Burroughs among five American finalists at Pan American Championships

MEXICO CITY – Jordan Burroughs and four of his American teammates will wrestle for gold medals at the Pan American Championships on Thursday night.


The U.S. turned in a strong first session on Thursday. All eight American freestyle wrestlers can still earn medals.


Joining Burroughs is joined in the finals by teammates Zach Sanders (57 kg/125.5 lbs.), Andrew Hochstrasser (61 kg/134 lbs.), Hunter Stieber (70 kg/154 lbs.) and Zach Rey (125 kg/275 lbs.)


Burroughs, an Olympic gold medalist and two-time World champion, rolled to three technical fall wins to reach the finals at 74 kg/163 lbs. He is now 87-1 in his remarkable career. He will seek his third straight World title in September in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.


Burroughs will face a tough test in the finals against talented Cuban Livan Lopez, who won a 2013 World silver medal and a 2012 Olympic bronze medal at 66 kg/145.5 lbs.


The finals are set for 6 p.m. Central in Mexico City.


Sanders will battle Cuba’s Alfredo Cisnero in the finals.


Hochstrasser will face Canada’s Michael Asseltine for the title.


Stieber will take on Puerto Rico’s Pedro Soto in the finals.


Rey will meet Jose Malaquia Encarnacion of the Dominican Republic in the title bout.


Three Americans will wrestle for bronze on Thursday night. They include Frank Molinaro (65 kg/143 lbs.), Clayton Foster (86 kg/187 lbs.) and Deron Winn (97 kg/213 lbs.)


U.S. wrestlers went a combined 17-3 in the first session.

PAN AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS

At Mexico City, Mexico, July 17


U.S. freestyle performances


57 kg/125.5 lbs. – Zach Sanders, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)

WIN Uziel Correia (Brazil), tech fall 10-0

WIN Hecjomar Cruz (Puerto Rico), tech fall 10-0

WIN Steven Takahashi (Canada), 11-6

vs. Alfredo Cisnero (Cuba) in gold-medal match


61 kg/134 lbs. – Andrew Hochstrasser, Boise, Idaho (Titan Mercury WC)

WIN Sixto Miguel Auccapina (Peru), tech fall 10-0

WIN Wilfredo Rodriguez (Venezuela), 21-11

vs. Michael Asseltine (Canada) in gold-medal match


65 kg/143 lbs. – Frank Molinaro, State College, Pa. (Nittany Lion WC)

WIN Hernan Dano Guzman (Colombia), 11-5

LOSS Alejandro Enrique Valdes (Cuba), tech fall 10-0

WIN William Elassy (Brazil), tech fall 10-0

vs. Abel Gerald Herrera (Peru) in bronze-medal match


70 kg/154 lbs. – Hunter Stieber, Norwalk, Ohio (New York AC/Ohio RTC)

WIN Tasso Rocha (Brazil), tech fall 10-0

WIN Yoan Blanco (Ecuador), 9-2

vs. Pedro Soto (Puerto Rico) in gold-medal match


74 kg/163 lbs. – Jordan Burroughs, Lincoln, Neb. (Sunkist Kids)

WIN Elio Zenteno (Bolivia), tech fall 10-0

WIN Jose Santos Ambrocio (Peru), tech fall 10-0

WIN Adonis Arroyo (Venezuela), tech fall 10-0

vs. Livan Lopez (Cuba) in gold-medal match


86 kg/189 lbs. – Clayton Foster, Laramie, Wyo. (GRIT Athletics/Cowboy WC)

WIN Jose Mercado (Ecuador), fall

WIN Ricardo Baez (Argentina), tech fall 10-0

LOSS Jose Diaz (Venezuela), 8-6

vs. Adrian Antoine Jaoude (Brazil) in bronze-medal match


97 kg/213 lbs. – Deron Winn, Ames, Iowa (Titan Mercury WC)

LOSS Javier Cortina (Cuba), tech fall 11-0

vs. Ali Al-Rekabi (Canada) in bronze-medal match


125 kg/275 lbs. – Zack Rey, Bethlehem, Pa. (Lehigh Valley AC)

WIN Rene Silva (Nicaragua), tech fall 10-0

WIN Korey Jarvis (Canada), 5-1

WIN Eduardo Lopez (Puerto Rico), tech fall 10-0

vs. Jose Malaquia Encarnacion (Dominican Republic) in gold-medal match