#WrestleAlmaty

Susaki and Higuchi Poised to Returned to Japan's Starting Lineup

By Eric Olanowski

ALMATY, Kazakhstan (March 31) -- Japanese stars Yui SUSAKI (JPN) and Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) are poised to make their return to the starting lineup at next week's Asian Olympic Qualifier (April 9-11).

Susaki will represent Japan at 50kg for the first time since the '19 Women’s Wrestling World Cup, where she went 2-0 and scored wins over Yanan SUN (CHN) and Whitney CONDER (USA). Higuchi, on the other hand, will make his 57kg debut in Japan's lineup for the first time since winning a silver medal at the '16 Olympic Games. 

Susaki, the two-time world champion, fell to Yuki IRIE (JPN) in a ’19 playoff and lost her starting spot on Japan’s ’19 world championship team. But, in surprising fashion, Irie dropped a barn-burning quarterfinal-match in Nur-Sultan to Rio Olympic bronze medalist Sun and squandered the opportunity to qualify the Tokyo Games host nation at 50kg. This left the door open for Susaki to make a last-ditch effort to reclaim her starting spot, and hopefully, compete at the Olympic Games in her home country.

Susaki regained her starting spot and the right to represent Japan at the Asian Olympic Qualifier by winning gold at the ’19 December All-Japan Championships.

Meanwhile, Higuchi will return to international competition at 57kg for the first time since the '16 Rio Olympic Games. The energetic fan-favorite is best known for his unbelievable showing in Rio where he put on an absolute show en route to a surprising run to the finals. Higuchi won four matches in Brazil before ultimately falling to Vladimer KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO) in the gold medal match.

Since that magical run in Rio, Higuchi has competed at 61kg and 65kg. But after falling to Takuto OTOGURO (JPN) in a Japan wrestle-off, Higuchi was forced to move back down to 57kg to keep a dream alive of improving his silver to Olympic gold. He defeated ’17 world champion Yuki TAKAHASHI at the All Japan Championships and earned his right to represent Japan at 57kg.

The Asian Olympic Qualifiers kicks off on April 9-11 in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Greco-Roman action starts on Friday, followed by women's wrestling on Saturday, and freestyle closes out the competition on Sunday. 

50kg Women's Wrestling Entries
Seema SEEMA (IND)
Misaki YOSHIBA (JPN)
Yui SUSAKI (JPN)
Miran CHEON (KOR)
YeoJin KIM (KOR)
Namuuntsetseg TSOGT OCHIR (MGL)
Dauletbike YAKHSHIMURATOVA (UZB)

57kg Freestyle Entries
Minghu LIU (CHN)
Ahmed Jawad Kadhim AL ZAIDAWI (IRQ)
Rei HIGUCHI (JPN)
Kodai OGAWA (JPN)
Bekbolot MYRZANAZAR UULU (KGZ)
Ulukbek ZHOLDOSHBEKOV (KGZ)
Sunggwon KIM (KOR)
Hyeonsik SONG (KOR)
Tuvshintulga TUMENBILEG (MGL)
Muhammad BILAL (PAK)
Allen Mitch ARCILLA (PHI)
Muhamad IKROMOV (TJK)
Rozgeldi SEYIDOV (TKM)
Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB)

#WrestleAcapulco

Pan-American Championships 2024 Entries

By United World Wrestling Press

ACAPULCO, Mexico (January 25) -- United World Wrestling has released the entry list for the Pan-American Championships which will be held in Acapulco, Mexico from February 21 to 24.

The tournament precedes the Pan-American Olympic Qualifiers which can have only those countries which participated in the Pam-American Championships.

Note: The entries are subject to change till three days before the official draw of the wrestling style.

