray are the only two Pan-American athletes in women’s freestyle to qualify their weights for the 2020 Tokyo Games, thanks to their medal-winning performances at the 2019 World Championships.

Mensah-Stock had a breakout year in 2019, winning the Pan Am Championships and Pan American Games titles at 68 kg and finishing off the season with a World gold medal. But looking to stop her hot streak is Yudari SANCHEZ RODRIGUEZ (CUB), a 2018 U23 World champion. Sanchez Rodriguez also owns a 2017 Junior World silver and a 2017 U23 World bronze.

Perhaps one of the most star-studded weights in women’s freestyle is 76 kg.

Last year, Gray became the first athlete in U.S. wrestling history to win five World titles, surpassing legends like John Smith and Tricia Saunders. In every Pan Am event she has competed in, Gray has won gold, including the 2015 Pan Am Games and the 2018 and 2019 Pan Am Championships.

Di Stasio is a three-time Pan American Championships gold medalist (2015, 2016, 2017) as well as a 2019 Pan Am Games champion at the weight class. She won her 2018 World title at 72 kg.

Joining them at 76 kg is 2019 U23 and Junior World champion Malaimys MARIN POTRILE (CUB) and 2014 World silver medalist Aline DA SILVA FERREIRA (BRA).

Photo of Jackeline RENTERIA CASTILLO (COL). Photo by Tony Rotundo. 

The 62 kg weight class features a pair of World medalists, including two-time Olympic bronze medalist and 2017 World bronze medalist Jackeline RENTERIA CASTILLO (COL) and 2018 World bronze medalist Mallory VELTE (USA). 

Also in the mix is 2019 Pan American Championships gold medalist and 2019 Pan Am Games bronze medalist Lais NUNES DE OLIVEIRA (BRA).

Competing at 57 kg is reigning Pan Am Games champion Lissette ANTES CASTILLO (ECU), who also won the Pan Am Championship last year in Lima, Peru. Additionally, she owns bronze medals from the 2011 and 2015 Pan Am Games.

Also seeking the top spot at 57 kg is 2018 Senior World bronze medalist Lianna MONTERO HERRERA (CUB) and 2019 U23 World bronze medalist Hannah TAYLOR (CAN).

Athletes to watch at the lower weights include two-time Junior World champion Victoria ANTHONY (USA) at 50 kg, reigning Pan American Championships gold medalist Yusneylys GUZMAN LOPEZ (CUB) at 50 kg and 2011 Junior World bronze medalist Luisa VALVERDE MELENDRES (ECU) at 53 kg.

Photo of Ismael BORRERO MOLINA (CUB). Photo by Tony Rotundo. 

Greco-Roman (March 6-7)

Four of the six 2019 Pan American Games champions will compete later this week in Ottawa, highlighted by 2016 Olympic champion and two-time World champion Ismael BORRERO MOLINA (CUB).

Borrero Molina, a five-time Pan American Championships gold medalist, will compete at 67 kg this weekend. He is one of only two Pan-American Greco-Roman athletes to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Games. The other to qualify the weight in Greco was Oscar PINO HINDS (CUB) at 130 kg, who is expected to compete in freestyle for the 2020 season.

The other Pan Am Games champions slated for competition are Patrick SMITH (USA) at 77 kg, Luis AVENDANO ROJAS (VEN) at 87 kg and Gabriel ROSILLO KINDELAN (CUB) at 97 kg.

Photo of Luis AVENDANO ROJAS (VEN). Photo by Tony Rotundo. 

Seeking to dethrone Avendano Rojas at 87 kg is two-time U23 World medalist Daniel GREGORICH HECHAVARRIA (CUB), who won silver at the 2018 U23 Worlds and bronze at the 2019 U23 Worlds.

Rosillo Kindelan appears to be the favorite at 97 kg as he is coming off an impressive 2019 season, where he won Pan American Championships titles in the Junior and Senior divisions, a Pan Am Games title and a Junior World gold.

Also registered at 97 kg is 2016 Junior World bronze medalist G’Angelo HANCOCK (USA), who met up with Rosillo Kindelan in the 2019 Championships and Games finals. Additionally, Kevin MEJIA CASTILLO (HON), a 2011 Cadet World bronze winner, will be at the event.

While 2019 World silver medalist Pino Hinds will not be competing in Greco, the 130 kg weight class will still have exciting competition, including World medalists Yasmani ACOSTA FERNANDEZ (CHI) and Adam COON (USA).

Coon is a 2018 World runner-up, while Acosta Fernandez is a 2017 World bronze medalist. Additionally, Acosta Fernandez is a 2019 Pan Am Games bronze winner.

