#WrestleSantiago

Torreblanca, Valdes repeat as Pan-Am Games champs

Thursday, November 2, 2023 - 22:21 By Eric Olanowski

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(Photo credit: Ramon Monroy Panam Sports via Xpress Media)

SANTIAGO, Chile (November 2) --- Yurieski TORREBLANCA (CUB) and Alejandro VALDÉS (CUB) repeated as Pan-American Games champions after grabbing golds on Thursday night at the Chilean Olympic Center.

Valdes dominated his three opponents, picking up 10-0 wins over Joseph SILVA (PUR) and Albaro RUDECINDO (DOM) before pinning Nahshon GARRETT (USA) in the gold medal bout.

Valdes now has a pair of Pan-American Games gold medals to go along with his three Pan-American Championship titles.

Fellow Cuban Torreblanca was nearly flawless in his quest to repeat as Pan-Am Games champion, scoring four wins on Thursday—three coming via shutouts. Torreblanca blanked Carlos IZQUIERDO (COL), Rashji MACKEY (BAH) and Pedro CEBALLOS (VEN) (8-0, 10-0 and 4-0, respectively) to reach the 86kg finals.

In the championship bout, Torreblanca controlled the six-minute finals bout against Mark HALL (USA), effectively shutting down the American’s offense. The Cuban stopped Hall’s only real shot attempt of the bout, picking up a counter-offensive takedown. After giving up a reversal to end the first, Torreblanca tacked on an additional step-out point and cruised to the 3-1 win.

Meanwhile, in women's wrestling, Yusneylis GUZMÁN (CUB) became the first Cuban woman to win Pan-American Games gold since Lisset HECHEVARRIA (CUB) and Katherine VIDIAUX (CUB) claimed titles at the 2011 Pan-American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Guzman defeated Erin GOLSTON (USA) and Jacquline MOLLOCANA (ECU) to end Cuba’s 12-year Pan-Am Games gold drought. She defeated Golston, 10-0, then beat Mollocana, 5-1, cementing a spot in her nation’s wrestling history books.

In the bout of the night, Giullia RODRIGUES (BRA) narrowly edged Hannah TAYLOR (CAN) to win the 57kg gold. She hit two inside trips to score her six points—a two-point trip in the first and a four-point trip in the second—to win her third competition of the season. Rodrigues also won gold medals this season at the Poland Open and Ion Corneanu & Ladislau Simon Memorial. 

Rodrigues joins Joice SILVA (BRA) as the only woman from Brazil to win a Pan-American Games gold medal.

The final gold of the night in women’s wrestling went to Forrest MOLINARI (USA), who defeated Soleymi CARABALLO (VEN), 3-2, in the 68kg finals. Molinari surrendered a high-level single-leg takedown in the first period but scored three unanswered points to win her first Pan-Am Games title.

Friday's opening round matches begin at 10:00 (local time), with the bronze and gold-medal bouts beginning at 17:00.

Freestyle

65kg
GOLD - Alejandro VALDÉS (CUB) df. Nahshon GARRETT (USA), via fall
BRONZE - Agustin DESTRIBATS (ARG) df. Sixto AUCCAPIÑA (PER), 7-1
BRONZE - Joseph SILVA (PUR) df. Albaro RUDECINDO (DOM), 6-5

86kg 
GOLD - Yurieski TORREBLANCA (CUB) df. Mark HALL (USA), 3-1
BRONZE - Hunter LEE (CAN) df. Ethan RAMOS (PUR), 14-4
BRONZE - Pedro CEBALLOS (VEN) df. Carlos IZQUIERDO (COL), 7-6

Women’s Wrestling

50kg
GOLD - Yusneylis GUZMÁN (CUB) df. Jacquline MOLLOCANA (ECU), 5-1
BRONZE - Mariana ROJAS (VEN) df. Erin GOLSTON (USA), 3-0

57kg
GOLD - Giullia RODRIGUES (BRA) df. Hannah TAYLOR (CAN), 6-6
BRONZE - Angela ALVAREZ (CUB) df. Xochitl MOTA-PETTIS (USA), 10-0
BRONZE - Luisa VALVERDE (ECU) df. Betzabeth SARCO (VEN), via fall

68kg
GOLD - Forrest MOLINARI (USA) df. Soleymi CARABALLO (VEN), 3-2
BRONZE - Nicoll PARRADO (COL) df. Virginia JIMÉNEZ (CHI), 6-0
BRONZE - Olivia DI BACCO (CAN) df. Ambar GARNICA (MEX), 8-6

2026 U17 World Championships

Boldbaatar Wins Mongolia's First U17 World Gold

Thursday, July 30, 2026 - 18:23 By Vinay Siwach

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BAKU, Azerbaijan (July 30) -- Mongolia crowned its first U17 women's world champion, Uzbekistan claimed its second, the United States secured two gold medals, and Saika UCHIDA (JPN) emerged as another rising star as five titles were decided on the fourth day of the U17 World Championships in Baku.