Freestyle

57kg
Davi SILVA (BRA)
Garette SAUNDERS (CAN)
Oscar TIGREROS URBANO (COL)
Peter HAMMER CUDE (CRC)
Osmany DIVERSENT MARTINEZ (CUB)
Guesseppe REA VILLARROEL (ECU)
Jaime PEREZ CASTELLANOS (GUA)
Jorge OLVERA RODRIGUEZ (MEX)
Enrique HERRERA (PER)
Jacob MORAN (PUR)
Spencer LEE (USA)
Pedro MEJIAS (VEN)

61kg 
Edwin TERAN MENDOZA (COL)
Edwin SEGURA GUERRA (GUA)
Juan LAVAT CORTEZ (MEX)
Jose BENITES VASQUEZ (PER)
Joseph SILVA (PUR)
Nicholas SURIANO (USA)

65kg
Agustin DESTRIBATS (ARG)
Shannon HANNA (BAH)
Matheus DA LUZ BARRETO (BRA)
Jacob ALEXANDER TORRES (CAN)
Matias MUNOZ RAMIREZ (CHI)
Elkin ESPANA SANTA (COL)
Alejandro VALDES TOBIER (CUB)
Albaro RUDECINDO CAMACHO (DOM)
Joshua Alexander KRAMER (ECU)
Esteban David PEREZ CASTELLANOS (GUA)
Jordan Alexander MITCHELL (JAM)
Hector GONZALEZ (MEX)
Sixto AUCCAPINA (PER)
Rafael GARCIA (PUR)
Nicholas LEE (USA)

70kg
Mauricio LOVERA (ARG)
Peiman BIABANI (CAN)
Yean SUAREZ RIVAS (COL)
Austin GOMEZ (MEX)
Victor SOTO RIVERA (PUR)
Alec PANTALEO (USA) 

74kg
Cesar BORDEAUX REGO ALVAN (BRA)
Adam THOMSON (CAN)
Hernan GUZMAN (COL)
Jeandry GARZON (CUB)
Julio RODRIGUEZ ROMERO (DOM)
Enrique PEREZ CASTELLANOS (GUA)
Luis BARRIOS ROCHEZ (HON)
Diego SANDOVAL ZARCO (MEX)
Angel CORTES BONILLA (PAN)
Shane JONES (PUR)
Kyle DAKE (USA)
Anthony MONTERO CHIRINOS (VEN)

79kg 
Jasmit PHULKA (CAN)
Jose CANO LOPEZ (MEX)
Dylan PALACIO PINTADO (URU)
Alexander FACUNDO (USA)

86kg
Jorge LLANO (ARG)
Pedro GONCALVES DA SILVA (BRA)
Ahmed SHAMIYA (CAN)
Eduardo GAJARDO MENESES (CHI)
Carlos IZQUIERDO MENDEZ (COL)
Yurieski TORREBLANCA QUERALTA (CUB)
Kevin DE LEON TREVINO (MEX)
Pool AMBROCIO GREIFO (PER)
Jose SANCHEZ (PUR)
Chandler MARSTELLER (USA)
Pedro CEBALLOS FUENTES (VEN)

92kg
Tejvir Singh BOAL (CAN)
Luis VILLAGOMEZ PAREDES (ECU)
Cesar UBICO ESTRADA (GUA)
Erwin VARGAS MARTINEZ (MEX)
Jose BETANCOURT KOCK (PUR)
Nathan JACKSON (USA)

97kg
Ricardo Adrian BAEZ (ARG)
Ailton BRITO ROCHA (BRA)
Riley OTTO (CAN)
Matias URIBE SEPULVEDA (CHI)
Maxwell LACEY GARITA (CRC)
Arturo SILOT TORRES (CUB)
Luis PEREZ SOSA (DOM)
Cristian SANCHEZ HERNANDEZ (MEX)
Marcos SANTOS BONNET (PUR)
Kyle SNYDER (USA)
Cristian SARCO COLMENAREZ (VEN)

125kg
Catriel MURIEL (ARG)
Gabriel DE SOUSA SILVA (BRA)
Richard DESCHATELETS (CAN)
Jhoan OCORO PALOMINO (COL)
Maxwell LACEY GARITA (CRC)
Ibrain TORRES ESPINOSA (CUB)
Elison ADAMES GARCIA (DOM)
Gino AVILA DILBERT (HON)
Aaron JOHNSON (JAM)
Josue CAMPOS ARIZPE (MEX)
Jonovan SMITH (PUR)
Mason PARRIS (USA)
Jose DIAZ ROBERTTI (VEN)

