Yepez adds third Pan-Am gold; U.S. wins WW team title

Sunday, May 11, 2025 - 08:06 By Vinay Siwach

MONTERREY, Mexico (May 10) -- Paris Olympics silver medalist Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) completed a hat-trick of Pan-Am golds while the United States added two more gold medals to its tally in Women's Wrestling at the Pan-American Championships in Monterrey, Mexico. Canada, which won two golds on Friday, got another one through Laurence BEAUREGARD (CAN) at 59kg.

Overall, the United States won the team title with 207 points with Canada finishing second with 170 points. Hosts Mexico was third with 131 points.

Yepez, wrestling for the first time since the Paris Olympic final, won the gold medal at 53kg after a 7-0 win in the final against Mariana ROJAS (VEN). This was Yepez's third straight gold medal at the Pan-Ams.

Two stepout and a activity clock point against Rojas helped Yepez get a 3-0 lead before a double-leg takedown and turn made it 7-0 in the first period. Surprisingly, there was no more scoring in the final as Yepez was happy to hold the center and the lead to win the top medal.

Kylie WELKER (USA) tries to score against Thamires MARTINS (BRA) in the 76kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Osvaldo Aguilar)

The United States, which won three gold medals on Friday, added two more through world bronze medalists Macey KILTY (USA) at 65kg and Kylie WELKER (USA) at 76kg.

Kilty was in a four-wrestler round-robin bracket and won her three bouts effortlessly. Kilty defeated Miki ROWBOTTOM (CAN) 10-0 in Round 1, secured a fall against Leticia DE OLIVERIA (BRA) in Round 2 and another 10-0 win in Round 3 against Alexis GOMEZ (MEX).

Welker, up against a tough bracket in 76kg, stepped and impressed with her performance to win her first Pan-Am gold. Olympic bronze medalist Milaimy MARIN POTRILLE (CUB) and defending champion Genesis REASCO (ECU), who has a win over Welker, were in the bracket.

But it was Welker and Thamires MARTINS (BRA) who reached the final. Welker defeated Reasco 10-0 while Martins stopped Potrille 9-7, both in the semifinals.

In the final, it took little effort for Welker to see off Martins, 8-1. The first period saw only a point for Welker as Martins was put on the 30-second activity clock but failed to score.

Both wrestlers put on the activity period in the second period and Welker's lead adjusted to 2-1. The only scoring scramble of the match was when Martins tried an outside trip but had no control of Welker's upper body. Welker swiftly got her head out and then scored a takedown to lead 4-1.

Martins shot for Welker's legs quiet a few times but failed to score any points. In the final five seconds, Martins drove Welker to the edge before the American countered with a whizzer and scored four points for the win.

At 59kg, Laurence BEAUREGARD (CAN) added her fourth Pan-Am title by winning both her bouts, in a three-wrestler bracket, in with ease. She defeated Abigail NETTE (USA) 6-3 in Round 1 and scored a 12-1 victory over Alma VALENCIA (MEX), 12-1, in Round 2.

Jaxen FORREST (USA) celebrates after winning the 61kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Osvaldo Aguilar)

Three Freestyle golds for U.S.

The Freestyle competition also began at the Pan-Am Championships on Saturday and the U.S. made a strong start. The country swept all three weight class, winning gold medals at 61kg, 74kg and 86kg.

At 61kg, 18-year-old Jaxen FORREST (USA) made his senior debut and won the gold without giving up a single point in three bouts. He defeated Joseph SILVA (PUR) in the final bout.

Silva was put on the activity clock in the first period and he failed to score which gave Forrest a 1-0 lead at the break. The second period saw more action as Forrest switched gears. He scored a takedown to lead 3-0 before blasting a double-leg attack for four points. He finished the bout with a takedown for two points and exposure which gave him two more points.