Ariunzul BOLDBAATAR (MGL) made history by becoming Mongolia's first U17 world champion in Women's Wrestling after defeating Aisha ABDIMALIK (KAZ) 4-0 in the 65kg final.

The two had previously met at the U17 Asian Championships, where Boldbaatar cruised to an 11-2 victory. Neither wrestler had a lengthy international resume heading into Baku, but both advanced to the final, with Boldbaatar already guaranteeing Mongolia its best-ever finish in the event.

Boldbaatar opened the final with a stepout and added a passivity point before capitalizing during a scramble to score two exposure points for a 4-0 lead, which she held until the final whistle.

Boldbaatar's historic title run featured two victories by fall and two wins on points.

Wrestling Mukhlisa MASHARIPOVA (UZB)Mukhlisa MASHARIPOVA (UZB) scores a takedown on Finja STRAUCH (UZB) during the 43kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Uzbekistan also celebrated another milestone as Mukhlisa MASHARIPOVA (UZB) became the country's second U17 women's world champion with a 4-1 victory over Finja STRAUCH (GER) in the 43kg final.

The Uzbekistan wrestler scored two takedowns to build her lead and then successfully defended against Strauch, who struggled to create scoring opportunities. Although Masharipova conceded an activity-clock point in the second period, Strauch never looked to threaten.

Masharipova follows Shohista SHONAZAROVA (UZB), who became Uzbekistan's first U17 women's world champion by winning the 40kg title in Athens last year.

Wrestling Epenesa ELISON (USA)Epenesa ELISON (USA) waits for the fall to be confirmed in the 57kg final against Nikita SEHRAWAT (IND). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

U.S. Wins Two Golds

Epenesa ELISON (USA) went one step further after settling for silver at 53kg last year, capturing the 57kg world title with a dominant performance in Baku.

Elison defeated Nikita SEHRAWAT (IND) by fall in the final after racing to a 6-0 lead, capping an impressive campaign in which she won all five of her bouts in commanding fashion.

At 73kg, Kaili MANUEL (USA) claimed the gold medal with an 8-1 victory over U17 European champion Solomiia PETRIV (UKR).

Manuel controlled the match from start to finish, scoring five stepouts, forcing Petriv onto the activity clock for another point, and adding a takedown to complete the convincing victory.

The bronze medals at 73kg went to Aisha WILLIAMS (PAN) and U17 Asian champion GARIMA (IND). Williams made history by becoming the first Panama wrestler to win a world medal after defeating Bianka BARANY (HUN) by fall.

At 49kg, Saika UCHIDA (JPN) showcased her immense potential by winning the world title in dominant fashion. The younger sister of Asian champion Sowaka UCHIDA (JPN) overwhelmed Olena KOLUBAI (UKR) in the final, using a series of gut wrenches to secure a 12-2 technical superiority victory.

Wrestling Photos UWW

RESULTS

43kg
GOLD: Mukhlisa MASHARIPOVA (UZB) df. Finja STRAUCH (GER), 4-1

BRONZE: Sera FURUICHI (JPN) df. Maya NAICKER (CAN), 10-10
BRONZE: Daria MASLENNIKOVA (RUS) df. Tola RUDNIK (POL), 10-0

49kg
GOLD: Saika UCHIDA (JPN) df. Olena KOLUBAI (UKR), 12-2

BRONZE: Kamna BABAL (IND) df. Irina TSYDEEVA (RUS), 3-2
BRONZE: Isla Belle SILVA (USA) df. Ayanat MEINAMBAY (KAZ), 6-3

57kg
GOLD: Epenesa ELISON (USA) df. Nikita SEHRAWAT (IND), via fall (6-0)

BRONZE: Rion SUZUKI (JPN) df. Gurleen DHILLON (CAN), 10-0
BRONZE: Mariia POLTORAK (UKR) df. Su SOYALP (TUR), 4-2

65kg
GOLD: Ariunzul BOLDBAATAR (MGL) df. Aisha ABDIMALIK (KAZ), 4-0

BRONZE: Margarita LISITA (MDA) df. Vasiliki KARAVANOU (GRE), 5-0
BRONZE: Palina BRAHINETS (BLR) df. Iryna BUKHTINA (UKR), 11-0

73kg
GOLD: Kaili MANUEL (USA) df. Solomiia PETRIV (UKR), 8-1

BRONZE: Aisha WILLIAMS (PAN) df. Bianka BARANY (HUN), via fall
BRONZE: GARIMA (IND) df. Paula BENAIXA (ESP), 10-0