#WrestleOttawa

Three Americans and Two Cubans Win Gold in Greco at #WrestleOttawa

By Taylor GREGORIO

OTTAWA, Canada – The United States won three of the night’s six gold medals on Friday night at the Pan American Championships in Ottawa, Canada.

The United States saw gold-medal performances from Max NOWRY (55kg), Raymond BUNKER (72 kg) and G’Angelo HANCOCK (97 kg).

Nowry (USA) faced Kieran AKHTAR (CAN) for the title. Nowry used three big moves to Akhtar, 10-0, in just 1:13. The victory marks Nowry’s second-consecutive Pan American Championships gold medal.

Claiming the title at 72 kg was Bunker who faced Joilson DE BRITO RAMOS JUNIOR (BRA) in the only match of the day contested at 72 kg.

Bunker trailed 2-0 at the break but went up late in the second period, drawing a passivity and a caution-and-two from de Brito to hang on for a 3-2 win.

In the finals at 97 kg, Hancock avenged a loss from earlier in the day against Gabriel ROSILLO KINDELAN (CUB).

The two wrestled in pool action in the morning session, where Rosillo won by pin. Being the top two athletes from their pools, Hancock and Rosillo advanced to opposite semifinals, and were eventually pitted against each other in the finals.

There, Hancock drew a passivity from Rosillo and capitalized in par terre, scoring two big throws for an eventual 10-0 win.

Cuba picked up two gold medals on Friday, winning at 67 kg and 130 kg.

2016 Olympic champion and two-time World champion Ismael BORRERO MOLINA (CUB) outscored his opponents 37-2 on the day.

In the finals, he cruised past Diego MARTINEZ de LEIJA (MEX), 11-2. Martinez scored first with a takedown on the edge, but Borrero stormed back, scoring 11 unanswered points for the technical fall victory and his sixth Pan Am Championships title.

In another Cuba vs. USA finals matchup, Angel PACHECO ROMERO (CUB) dominated 2018 World silver medalist Adam Coon in the gold bout.

Pacheco rattled off two takedowns and a gut wrench for an early 6-0 lead. The Cuban added two step outs for an 8-0 tech fall.

The final gold medal went to Ditcher TORO CASTANEDA (COL), who defeated Leslie FUENFFINGER (USA) in the 60 kg finals.

Toro went ahead quickly with a takedown and two gut wrenches. The USA challenged one of the guts, but it failed, giving Toro a 7-0 lead. To wrap up the bout, Toro hit a throw on the edge for two points and a 9-0 victory.

The win marks Toro’s first Pan Am gold at the Senior level. He also owns two Junior Pan Am titles.

Also of note at the same weight, Emerson FELIPE ORDONEZ (GUA) won a bronze medal. He was funded by the United World Wrestling Development Technical Assistance program, which allows athletes from developing countries the opportunities to compete at top-level events.

En Espanol                                                                           

OTTAWA, Canada – Los Estados Unidos gano tres de las seis medallas de oro en el primer día de competencia del Campeonato Panamericano en Ottawa, Canada. 


Los ganadores de la medalla de oro fueron, Max NOWRY (55 kg), Raymond BUNKER (72 kg) y G’Angelo HANCOCK (97 kg). 
 

En 55 kg, Nowry, ganó 10-0 contra Kieran AKHTAR (CAN), solo necesito 1:13 para realizar tres acciones de 4 puntos y asi ganar su segunda medalla de oro panamericana consecutiva.
 

El titulo en 72 kg fue para Bunker quien luchó contra Joilson DE BRITO RAMOS JUNIOR (BRA) en el único combate de la categoría. 
 

Bunker estaba perdiendo 2-0 después del primer periodo, pero anoto tres puntos en los dos minutos finales para finalizar el combate 3-2. 
 

En la final de 97 kg, Hancock se recupero de la derrota matutina ante Gabriel ROSILLO KINDELAN (CUB), Hancock lanzo a Rosillo dos veces, con lo que consolido la victoria 10-0. 
 

Cuba gano dos medallas de oro esta noche, reclamando los títulos en 67 kg y 130 kg. 
 

En 67 kg, el tres veces Campeonato mundial y olímpico Ismael BORRERO MOLINA (CUB) domino a la competición, superando a sus oponentes con 37 puntos a favor y solo 2 en contra.
 

En el final, Borrero derroto a Diego MARTINEZ de LEIJA (MEX); Martínez marco primero, pero Borrero anotó 11 puntos sin respuesta, para ganar su sexto título Panamericano con un marcador de 11-2.
 

En otro enfrentamiento final entre Cuba y Estados Unidos, Angel PACHECO ROMERO (CUB) dominó al medallista de plata mundial de 2018 Adam Coon y Anoto ocho puntos rápidamente para quedarse con la victoria por superioridad técnica. 
 

La ultima medalla de oro fue para Ditcher TORO CASTANEDA (COL), quien derrotó a Leslie FUENFFINGER (USA) en los 60 kg, con un marcador de 9-0. 
 