Ladarion LOCKETT (USA) won the 74kg final 11-0 against Anthony MONTERO (VEN). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Osvaldo Aguilar)

Another youngster, world U20 silver medalist Ladarion LOCKETT (USA) won gold for the U.S. Lockett was also making his senior debut and defeated Anthony MONTERO (VEN), 11-0, in the final.

Lockett built a 5-0 lead with a big four-pointer in the first period and then exhibited how quick he is on the mat. Montero hit a snapdown to which Lockett lost momentum but pounced on Montero's left ankle in a blink. He scored a takedown and turn via lace to lead 9-0.

Montero tried a couple more attacks but Lockett saw them off before finishing the bout with a takedown and an 11-0 win.

Zahid VALENCIA (USA) won his second Pan-Am title. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Osvaldo Aguilar)

Zahid VALENCIA (USA), wrestling at the Pan-Am Championships after three years, reclaimed the 86kg title that he previously won in 2022. Just like his younger compatriots, Valencia had no trouble seeing off the 86kg field without giving up any points.

He defeated Jorge LLANO (ARG) 11-0 in the final in two minutes and 44 seconds. Valencia scored his two points via stepouts and Llano was hit with a point penalty for fleeing to make it 3-0 for Valencia. A takedown later, it became 5-0.

Llano was again hit with fleeing as Valencia scored a stepout and the score became 7-0. Valencia's takedown and gut-wrench finished the bout 11-0.

RESULTS

Women's Wrestling

53kg
GOLD: Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) df. Mariana ROJAS DIAZ (VEN), 7-0

BRONZE: Adrianny CASTILLO (ARG) df. Josefina RAMIREZ (MEX), via fall
BRONZE: Jaslynn GALLEGOS (USA) df. Serena DI BENEDETTO (CAN), 16-4

59kg
GOLD: Laurence BEAUREGARD (CAN)
SILVER: Abigail NETTE (USA)
BRONZE: Alma VALENCIA (MEX)

65kg
GOLD: Macey KILTY (USA)
SILVER: Miki ROWBOTTOM (CAN)
BRONZE: Alexis GOMEZ (MEX)

76kg
GOLD: Kylie WELKER (USA) df. Thamires MARTINS (BRA), 8-1

BRONZE: Genesis REASCO (ECU) df. Linda MACHUCA (ARG), 6-0
BRONZE: Milaimy MARIN POTRILLE (CUB) df. Neirili BANGUERO (VEN), 10-0

Freestyle

61kg
GOLD: Jaxen FORREST (USA) df. Joseph SILVA (PUR), 11-0

BRONZE: Joshua KRAMER (ECU) df. Esteban PEREZ (GUA), 10-0
BONZE: Garette SAUNDERS (CAN) df. Peter HAMMER (CRC), 14-8

74kg
GOLD: Ladarion LOCKETT (USA) df. Anthony MONTERO (VEN), 11-0

BRONZE: Adam THOMSON (CAN) df. Geannis GARZON (CUB), via disqualification
BRONZE: Cristian SANTIAGO (MEX) df. Luis BARRIOS (HON), 14-3

86kg
GOLD: Zahid VALENCIA (USA) df. Jorge LLANO (ARG), 11-0

BRONZE: Kevin DE LEON (MEX) df. Cesar UBICO (GUA), 9-4
BRONZE: Steven RODRIGUEZ (VEN) df. Taran GORING (CAN), 11-0

#WrestleSamokov

Shkarin, Javadov complete Worlds and Europeans U20 golden double

Friday, August 22, 2025 - 16:31 By Vinay Siwach

SAMOKOV, Bulgaria (August 22) -- Mikhail SHKARIN (UWW) managed to pull off a continental and world double by winning the gold medal at the World U20 Championships on Friday. He won the gold medal at the European U20 Championships in July.

This is the second straight year that Shkarin has done that as he won the world and European U17 last year.

Wrestling Dias SEITKALIYEV (KAZ) in the 82kg final, Shkarin came out with his best defense in par terre to defend his 4-1 lead and win the gold medal.

