#BeachWrestling

Pan-Am Beach Wrestling: Colombia, Ecuador Win 2 Golds Each

Friday, June 19, 2026 - 08:43 By United World Wrestling Press

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LIMA, Peru (June 17) -- Ten nations competed at the Pan-American Beach Wrestling Championships in Lima, Peru. In the men's category, Ecuador, Honduras, Guatemala and Argentina won gold medals while in women's, Colombia won two golds, and Ecuador and Chile won one each.

Former Pan-Am champion Luisa VALVERDE (ECU) won the gold medal at 60kg in women's after a victory via fall over Jania DUNIGAN (PUR) in the final. She used a beautiful headlock throw for the win.

At 50kg, Natalia PERDOMO (COL) pinned Genesis RAMIREZ (PUR) to win gold and the second gold medal for Colombia came when Alexa CUERO (COL) blanked Ruth JIMENEZ (PUR), 3-0, in the 70kg final.

Chile got its gold medal at +70kg when Melanie SANCHEZ (CHI) both her bouts in round-robin. She defeated Aomi RIQUES (PER) and Gabriella REID (PUR), who finished with silver and bronze, respectively.

Ricardo GOMEZ (ARG)Ricardo GOMEZ (ARG), left, won the +90kg gold medal for Argentina. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Osvaldo Aguilar)

Jeremy PERALTA (ECU) was the first gold medal at men's 70kg as he secured a victory via fall over Alex PICHUCHO (ECU) in the final in just 55 seconds.

The second gold medal was claimed by Luis BARRIOS (HON) who blanked Sixto AUCCAPINA (PER), 3-0, in the 80kg final. He scored three different point to win the bout three seconds before the clock expired.

Three wrestlers posted three wins at 90kg but it was Cristhoper PEREZ (GUA) who emerged as the gold medalist as he had more classification points. Apart from Perez, Jesus LANDA (PER) and Carlos ESPINOZA (PER) also had three wins each. Perez managed eight classification points, Landa had seven and Espinoza had five.

In +90kg weight class, Ricardo GOMEZ (ARG) held on to a close 2-1 victory in the final over Jean ZAMBRANO (ECU) to clinch the gold medal.

RESULTS

Men's BW

70kg
GOLD: Jeremy PERALTA (ECU) df. Alex PICHUCHO (ECU), via fall

BRONZE: Arnoldo PROBOSTE (ARG) df. Caleb NEGRON (PUR), 1-0

80kg
GOLD: Luis BARRIOS (HON) df. Sixto AUCCAPINA (PER), 3-0

BRONZE: Yael PEREZ AKE (MEX) df. Adrian MAYNARD (BAR), 3-1

90kg
GOLD: Cristhoper PEREZ (GUA)
SILVER: Jesus LANDA (PER)
BRONZE: Carlos ESPINOZA (PER)

+90kg
GOLD: Ricardo GOMEZ (ARG) df. Jean ZAMBRANO (ECU), 2-1

BRONZE: Glean GONZALEZ (ECU) df. Kensil GRAJALES (PER), 3-1

Women's BW

50kg
GOLD: Natalia PERDOMO (COL) df. Genesis RAMIREZ (PUR), via fall

BRONZE: Vicky LEON (ECU) df. Nathaly HERRERA (PER), via inj. def.

60kg
GOLD: Luisa VALVERDE (ECU) df. Jania DUNIGAN (PUR), via fall

BRONZE: Meissy VALDEZ (GUA) df. Andrea AVELINO (MEX), via fall

70kg
GOLD: Alexa CUERO (COL) df. Ruth JIMENEZ (PUR), 3-0

BRONZE: Cielo FAJARDO (PER) df. Karla PAICO (PER), via fall

+70kg
GOLD: Melanie SANCHEZ (CHI)
SILVER: Aomi RIQUES (PER)
BRONZE: Gabriella REID (PUR)

#AmateurMMA

U20 Amateur MMA: New Zealand, Tajikistan crown world champs

Thursday, November 13, 2025 - 06:09 By Vinay Siwach

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LOUTRAKI, Greece (November 11) -- Gold medals for Tajikistan and New Zealand highlighted the first U20 World Amateur MMA Championships in Loutraki, Greece.

Tajikistan won two golds medals, both in men's division, while New Zealand won a gold medal through Lily HOUBEN (NZL) in women's division in the five-day event.

Houben, who is quickly making a name for herself in the New Zealand combat sports circles, used a classic armbar to submit Dinara TIUTIUNOVA (UWW) in the only bout, which was the final, at 90kg.

