Surprises Abound Friday Morning at Pan Ams

Friday, May 4, 2018 - 20:14 By Taylor Miller

LIMA (May 4) – Friday morning’s session of the 2018 Pan American Championships wrapped up with a few surprises as 2017 Junior World champion Kamal BEY (USA) was knocked out of the competition when he suffered a broken rib in his first round of action at 77 kg.

Bey was going back and forth with two-time Pan American silver medalist Jair CUERO MUNOZ (COL) when the setback occurred. Bey was then forced to medical forfeit out of the tournament.

Cuero moved on to the finals at 77 kg and will do battle with 2018 Central American and Caribbean Championships gold medalist Ariel FIS (CUB).

Other notable happenings from Friday morning included 2017 World bronze medalist Becka LEATHERS (USA) sealing a gold medal at 55 kg after she defeated the other two competitors in the field, Lady MORAN VALENZUELA (ECU) and Cara NANIA (CAN). It is her second-consecutive Pan Am title.

Moran Valenzuela and Nania will wrestle for silver tonight.

Also already securing a gold medal is Luis AVENDANO ROJAS (VEN), who has posted a 3-0 record at 82 kg in Greco, so far. Earlier in the day, he defeated the only 3-1 wrestler in the field, Geordan Speiller, a 2016 Pan Am champion, with an 8-0 tech fall.

At 87 kg, the third Greco weight of the day, past Pan American medalists Yorgen COVA PULIDO (VEN) and Daniel GREGORICH (CUB) sailed to the finals and will face each other tonight for the crown.

Gregorich defeated Ben PROVISOR (USA) in a rematch of last year’s Pan Am finals. Their last meeting ended in a 2-2 decision for Provisor. Not only did Gregorich flip the result but he also widened the gap, picking up a 9-0 technical fall.

On the women’s side, Andribeth RIVERA (PUR) knocked off two-time Pan American champion and 2012 Olympian Kelsey CAMPBELL (USA) with an decisive 10-4 win to put herself in position for gold at 59 kg, which is also a round robin weight.

Rivera will face off against Laurence BEAUREGARD (CAN) for the top prize in tonight’s session.

There were no matches wrestled at 65 kg in women’s freestyle as there are only two competitors in the bracket, counting 2017 Pan Am bronze winner Forrest MOLINARI (USA) and three-time University World medalist Breanne GRAHAM (CAN). The two will go head to head tonight for gold.

The final round of 72 kg competition will be contested tonight with three in the hunt for the top of the podium. Veronica KEEFE (CAN) leads the pack with a 2-0 record so far. She will take on Diana CRUZ ARROYO (PER), who is 1-1, suffering a loss to Josselyn PORTILLO MEJIA (ESA), who is also 1-1 on the day. Portillo Mejia will meet up with Hannah GLADDEN (USA) tonight.

The finals are set for 7 p.m. ET and can be watched live on unitedworldwrestling.org.

FINALS MATCH UPS

GRECO-ROMAN

77 kg
GOLD - Ariel FIS BATISTA (CUB) vs. Jair Alexis CUERO MUNOZ (COL)
BRONZE - Francisco Albano BARRIO (ARG) vs. Angelo Rafael MARQUES MOREIRA (BRA)
BRONZE - Reinier JIMENEZ TERRY (GUA) vs. Johan Antonio BATISTA (DOM)

82 kg
ROUND 5 - Brayden William AMBO (CAN) vs. Luis Eduardo AVENDANO ROJAS (VEN)
ROUND 5 - Carlos Moises ESPINOZA CASTRO (PER) vs. Adil Hendresson BARROS MACHADO (BRA)

87 kg
GOLD - Yorgen Jose COVA PULIDO (VEN) vs. Daniel GREGORICH HECHAVARRIA (CUB)
BRONZE - Alfonso Antonio LEYVA YEPEZ (MEX) vs. Benjamin Errol PROVISOR (USA)
BRONZE - Phillip Raweriio BARREIRO (CAN) vs. Carlos Alberto ADAMES PALMER (DOM)

WOMEN’S FREESTYLE

55 kg
ROUND 3 - Lady Raysa MORAN VALENZUELA (ECU) vs. Cara Gail NANIA (CAN)

59 kg
ROUND 3 - Andribeth RIVERA BELLIARD (PUR) vs. Laurence BEAUREGARD (CAN)
ROUND 3 - Karoline SILVA DE SANTANA (BRA) vs. Kelsey Rene CAMPBELL (USA)