Esta victoria marca el primer oro Panamericano de Toro en la categoría Senior que se suma a sus dos títulos en Campeonatos Panamericanos Juveniles.
 

También en 60 kg, Emerson FELIPE ORDONEZ (GUA) ganó una medalla de bronce, quien participó gracias al programa de Asistencia Técnica del Departamento de Desarrollo de la United World Wrestling, que brinda a los atletas de países en desarrollo la oportunidad de competir en eventos de alto nivel.

FINALS RESULTS

55 kg
GOLD – Max NOWRY (USA)
SILVER – Kieran AKHTAR (CAN)
BRONZE – Sargis KHACHATRYAN (BRA)

60 kg
GOLD – Ditcher TORO CASTANEDA (COL) df. Leslie FUENFFINGER (USA), 9-0
BRONZE – Emerson FELIPE ORDONEZ (GUA) df. Marat GARIPOV (BRA), 4-3
BRONZE – Jancel PIMENTEL GONZALEZ (DOM) df. Miguel UGALDE AGUILAR (MEX), 8-0

67 kg
GOLD – Ismael BORREREO MOLINA (CUB) df. Diego MARTINEZ de LEIJA (MEX), 11-2
BRONZE – Alejandro SANCHO (USA) df. Julian HORTA ACEVEDO (COL), 10-0
BRONZE – Cristhian RIVAS CASTRO (ECU) df. Cristobal Alonso TORRES NUNEZ (CHI), 7-2

72 kg
GOLD – Raymond BUNKER (USA)
SILVER – Joilson DE BRITO RAMOS JUNIOR (BRA)

97 kg
GOLD - G’Angelo HANCOCK (USA) df. Gabriel ROSILLO KINDELAN (CUB), 10-0
BRONZE – Luillys Jose PEREZ MORA (VEN) df. Kevin MEJIA CASTILLO (HON), injury default

130 kg
GOLD – Angel PACHECO ROMERO (CUB) df. Adam COON (USA), 8-0
BRONZE – Moises PEREZ HELLBURG (VEN) df. Yasmani ACOSTA FERNANDEZ (CHI), injury default
BRONZE – Leo SANTANA HEREDIA (DOM) df. Luciano DEL RIO (ARG), 3-0

 

#WrestleIstanbul

Spencer Lee one step closer to Olympic dream

By Vinay Siwach

ISTANBUL, Turkiye (May 3) -- The world will finally see the return of Spencer LEE (USA) on a big stage. The one-time phenom is coming to Istanbul in a bid to qualify the United States for the Paris Olympics at 57kg.

Lee is a former U17 and U20 world champion and was primed to be the next superstar from the U.S. However, he could never get going at the international stage and only participated in an international tournament in 2024, eight years after his U20 world title. At the Pan-Am Championships this year, Lee won the gold medal at 57kg.

Despite his three NCAA titles and a college record a few can dream of, Lee hasn't returned to the international scene partly due to injuries and partly due to his college commitments. After two surgeries, battles with health, a heartbreaking loss in NCAAs, a long return and wins over former Iowa teammate Thomas GILMAN (USA) at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials, Lee is finally here.

"I’ve had such a tough time trying to stay healthy and trying to compete to the best of my ability,” Lee said after winning the trials. "I’m still not healthy but I’m healthy enough to wrestle hard against really, really good opponent.”

That's what he will have to do in Istanbul. In the 57kg bracket, Lee will be unseeded and can be drawn against any of the big names in the first round. Tokyo Olympian Georgi VANGELOV (BUL), former U23 world champion AMAN (IND), world silver medalist Alireza SARLAK (IRI) and local star Muhammet KARAVUS (TUR) are a few names he will have to keep an eye on.

The field also includes world bronze medalists Zanabazar ZANDANBUD (MGL) and Horst LEHR (GER) along with former European champion Vladimir EGOROV (MGL), Asian Games silver medalist Chong Song HAN (PRK) and Andrii YATSENKO (UKR).

If his opponents need a form check, Lee won four bouts at the trials, outscoring his opponents 35-11 with wins over Tokyo bronze medalist Gilman and Zane RICHARDS (USA). And his attacks are solid as ever as Gilman found out in the best-of-three series.

Three wrestlers in each Olympic weight class will receive Paris 2024 quotas in Istanbul, two being the winners of the semifinals and the third will be decided with a playoff between the two bronze medal winners. Lee would hope to secure it as the winner of the semifinal and avoid going, if fortunate, through repechage.

Apart from qualifying the U.S. in Istanbul, there is extra motivation for Lee to win in Istanbul. Lee's mother, Carry, is from France where she met Lee's father, Larry, both judokas. And, he can become the first Olympic champion for the U.S. in the lowest weight class since 2008.

Lee is aware that the road to Paris is still 'long and hard'. But the 25-year-old is ready.

"I have work to do."