Others to watch out for in Greco are 2019 Pan American Championships gold medalists Max NOWRY (USA) at 55 kg and Luis ORTA SANCHEZ (CUB) at 60 kg.

Schedule (U.S. Eastern Time)
Friday, March 6
10:30 a.m. – Qualification and repechage (GR 55-6-63-67-72-97-130 kg)
4 p.m. – Opening Ceremony
5 p.m. – Finals (GR 55-6-63-67-72-97-130 kg)

Saturday, March 7
10:30 a.m. – Qualification and repechage (GR 77-82-87 kg, WFS 55-59-65-72 kg)
5 p.m. – Finals (GR 77-82-87 kg, WFS 55-59-65-72 kg)

Sunday, March 8
10:30 a.m. – Qualification and repechage (WFS 50-53-57-62-68-76 kg, MFS 79-92 kg)
5 p.m. – Finals (WFS 50-53-57-62-68-76 kg, MFS 79-92 kg)

Monday, March 9
10:30 a.m. – Qualification and repechage (MFS 57-61-65-70-74-86-97-125 kg)
5 p.m. – Finals (MFS 57-61-65-70-74-86-97-125 kg)

 

#WrestleParis

Paris 2024: Ramazanov denies Yazdani, Higuchi completes 57kg turnaround

By Ken Marantz

PARIS (August 9) -- Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) and his aching shoulder missed out on a second Olympic gold medal and was relegated to a second silver instead, and David TAYLOR (USA) was nowhere in sight. Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL) is the new king of the freestyle 86kg class.

Russian-born Ramazanov outdueled a less-than-100 percent Yazdani in notching a 7-1 victory in the final on Friday at the Paris Olympics, giving Bulgaria its second gold in two nights.

"It was really something for me," said Ramazanov, the 2020 European 79kg silver medalist who began competing for Bulgaria this year. "I come from a little town, and my family worked really hard for me to get here. It is really an honor. I got the gold medal for them."

Japan grabbed the two other gold medals up for grabs at the Champs de Mars Arena, with Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) completing an arduous eight-year journey to an elusive freestyle 57kg gold and two-time reigning world champion Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) winning the women's 57kg title in her Olympic debut.

Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL)Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL) and Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) at the podium of 86kg in Paris. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Yazdani, one of the biggest stars of the sport whose many laurels include the 74kg gold from Rio 2016 and a silver at 86kg three years ago in Tokyo, was in obvious discomfort from the get-go of his clash with the 31-year-old Ramazanov.

Almost immediately after the start, the Iranian signaled for a timeout, clutching his upper right arm. While managing to keep the score close, and even tentatively leading at one point, he stopped the match five times for treatment on his shoulder.

"It was hard for him, but he was a great fighter with his other arm," Ramazanov said. "In the Olympics, you don’t get to choose the conditions, you just have to compete, and that’s what makes this sport so hard."

Yazdani gave up an activity point in the first period -- just barely failing to complete a takedown in the process -- but got one himself in the second to lead 1-1 on criteria.

Ramazanov put the pressure on and tripped Yazdani for a takedown while trapping the Iranian's foot underneath him at an odd angle, keeping him in a sitting position. That allowed the Bulgarian to use a crossface to tilt Yazdani backward for two exposures and a 7-1 lead.

With 30 seconds left, Yazdani conceded that it was over. He put his hands on his knees as the seconds ticked down to the inevitable. He gave Ramazanov a hug of respect.

Ramazanov dedicated the gold medal to his father who died when he was still a child.

"It was really hard, I had to fight elite wrestlers, but today it was destiny, and I want to thank god and dedicate this medal to my father, who died a few years ago," Ramazanov said. "I think he would be very proud of me."

He also paid tribute to his adopted country. "Bulgaria is my second home," he said. "This country gave me this amazing opportunity to compete in the Olympics with the best athletes around the world. It’s really hard psychologically because you don’t know if you’ll get to the next Olympics, and it’s so hard to qualify."

Rei HIGUCHI (JPN)Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) kisses his gold medal at the 57kg medal ceremony. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

At freestyle 57kg, Higuchi won a showdown with an equally determined Spencer LEE (USA) 4-2 to capture the gold medal that eluded him at the 2016 Rio Olympics and for which he spent the ensuing years on a path of trials and tribulations.

"I was able to have fun wrestling," Higuchi said. "I think that in my career, this was my highest level performance. It was a great tournament."

