Brazilian Gold Rush

Photo: BDI

The plane back to the United States heading north from Brazil will be a lot heavier as USA Wrestling had a very good performance at the annual Pan Am Championships. The western hemisphere of the globe is not exactly full of wrestling powers, but it does have talent scattered around. Getting medals at the Pan Am's is not the tallest of tasks, but golds haven't come easy. 

USA dominated men's freestyle winning 5 of the 8 gold medals available with Cuba winning the other three. The women won three golds with Canada winning the other five. Greco won three golds with Cuba winning four and Ecuador winning one. 

It's a good sign for the three teams as they look to build on the medal count from the last couple Olympic and World Championships. We have always had talent, but it feels like all three styles are getting more high-potential medal hauling talent as we head to Paris. 

PAN AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Salvador da Bahia, Brazil, May 5-7

U.S. Men’s Freestyle Results
57 kg/125 lbs. – Tyler Graff, New Brunswick, N.J. (New York AC)
WIN Cristian Arias Mox (Guatemala), 10-0
WIN Brandon Escobar Amador (Honduras), Fall
WIN Wber Euclides Cuero Munoz (Colombia), 10-0
GOLD Aso Palani (Canada), 10-0

61 kg/134 lbs. – Logan Stieber, Columbus, Ohio (Titan Mercury/Ohio RTC), Bronze
WIN Augustin Destribats (Argentina), 16-5
LOSS Dabian Quintana Jaime (Cuba), 13-12

65 kg/143 lbs. – Kellen Russell, Ann Arbor, Mich. (New York AC/Cliff Keen WC)
LOSS Franklin Maren Castillo (Cuba), 10-0
LOSS Sixto Miguel Auccapina Pedragas (Peru), 6-4

70 kg/154 lbs. – James Green, Lincoln, Neb. (Titan Mercury)
WIN Mauricio Sanchez Saltos (Ecuador), 10-0
WIN Julio Rafael Rodriguez Romero (Dominican Republic), 10-0
WIN Lincoln Messias Moreira Dos Santos (Brazil), 10-0
GOLD Luis Isais Portillo Mejia (El Salvador), 10-0

74 kg/163 lbs. – Kyle Ruschell, Madison, Wisc. (New York AC/Badger WC)
WIN Jose Santos Ambrocio Greifo (Peru), 10-0
WIN Pedro Soto Cordero (Puerto Rico), 10-0
GOLD Nestor Joaquin Tafur Barrios (Colombia), 10-0

86 kg/189 lbs. – Gabe Dean, Ithaca, N.Y. (Titan Mercury/Finger Lakes WC)
WIN Carlos Arturo Izquierdo Mendez (Colombia), 11-0
LOSS Yurieski Torreblanca Queralta (Cuba), 6-4
BRONZE Pool Edinson Ambrocio Greifo (Peru), 12-2

97 kg/213 lbs. – Kyle Snyder, Woodbine, Md. (Titan Mercury/Ohio RTC)
WIN Felipe Cesar Camilo De Oliveira (Brazil), 10-0
WIN Nishan Preet Singh Randhawa (Canada), 10-0
GOLD Luis Miguel Perez Sosa (Dominican Republic), 10-0

125 kg/275 lbs. – Dom Bradley, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids)
WIN Catriel Pehuen Muriel (Argentina), 10-0
WIN Korey Jarvis (Canada), 9-0
GOLD Yudenny Alpajon Estevez (Cuba) 3-2

U.S. Women’s Freestyle Results

48 kg/105.5 lbs. – Victoria Anthony, Tempe, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids), Gold
WIN Caroline Soares Melo (Brazil), 10-0
WIN Dubraika Alessa Rodriguez Criollo (Venezuela), 10-0
WIN Thalia Jihann Mallqui Peche (Peru), 12-2

53 kg/116.5 lbs. – Haley Augello, Lockport, Ill. (New York AC)
LOSS Laura Peredo Torres (Mexico), Inj. Def.

55 kg/121 lbs. – Becka Leathers, Choctaw, Okla. (Titan Mercury WC), Gold
WIN Andribeth Rivera Belliard (Puerto Rico), Fall
WIN Brenda Fernandez Salazar (Mexico), 10-2
WIN Mayara Amalia Graciano (Brazil), 10-0
WIN Brianne Barry (Canada), 4-4

58 kg/128 lbs. – Kayla Miracle, Campbellsville, Ky. (Sunkist Kids), Bronze
WIN Brenda Oliveria Palheta (Brazil), 11-0
LOSS Michelle Fazzari (Canada), 6-1

60 kg/132 lbs. – Alli Ragan, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids), Gold
WIN Laurence Beauregard (Canada), 10-0
WIN Andria Pimentel de Souza (Brazil), Fall
WIN Nesmarie Rodriguez Tirado (Puerto Rico), 12-2

63 kg/152 lbs. – Mallory Velte, Sacramento, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC), 5th
WIN Jacqueline Renteria Castillo (Colombia), 4-2
LOSS Braxton Stone (Canada), 8-0
LOSS Nathaly Griman Herrera (Venezuela), 6-6

69 kg/152 lbs. – Forrest Molinari, Benicia, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC), Bronze
WIN Virginia Fernandez Salazar (Mexico), Fall
LOSS Olivia Di Bacco (Canada), 12-3

75 kg/165 lbs. – Victoria Francis, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Titan Mercury WC), 4th
LOSS Andrea Olaya Gutierrez (Colombia), 8-4
WIN Soleymi Caraballo Hernandez (Venezuela), Fall
LOSS Justina DiStasio (Canada), 5-1
LOSS Aline da Silva Ferreira (Brazil), 10-0

U.S. Greco-Roman Results

59 kg/130 lbs. – Ryan Mango, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP), 5th
LOSS Andres Roberto Montano Arroya (Ecuador), 6-4
WIN Cristobal Alonso Torres Nunez (Chile), 9-0
LOSS Dicther Hans Toro Castaneda (Colombia), 10-8

66 kg/145 lbs. – Hayden Tuma, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP)
LOSS Gorge Nickford Gonzales Batis (Honduras), 8-0

71 kg/156 lbs. – Pat Smith, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm), Gold
WIN Fernando Vicente Gomez (Mexico), 8-0
WIN Luis Alfredo De Leon (Dominican Republic), 9-0

75 kg/165 lbs. – Kamal Bey, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
LOSS Carlos Alberto Adames Palmer (Dominican Republic), Inj. Def.

80 kg/176 lbs. – Cheney Haight, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC), Gold
WIN Enrique Javier Cuero Ortiz (Ecuador), 8-0
WIN Johan Antonio Batista (Dominican Republic), 8-0

85 kg/187 lbs. – Ben Provisor, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC), Gold
WIN Jose Antonio Moreno Bustos (Chile), 11-0
WIN Carlos Andres Munoz Jaramillo (Colombia), 8-0
WIN Daniel Gregorich Hechavarria (Cuba), 2-2

98 kg/215.5 lbs. – G’Angelo Hancock, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC), Bronze
WIN Kevin Mejia Castillo (Honduras), 5-0
LOSS Yasmany Daniel Lugo Cabrera (Cuba), 5-3
WIN Thomas Barreiro (Canada), 8-0

130 kg/286 lbs. – Robby Smith, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC), Bronze
LOSS Oscar Pino Hinds (Cuba), 4-2
WIN Josue Malaquia Encarnacion Ovando (Dominican Republic), 9-0