Apart from 90kg, three more weight classes were in action in women's -- 50kg, 61kg and 65kg. Alina NAIDINA (UWW) defeated Kseniia SHIPILKINA (UWW) to win the gold medal at 50kg.

Ukraine won golds at 61kg and 66kg through Yana MELNYCHUK (UKR) and Yuliia MELNYCHUK (UKR), the sisters helping it win the time title as well with 50 points. New Zealand finished second with 25 points.

Muhammadkabir NAZARZODA (TJK)Muhammadkabir NAZARZODA (TJK) won gold medal in the 62kg weight category. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

In men's, nine weight classes were in action with champions from Tajikistan, Moldova, France, Ukraine and UWW fighters.

Ukraine, once again the best team, won two gold medals, both at the expense of Kazakhstan. The first came at 77kg when Kyryl KYSELOV (UKR) defeated Kydyrali KAIRGALI (KAZ) in the final and the second came at 100kg as Yevhenii MURADOV (UKR) beat Radomir MOROZOV (KAZ) in the final.

Muhammadkabir NAZARZODA (TJK) gave Tajikistan its first gold medal when he defeated Maksim BUSYGIN (UWW) in the 62kg final. Soon after, : Mukhammadamin SHAMOLOV (TJK) added a second gold medal for the country when he beat Nikita LIKHTIN (UWW) in the 66kg final.

For Moldova, Ion SILI (MDA) showed his dominance in the 93kg final as he defeated Alikhan EVLOEV (UWW) to win the gold medal.

At 130kg, former U17 world silver medalist in Freestyle 125kg and U20 European bronze Levan LAGVILAVA (FRA) used his wrestling skills to win both bouts in the Nelson bracket to win the gold medal. Lagvilava recently finish fifth at the U20 World Championships.

Alibeg ALIBEKOV (UWW) won gold medal at 57kg, Ian GURBANOV (UWW) at 71kg, and Viktor SHEENKO (UWW) at 84kg.

RESULTS

U20 Men's Amateur MMA

57kg
GOLD: Alibeg ALIBEKOV (UWW)
SILVER: Bohdan CHORNEI (UKR)
BRONZE: Arturo COLMENAREJO GARCIA (ESP)
BRONZE: Kyllian DURANDET (FRA)

62kg
GOLD: Muhammadkabir NAZARZODA (TJK)
SILVER: Maksim BUSYGIN (UWW)
BRONZE: Amir ALKANOV (KAZ)
BRONZE: Mikhail KLIMENKO (UWW)

66kg
GOLD: Mukhammadamin SHAMOLOV (TJK)
SILVER: Nikita LIKHTIN (UWW)
BRONZE: Mansur ABDRAKHMAN (KAZ)
BRONZE: Oleh CHERNIK (UKR)

71kg
GOLD: Ian GURBANOV (UWW)
SILVER: Bilel BOULAMA (FRA)
BRONZE: Bohdan BECHKO (UKR)
BRONZE: Isa KHARSIEV (UWW)

77kg
GOLD: Kyryl KYSELOV (UKR)
SILVER: Kydyrali KAIRGALI (KAZ)
BRONZE: Ali SHARIFOV (KAZ)
BRONZE: Aliskhan DUDURGOV (UWW)

84kg
GOLD: Viktor SHEENKO (UWW)
SILVER: Andrii BOIAR (UKR)
BRONZE: Vadym ZHUKOV (UKR)
BRONZE: Athanasios MADEMLIS (GRE)

93kg
GOLD: Ion SILI (MDA)
SILVER: Alikhan EVLOEV (UWW)
BRONZE: Yehor RAILIANU (UKR)
BRONZE: Yerkebulan ASSANOV (KAZ)

100kg
GOLD: Yevhenii MURADOV (UKR)
SILVER: Radomir MOROZOV (KAZ)
BRONZE: Anton MAZAEV (UWW)
BRONZE: Cinar PAMUK (TUR)

130kg
GOLD: Levan LAGVILAVA (FRA)
SILVER: Mateusz ZIENKIEWICZ (POL)
BRONZE: Yerassyl SARTBAY (KAZ)

U20 Women's Amateur MMA

50kg
GOLD: Alina NAIDINA (UWW)
SILVER: Kseniia SHIPILKINA (UWW)

61kg
GOLD: Yana MELNYCHUK (UKR)
SILVER: Diana PARFENOVA (UWW)
BRONZE: Alessia AMENDOLA (ITA)
BRONZE: Tetiana LAPTIEVA (UKR)

65kg
GOLD: Yuliia MELNYCHUK (UKR)
SILVER: Renata AZNABAEVA (UWW)

90kg
GOLD: Lily HOUBEN (NZL)
SILVER: Dinara TIUTIUNOVA (UWW)