Higuchi was able to limit Lee's attacks to a pair of stepouts in the first period, the first one while Lee was on the activity clock. In the second period, Higuchi managed to stay grounded so that there would be no points as he went over the edge.

Meanwhile, Higuchi took the initiative himself in the second period, launching a double-leg takedown attempt that Lee tried to counter by rolling over the top. But Higuchi rolled through it and Lee landed on his back, giving Higuchi 2 points and a momentary chance for a fall.

That gave Higuchi the lead 2-2 on criteria, and he managed to hold on, adding a takedown with two seconds left off a desperation throw attempt.

Rei HIGUCHI (JPN)Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) tackles Spencer LEE (USA) in the 57kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

After Rio, Higuchi moved up to 61kg, winning an Asian title, with an eye on making the Tokyo Olympics at 65kg. He won the world U23 gold at 65kg in 2018, and defeated Takuto OTOGURO (JPN) at one point, but in the end lost out to the eventual Tokyo gold medalist.

The only option for going to his home Olympics was to drop down to 57kg, but he famously failed to make weight at the Asian Olympic Qualifier, a shock only made worse when he later lost a playoff for Japan's Olympic spot to Yuki TAKAHASHI (JPN).

Still in his prime, he spent the next two years at 61kg, winning his first senior world crown in 2022, then made the drop back to 57kg with the aim of being on the mat in Paris.

This time he became more attentive to his nutrition and diet, which got a boost when he got married in May last year. It paid off with a world silver in Belgrade that clinched his ticket to Paris.

"The road to getting the gold medal was not easy at all," said Higuchi, who became a father in February. "I suffered many losses and I had the failure to make weight. I had many setbacks and moments of despair.

"But I was absolutely confident I could win the gold medal. My coaches and teammates supported me and this is a medal I could get because of so many people. I will never think this is
a gold medal that I won by myself."

With Higuchi's win, current students or alumni of his alma mater Nippon Sports Science University now account for four wrestling golds in Paris. He was preceded by Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) and Nao KUSAKA (JPN) in Greco and Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) in women's wrestling.

Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN)Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) celebrates after winning the 57kg final at the Paris Olympics. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Sakurai later added Japan's fifth gold overall through five days of competition in Paris with a 6-0 victory over Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) in a repeat of the women's 57kg final at last year's World Championships in Belgrade.

"I practiced just for this moment, and I was able to be here because of the support of many people," said Sakurai, who defeated two-time Olympic champion Risako KAWAI (now KINJO) (JPN) in the process of qualifying for Paris. "I'm really glad I won the title."

Sakurai, employing a 2-on-1 while standing that pretty much neutralized Nichita's offense, opened the scoring by shooting for a single-leg takedown, then stepping over for an exposure when Nichita attempted a counter-lift.

Sakurai had the 2-on-1 when the two went to the mat and Nichita tried to go over and hook the far leg. But Sakurai bucked her to the mat and went behind to make it 4-0 at the break. In the second period, Sakurai added a single-leg takedown while conceding nothing to clinch the gold.

After her victory lap, Sakurai went to the stands for a group hug with her father and her coach at Ikuei University, Yoshimaro YANAGAWA, who could have another Olympic champion after Ikuei's Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) made the women's 62kg final earlier in the session.

"He said, 'You did great,'" Sakurai said of Yanagawa. "For this Olympics, he sacrificed so much time for us. He made us train hard and kept pushing us. I'm glad I could get it done. I was able to put out on the mat what I had done up to now."

Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN)Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) wrestles Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) in the 57kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Sakurai suffered a setback in her Olympic preparations when she lost in the final at the Asian Championships in April to Yongxin FENG (CHN), but managed to right the ship in time for Paris. It was her first international loss since the 2019 Asian Junior (U20) Championships.

Despite missing out on the gold, Nichita earned a place in Moldovan history by becoming just its second Olympic wrestling medalist ever and the first woman.

"So many people came today to support me, and I'm really grateful for that," Nichita said. "I'm really sorry that I didn't win the gold medal, but next time I will try my best to win the gold.

"All of my life I dreamed about this, and I went through a lot of pain and trauma, and here I am today, with a medal."

Helen MAROULIS (USA)Helen MAROULIS (USA) celebrates after winning her bronze-medal bout at 57kg in Paris. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Maroulis quickly bags bronze for 3rd Olympic medal

Helen MAROULIS (USA) needed just 24 seconds to win a third Olympic medal, taking a second straight women's 57kg bronze with victory by fall over Hannah TAYLOR (CAN).

Maroulis hit a textbook-perfect fireman's carry to send Taylor to her back, then clamped down to secure the fall less than a half-minute after the start.