Oscar PINO (CUB)Oscar PINO (CUB) will look to defend his Greco-Roman 130kg title. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

Greco-Roman

55kg
Mario CHOC CHOC (GUA)
Marco GARCIA ALVAREZ (MEX)
Camden RUSSELL (USA)

60kg
Erivan CONSTANTINO ROCHA (BRA)
Keeyan TROTMAN (CAN)
Cristobal TORRES NUNEZ (CHI)
Dicther TORO CASTANEDA (COL)
Yerony LIRIA CARRERAS (DOM)
Jeremy PERALTA GONZALEZ (ECU)
Angel SEGURA TELLEZ (MEX)
Randon MIRANDA (USA)
Raiber RODRIGUEZ OROZCO (VEN)

63kg
Carlos GONZALEZ VAHOS (COL)
Kevin DE ARMAS RODRIGUEZ (CUB)
Hector SANCHEZ ZAPATA (MEX)
Hayden TUMA (USA)

67kg
Mauricio LOVERA (ARG)
Gavin ELDRIDGE (CAN)
Nestor ALMANZA TRUYOL (CHI)
Julian HORTA ACEVEDO (COL)
Luis ORTA (CUB)
Starlin LAGUERRE LAUREUS (DOM)
Andres MONTANO ARROYO (ECU)
Cristian MEJIA TEPEN (GUA)
Edsson OLMOS GUTIERREZ (MEX)
Nilton SOTO GARCIA (PER)
Lee A MAURAS (PUR)
Alejandro SANCHO (USA)

72kg
Calebe CORREA FERREIRA (BRA)
Jose VARELA GARCIA (GUA)
Alexis VARGAS RAMIREZ (MEX)
Noah WACHSMUTH (USA) 

77kg
Arsen JULFALAKYAN (ARG)
Joilson DE BRITO RAMOS JUNIOR (BRA)
John YEATS (CAN)
Eduardo BERNAL MOLINA (CHI)
Jair CUERO MUNOZ (COL)
Yosvanys PENA FLORES (CUB)
David CHOC HUOC (GUA)
Raul UNZUETA TORRES (MEX)
Alvis ALMENDRA JIMENEZ (PAN)
Jonathan VIRUET (PUR)
Kamal BEY (USA)
Wuileixis RIVAS ESPINOZA (VEN)

82kg
Sosruko KODZOKOV (BRA)
Diego MACIAS TORRES (MEX)
Mahmoud SEBIE (USA)

87kg
Jorge LLANO (ARG)
Ronisson BRANDAO SANTIAGO (BRA)
Ioannis NARLIDIS (CAN)
Jose MORENO BUSTOS (CHI)
Carlos MUNOZ JARAMILLO (COL)
Daniel GREGORICH HECHAVARRIA (CUB)
Ariel ALFONSO RODRIGUEZ (HON)
Daniel VICENTE GOMEZ (MEX)
Spencer WOODS (USA)
Luis AVENDANO ROJAS (VEN)

97kg
Ricardo GOMEZ (ARG)
Kauan FERREIRA GOMES (BRA)
Gabriel ROSILLO KINDELAN (CUB)
Carlos ADAMES PALMER (DOM)
Kevin MEJIA CASTILLO (HON)
Pedro BELLO SOTO (MEX)
Max MADRID DE LEON (PAN)
Alan VERA GARCIA (USA)
Luillys PEREZ MORA (VEN)

130kg
Eduard SOGHOMONYAN (BRA)
Jorawar Singh DHINSA (CAN)
Yasmani ACOSTA FERNANDEZ (CHI)
Oscar PINO HINDS (CUB)
Beder CANTU MARTINEZ (MEX)
Cohlton SCHULTZ (USA)
Moises PEREZ HELLBURG (VEN)