65 kg
GOLD - Breanne Leigh GRAHAM (CAN) vs. Forrest Ann MOLINARI (USA)

72 kg
ROUND 3 - Veronica Helen Frances KEEFE (CAN) vs. Diana Luisa Victoria CRUZ ARROYO (PER)
ROUND 3 - Josselyn Tatiana PORTILLO MEJIA (ESA) vs. Hannah La Shae GLADDEN (USA)

2026 U23 European Championships

Sokolovska, Shauchuk Earn U23 European Golds

Thursday, March 12, 2026 - 17:02 By Vinay Siwach

ZRENJANIN, Serbia (March 12) -- Senior European champion Alina SHAUCHUK (BLR), U20 world champion Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR) and three former U20 European champs earned gold medals on Thursday at the U23 European Championships in Zrenjanin, Serbia.

Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE) and Aida KERYMOVA (UKR) won close finals in 59kg and 50kg, respectively while Gerda TEREK (HUN) dominated her 55kg gold-medal bout.

Alina SHAUCHUK (BLR), right, celebrates after winning the 68kg final in Zrenjanin, Serbia. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Shauchuk, who won the 68kg gold medal at the European Championships last year, had a tough final against Alina SHEVCHENKO (RUS). She scored a stepout to open the scoring and then used a snap to score a takedown and lead 3-0. She used a trap-arm gut to turn Shevchenko twice and extend her lead to 7-0. Shevchenko scored a point for reversal.

In the second period, Shevchenko managed to score a takedown and turn to cut the lead to 7-5. She then got on another leg attack but Shauchuk pancaked her and scored two points to lead 9-5. A late stepout gave her the victory.

Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR), right, defeated Patrycja CUBER (POL) in the 76kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

At 76kg, Sokolovska, who is trained in Greco-Roman, did not look in trouble at all as she defeated Patrycja CUBER (POL), 8-0, and win the gold medal. She now has the top medal at the U17, U20 and U23 continental levels.

Cuber could never get through the defense of Sokolovska who managed to score takedowns at regular intervals. With the silver medal, Cuber has now lost the finals at U17, U20 and U23 European Championships.

Kerymova gave Ukraine the second gold medal of the night as she won the final at 50kg. Wrestling Aleksandra KOPYLOVA (RUS) for the gold medal, Kerymova managed to scrape through a close 2-1 victory, thanks to an activity clock point and a stepout in the second period.

Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE) scores the match-winning takedown during the 59kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Azerbaijan won the gold medal at 59kg when Hurbanova defended her tittle. She was called passive in the first period and gave up point to Marta HETMANAVA (BLR)Hetmanava but managed to score a takedown in the second period and led 2-1. She had to defend her lead for two minutes and 14 seconds to win the title.

Gerda TEREK (HUN) turns Gultakin SHIRINOVA (AZE) using the leg-lace. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

At 55kg, Terek completed her dominant run with a 10-0 victory over Gultakin SHIRINOVA (AZE) in the final. This was her second victory via technical superiority while the other two via fall.

A stepout put Terek on board in the final before an activity clock point and another stepout made it 3-0. Terek soon sprung into action and scored a takedown before two turns via leg-lace to lead 9-0 at the break. She took only 12 seconds in the second period to score the one point needed for the technical superiority win

Carla JAUME (ESP)

Jaume, Vilk in Line for Historic Golds

Earlier in the day, Carla JAUME (ESP) and Veronika VILK (CRO), two bronze medalists from last year's U23 European Championships, created history for their respective countries by reaching the finals at 53kg and 76kg, respectively.

Jaume, Spain's first-ever world silver medalist for Spain in Women's Wrestling, became the first Spanish wrestler to reach the U23 European final. She defeated Ekaterina KARPUSHKINA (RUS), 8-5, at 53kg to achieve the feat.

Vilk reached the 76kg final for Croatia to become the country's first-ever U23 European finalist in Women's Wrestling. She pinned Daniela BRASNAROVA (BUL) to create history.

Vilk is the first Croatian wrestler to become a world champion in any level and style. She etched her name in history in 2022 when she won the U17 world title in Istanbul.

The two will now look to create further history on Friday when they wrestle in their respective finals. Jaume will take on Anastasiia POLSKA (UKR) who pinned Nargiz SAMADOVA (AZE) in the other 53kg semifinal.

Vilk will face Viktoryia RADZKOVA (BLR) who survived late attacks from Greta TVERSKYTE (LTU) to win her 76kg semifinal 4-2.