"Last year I won Worlds and Europeans U17s, now Worlds and Europeans U20s," Shkarin said. "I don’t see anything supernatural in this. Everything is just working out for me."

Shkarin was in top form throughout the tournament with three technical superiority wins in three bouts and it was only in the final that he was test and did not manage to finish his bout before time.

In the semifinals, Shkarin blanked Martik PETROSYAN (ARM) while Seitkaliyev defeated Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN) in the other semifinal. However, Shkarin was hoping to get a rematch against Yoshida who had defeated Shkarin in the 2023 world U17 final.

"The motivation for me at this World Championship was that I really wanted to take revenge on the Japanese wrestler," Shkarin said. "I even told my friends that I could leave this championship upset only if I lost to the Japanese again. Nothing else would upset me as much. But it’s not my fault, it’s his -- he didn’t reach the final."

With the World U20 gold won, Shkarin will look to move to the Olympic weight class -- 87kg -- next year and plan his journey towards winning the Olympic medal in the future.

"Next year I want to move up to the 87 kg weight category," he said. "I’ll start working on my physical shape, try to gain muscle mass, and gradually settle into the 87 kg weight class. I want to try competing at seniors level."

Aykhan JAVADOV (AZE) celebrates after winning the gold medal at 60kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

The last time the World U20 Championships were held in Bulgaria, Azerbaijan won crowned three champions in Greco-Roman. However, at the next two editions, the country failed to win gold.

The 2025 edition of the U20 Worlds, back in Bulgaria, seems to have brought luck back for Azerbaijan as the nation won its first gold in Greco-Roman in the first final.

European U20 champion and two-time world U17 champion Aykhan JAVADOV (AZE) added a gold at the U20 level in his first year by beating Yurik MKHITARYAN (ARM) in the 60kg final.

The 18-year-old showed no signs of discomfort in the new age-group and won three out of his five bouts via technical superiority or fall. In the final, he maintained a good lead throughout and defeat Mkhitaryan, also 18 years old, 12-5.

Javadov was put in par terre in he first period and Mkhitaryan scored two turns using gut0-wrench for a 5-0 lead but as he was trying to complete the third one, Javadov blocked him and scored two points. Armenia challenged the call but it was clear block and two points and Mkhitaryan led 5-3 at the break.

Javadov got the par terre in the second period but he failed to score any points. It was the third passivity with which the momentum of the final changed. Javadov asked for par terre after third passivity, which doesn't award any points. But Javadov managed to turn him for two and then a reverse lift for another two points to lead 8-5.

Mkhitaryan tried to jump over the head but it did not work out as Javadov controlled him and slammed him on mat for four points. He ultimately won 12-5.

"Since childhood I have been very self-confident," Javadov said. "Age makes no difference, I always believe I deserve first place."

Javadov has now not faced defeat for three years and the gold medal in Samokov. But the debut at U20 Worlds made him a little nervous.

"I couldn’t fully prepare mentally for the final bout, most likely my opponent wasn’t that good either," he said. "I made a couple of mistakes and gave up points, but then I managed to pull myself together. In the second period I realized that my opponent was very tired, and I understood that I could take the advantage and win."

RESULTS

60kg
GOLD: Aykhan JAVADOV (AZE) df. Yurik MKHITARYAN (ARM), 12-5

BRONZE: Vakhtang LOLUA (GEO) df. Omer ALTAS (TUR), 9-0 (victory via cautions)
BRONZE: SURAJ (IND) df. Lucas LO GRASSO (FRA), 1-1

82kg
GOLD: Mikhail SHKARIN (UWW) df. Dias SEITKALIYEV (KAZ), 4-1

BRONZE: Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN) df. PRINCE (IND), 11-0
BRONZE: Azimjon SOATULLAEV (UZB) df. Martik PETROSYAN (ARM), 8-0

Yepez adds third Pan-Am gold; U.S. wins WW team title

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Shkarin, Javadov complete Worlds and Europeans U20 golden double