Adeline GRAY (USA)Adeline GRAY (USA) will return to the Pan-Am Championships after two years. (Photo: UWW / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Women’s Wrestling 

50kg
Maia CABRERA (ARG)
Kamila BARBOSA VITO DA SILVA (BRA)
Katie DUTCHAK (CAN)
Javiera ORTEGA FERNANDEZ (CHI)
Dannia FIGUEROA DUQUE (COL)
Alisson CARDOZO REY (COL)
Yusneylis GUZMAN LOPEZ (CUB)
Jacqueline MOLLOCANA ELENO (ECU)
Karla HERNANDEZ GONZALEZ (ESA)
Linda CASTANEDA GAONA (MEX)
Yorlenis MORAN SANCHEZ (PAN)
Antuaneth CASUSOL CASAS (PER)
Audrey JIMENEZ (USA)
Mariana ROJAS DIAZ (VEN)

53kg
Sabrina GAMA TAPAJOS (BRA)
Samantha STEWART (CAN)
Antonia VALDES ARRIAGADA (CHI)
Eva GONZALEZ LANDAZURY (COL)
Laura HERIN AVILA (CUB)
Maria GONZALEZ DE LA ROSA (DOM)
Lucia YEPEZ (ECU)
Karla ACOSTA MARTINEZ (MEX)
Yusneiry AGRAZAL WEST (PAN)
Nathaly HERRERA HUACRE (PER)
Katie GOMEZ (USA)
Betzabeth ARGUELLO (VEN)

55kg
Diana WEICKER (CAN)
Zeltzin HERNANDEZ (MEX)
Alisha HOWK (USA)

57kg
Camila AMARILLA (ARG)
Giullia PENALBER (BRA)
Hannah TAYLOR (CAN)
Andrea GONZALEZ (COL)
Angela ALVAREZ (CUB)
Yocleidy RAMIREZ (DOM)
Luisa VALVERDE (ECU)
Jacqueline HERNANDEZ (ESA)
Bertha ROJAS CHAVEZ (MEX)
Karoline ORTIZ ROSADO (PUR)
Helen MAROULIS (USA)
Betzabeth SARCO (VEN)

59kg
Jessica DERRELL (BAR)
Ana PEREIRA (BRA)
Laurence BEAUREGARD (CAN)
Susana LOZANO VEYTIA (MEX)
Michaela BECK (USA)

62kg
Lais NUNES (BRA)
Ana GODINEZ (CAN)
Virginia JIMENEZ (CHI)
Katherine RENTERIA (COL)
Maria SANTANA (CUB)
Eldarah BROWN (JAM)
Arely NOVELO GOMEZ (MEX)
Carina GIANGERUSO (PUR)
Kayla MIRACLE (USA)
Astrid MONTERO (VEN)

65kg
Miki ROWBOTTOM (CAN)
Andrea LOPEZ MARTINEZ (MEX)
Macey KILTY (USA)

68kg
Thamires MARTINS (BRA)
Olivia DI BACCO (CAN)
Nicoll PARRADO (COL)
Brenda STERLING MARTINEZ (CUB)
Leonela AYOVI PARRAGA (ECU)
Alejandra RIVERA ARRIAGA (MEX)
Alexandria GLAUDE (USA)
Soleymi CARABALLO (VEN)

72kg
Katie MULKAY (CAN)
Edna JIMENEZ VILLALBA (MEX)
Brooklyn HAYS (USA)

76kg
Linda MACHUCA (ARG)
Meiriele CHARAMBA (BRA)
Shauna KUEBECK (CAN)
Tatiana RENTERIA (COL)
Milaimys MARIN POTRILLE (CUB)
Emelyn BAUTISTA CORCINO (DOM)
Genesis REASCO VALDEZ (ECU)
Saidy CHAVEZ FIGUEROA (HON)
Atzimba LANDAVERDE MORENO (MEX)
Adeline GRAY (USA)
Maria ACOSTA (VEN)