#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

 

#WrestleCoralville

Pan-American Championships 2026 Day 1 Highlights

By Eric Olanowski

CORALVILLE, USA (May 7) -- The opening day of the Pan-American Championships is set to kick off this morning at 10:00 (local time) with Greco-Roman action. The eight weight classes that'll take the mat this morning are 55kg, 60kg, 63kg, 67kg, 77kg, 82kg, 87kg and 130kg. 

Start in Action: 
- Luis ORTA (CUB) – Tokyo 2020 gold, Paris 2024 bronze
- Yasmani ACOSTA (CHI) - Paris 2024 silver
- Oscar PINO HINDS - Returning Pan-Am champion, World silver
- Beka MELELASHVILI (USA) - Returning Pan-Am champion
- Jeremy Renzo PERALTA (ECU) - Returning Pan-Am champion

BOUT ORDER | SCHEDULE 

1:11: We're going to take a short four-minute break before heading into the semifinal matches. We'll see you over on UWW+ for those at 1:15 (local time).

12:18: Terrible scene here in Iowa. Olympic runner-up Yasmani ACOSTA (CHI) went for a throw in his semifinal match and suffered a tournament-end injury to his right knee. He was take off on a wheel chair, ending his day and tournament here at the Pan-American Championships.

12:01:  Eduardo BERNAL MOLINA (CHI) was just about to give up the tech fall when he caught Diego MARTINEZ DE LEIJA (MEX) on his back for the fall. He moved into the 77kg semifinals with that fall, and will meet the winner of Justin BOYCE (BAR) and Oscar Antonio BARRIOS ROCHEZ (HON).

11:31: U23 world bronze medalist Otto BLACK (USA) earns the 8-0 win in his senior Pan-Am debut, punching his ticket to the 67kg semifinals later today.

11:10: Orta moves into the 67kg semifinals with a fall over Horta after leading 9-0. He awaits the winner of Alejandro VARELA (GUA) and Angelo CAFE DE OLIVEIRA (BRA). That match is underway on Mat B, with the Guatemalan  winning, 9-2

11:01: For a second time today, we have a meeting of Pan-Am champions. This time, it's four-time Pan-Am champ Orta Sanchez taking on Julian HORTA (COL). The Cuban has an early 2-0 lead coming from a pair of step outs.

10:51: As expected when you have two high level Greco guys like Melelashvili and Gregorich, it was a low scoring affair, but in the end it was a 1-1 criteria win for the American. He scored the first point, which gave him the criteria advantage at the end of the bout. I'll tell you what, though, it was weird seeing a Cuban Olympic champion in Borrero, cornering an American, who was beating a Cuban. Borrero certainly knew Gregorich's strengths and helped Melelashvili use them to his advantage.

10:31: We have a pair of Pan-Am champions coming up on Mat B next in Beka MELELASHVILI (USA) and Daniel GREGORICH (CUB). The American is the reigning champ, while the Cuban won the event in 2024. 

10:23: Not wrestling related, but Cuban world and Olympic champion Ismael BORRERO (CUB) is cornering USA WRESTLING athletes. He is now living in Colorado Springs, USA, where he is an Assistant Greco-Roman Coach.

10:08 - Whistles are ringing through the Xtream Arena here in Iowa, which means wrestling is underway. We're only running two mats here. The first star that'll be in action will be world and Olympic champion Luis ORTA (CUB). He's currently 16-0 at the Pan-American Championships and is looking for his fifth continental title.