The three-time former world champion added the Paris bronze to the gold she won at Rio 2016 with a historic win over legend Saori YOSHIDA (JPN) and her bronze from Tokyo three years ago.

Kexin HONG (CHN) needed a bit more time to secure the other women's 57kg bronze, rolling to a 10-0 victory over Giullia PENALBER (BRA) in 1:57.

Aaron BROOKS (USA)The two bronze medalists at 86kg -- Aaron BROOKS (USA) and Daruen KURUGLIEV (GRE). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

World U23 champion Aaron BROOKS (USA), who needed to beat Tokyo Olympic champion David TAYLOR (USA) just to earn his ticket to Paris, defeated Asian silver medalist Javrail SHAPIEV (UZB) 5-0 to take home a freestyle 86kg bronze medal.

Brooks received an activity point in the first period, then added a stepout early in the second. Put on the clock himself, Brooks scored a double-leg takedown to make it 4-0, then added a late stepout to relegate Shapiev to a second straight fifth-place finish at the Olympics.

Asked if the competition in his first major senior event was tougher than he had expected, Brooks replied, "I never try to expect anything. When you are going on the mat with expectations and they are not met, it's where you can have those climaxes and drop-offs.

"It's the Olympics. They are what they are. It's a tough competition."

The other 86kg bronze went to Russian-born Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE), who survived a valiant late surge by Tokyo bronze medalist Myles AMINE (SMR) in a 5-4 victory that gave Greece its first Olympic wrestling medal since Athens 2000.

Kurugliev appeared to be cruising to a victory on the back of a first-period takedown and 2-point exposure off a second-period scramble. With the clock ticking down, Amine completed a takedown with :07 on the clock, but wasn't done there.

He got behind again, but Kurugliev somehow managed to keep his knees off the mat as they went out of the ring, limiting Amine to a stepout and fleeing point that made it 4-4 but left him on the short end on criteria. An unsuccessful challenge added the final point.

"I would like to thank Greece, this country that gave me this opportunity," Kurugliev said. "Thank you very much to all of you. I'm very happy to have won this medal. Of course, I tried to win gold, but bronze is fine, and I'm quite happy."

AMAN (IND)AMAN (IND) became India's youngest Olympic medalist in individual sports. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Asian champion Aman SEHRAWAT (IND), the lone Indian male wrestler to qualify for Paris, assured that the country would win a medal for the fifth straight Olympics, winning a takedown-a-thon over Darian CRUZ (PUR) 13-5 to take a bronze at freestyle 57kg.

Sehrawat scored three takedowns in each period, adding a late stepout with a fleeing point tacked on, to deny the U.S.-raised Cruz's bid to become just the second Olympic wrestling medalist for Puerto Rico. Cruz, an NCAA champion at Lehigh University in the U.S., chalked up two takedowns of his own.

Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB), who also did some collegiate wrestling in the U.S., picked up the other 57kg bronze with a 5-1 win over Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ) that was closer than the score indicates.

Abdullaev got an activity point and stepout in the first period, and led 2-1 in the second after giving up a point on the activity clock. Fighting off everything Almaz Uulu threw at him down the stretch, he got a last-second 2 by stopping a desperation throw attempt, with an unsuccessful challenge point added on.

Day 5 Results

Freestyle

57kg
GOLD: Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) df. Spencer LEE (USA), 4-2

BRONZE: Aman SEHRAWAT (IND) df. Darian CRUZ (PUR), 13-5
BRONZE: Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) df. Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ), 5-1

74kg
SF1: Daichi TAKATANI (JPN) df. Kyle DAKE (USA), 20-12
SF2: Razambek JAMALOV (UZB) df. Viktor RASSADIN (TJK), 8-2

86kg
GOLD: Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL) df. Hassan YAZDANI (IRI), 7-1

BRONZE: Aaron BROOKS (USA) df. Javrail SHAPIEV (UZB), 5-0
BRONZE: Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE) df. Myles AMINE (SMR), 5-4

125kg
SF1: Amir ZARE (IRI) df. Taha AKGUL (TUR), 2-1
SF2: Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) df. Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE), 7-0

Women's Wrestling

57kg
GOLD: Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) df. Anastasia NICHITA (MDA), 6-0

BRONZE: Helen MAROULIS (USA) df. Hannah TAYLOR (CAN) by Fall, :24 (4-0)
BRONZE: Kexin HONG (CHN) df. Giullia PENALBER (BRA) by TF, 10-0, 1:57

62kg
SF1: Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) df. Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ), 9-2
SF2: Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) df. Grace BULLEN (NOR) by Fall, 4:26 (7-7)