In other weight classes, senior European bronze medalist and former U20 world champion Alina FILIPOVYCH (UKR) will take on defending champion and U23 world silver medalist Aryna DZEMCHANKA MARTYNAVA (BLR) at 57kg.

Martynava and Filipovych dominated their semifinals, with the former pinning Felicitas DOMAJEVA (NOR). Filipovych blanked Amory ANDRICH (GER), 8-0, to enter the gold medal bout.

At 62kg, senior world bronze medalist Amina TANDELOVA (RUS) will look to win her first U23 Euro title after she reached the final. She defeated Naemi LEISTNER (GER), 11-0, to book her spot in the gold medal bout against Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE) who needed a late stepout to beat Iris THIEBAUX (FRA), 3-3.

Ekaterina KOSHKINA (RUS) and Kseniya TSIARENIA (BLR) both picked up falls in their semifinals and will face each other in a bid to win gold at 65kg. Koshkina pinned Maria PANTIRU (ROU) while Tsiarenia pinned Saga SVENSSON (SWE).

RESULTS

50kg
GOLD: Aida KERYMOVA (UKR) df. Aleksandra KOPYLOVA (RUS), 2-1

BRONZE: Svenja JUNGO (SUI) df. Ana ROTARU (ROU), 2-2
BRONZE: Sviatlana KATENKA (BLR) df. Zerda DEMIR (TUR), 7-2

55kg
GOLD: Gerda TEREK (HUN) df. Gultakin SHIRINOVA (AZE), 10-0

BRONZE: Mihaela SAMOIL (MDA) df. Nesrin SYULEYMANOVA (BUL), 10-0
BRONZE: Tuba DEMIR (TUR) df. Valeryia MIKITSICH (BLR), 11-0

59kg
GOLD: Hiunai HURBANOVA (AZE) df. Marta HETMANAVA (BLR), 2-1

BRONZE: Olha PADOSHYK (POL) df. Sevim AKBAS (TUR), 5-3
BRONZE: Ana PUIU (ROU) df. Viktoria BOYNOVA (BUL), 13-3

68kg
GOLD: Alina SHAUCHUK (BLR) df. Alina SHEVCHENKO (RUS), 10-5

BRONZE: Karolina POK (HUN) df. Karolina DOMASZUK (POL), 4-1
BRONZE: Manola SKOBELSKA (UKR) df. Ayse ERKAN (TUR), 4-2

76kg
GOLD: Nadiia SOKOLOVSKA (UKR) df. Patrycja CUBER (POL), 8-0

BRONZE: Mariia SILINA (RUS) df. Vanesa GEORGIEVA (BUL), 2-0

Semifinals

53kg
GOLD: Carla JAUME SOLER (ESP) vs. Anastasiia POLSKA (UKR)

SF 1: Anastasiia POLSKA (UKR) df. Nargiz SAMADOVA (AZE), via fall (4-2)
SF 2: Carla JAUME SOLER (ESP) df. Ekaterina KARPUSHKINA (RUS), 8-5

57kg
GOLD: Alina FILIPOVYCH (UKR) vs. Aryna DZEMCHANKA MARTYNAVA (BLR)

SF 1: Alina FILIPOVYCH (UKR) df. Amory ANDRICH (GER), 8-0
SF 2: Aryna DZEMCHANKA MARTYNAVA (BLR) df. Felicitas DOMAJEVA (NOR), via fall

62kg
GOLD: Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE) vs. Amina TANDELOVA (RUS)

SF 1: Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE) df. Iris THIEBAUX (FRA), 3-3
SF 2: Amina TANDELOVA (RUS) df. Naemi LEISTNER (GER), 11-0

65kg
GOLD: Ekaterina KOSHKINA (RUS) vs. Kseniya TSIARENIA (BLR)

SF 1: Ekaterina KOSHKINA (RUS) df. Maria PANTIRU (ROU), via fall (8-1)
SF 2: Kseniya TSIARENIA (BLR) df. Saga SVENSSON (SWE), via fall (4-0)

72kg
GOLD: Veronika VILK (CRO) vs. Viktoryia RADZKOVA (BLR)

SF 1: Veronika VILK (CRO) df. Daniela BRASNAROVA (BUL), via fall (6-0)
SF 2: Viktoryia RADZKOVA (BLR) df. Greta TVERSKYTE (LTU), 4-2

Surprises Abound Friday Morning at Pan Ams

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Sokolovska, Shauchuk Earn U23 European Golds