UPDATE: Robby Smith, Pat Smith, Joe Rau win golds, as USA wins Pan Am Greco team title
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by Gary Abbott USA Wrestling
Robby Smith of the USA throws Luciano Del Rio of Argentina on the way to an opening round technical fall at 130 kg at the Pan American Championships. Smith won the gold medal. Photo by T.R. Foley.
SANTIAGO, Chile – The United States won three gold medals in Greco-Roman at the Pan American Championships on Friday.
Claiming titles were Pat Smith (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm) at 71 kg/156.5 lbs., Joe Rau (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm) at 80 kg/176 lbs. and Robby Smith (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 130 kg/286 lbs. For all three, it was their first career Pan American Championships title.
With all eight athletes scoring team points, the United States won the team title with 68 points, followed by Cuba with 58 points and Venezuela with 54 points. Cuba won the other five weight classes which were not won by the Americans.
“Our Greco athletes competed well. We overcame some adversity and are coming home with the team title and three individual champions. Our team keeps making steps in the right direction. This is a great mix of guys, some young athletes and Greco newcomers, along with former World Team members,” said National Greco-Roman Coach Matt Lindland.
Robby Smith, a two-time World Team member, defeated Ramon Antonio Garcia of the Dominican Republic, 1-0 in the finals. He ran through his half-bracket, scoring an 8-0 tech fall over Luciano Del Rio of Argentina and a pin over
Charles Thoms of Canada.
It was Smith’s third career Pan American Championships medal, to go along with silver medals in 2011 and 2013.
Pat Smith and Joe Rau won their roundrobins and claimed gold medals at their non-Olympic weight classes. Smith won four matches and Rau won three to claim their gold medals. Both were dominant, as Smith had four technical falls, while Rau had a pin and two technical falls.
Rau was a member of the 2014 U.S. World Team, while Smith was second at the 2014 U.S. Open.
Claiming silver medals were two-time Olympian Spenser Mango (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army WCAP) at 59 kg/130 lbs. and 2015 NCAA champion from Cornell, Gabe Dean (Lowell, Mich./Titan Mercury WC/Finger Lakes WC) at 85 kg/185 lbs. Both were beaten by Cuban opponents in the finals.
Mango won three straight dominant matches on his side of the bracket to reach the finals, where he lost to Maykel Anache Lamouth of Cuba, 1-3. For Lamouth, it was his second career Pan American Championships gold, to go with a victory in 2011. Lamouth was also a 2007 Junior World bronze medalist.
Mango now has three Pan American medals, with another silver in 2009 and a bronze in 2013. Mango has placed fifth in the World Championships the last two years (2013 and 2014).
Dean, who has limited Greco-Roman experience, won his first two matches, stopping Querys Jose Perez Mora of Venezuela, 6-1 and pinning Luis Angel Betancourt Medina of Puerto Rico. In the championship finals, he lost to
Gilberto Piquet Herrera of Cuba, 0-4. Piquet won his second Pan American gold medal, to go along with the 2013 title.
Winning a bronze medals was Caylor Williams (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army WCAP) at 98 kg/215 lbs., who defeated Kevin Mejia Castillo of Honduras in the bronze-medal bout, 4-0
Two other U.S. athletes lost their bronze-medal bouts and placed fifth: Alejandro Sancho, Miami, Fla. (New York AC/USOTS) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. and Mason Manville, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Minnesota Storm) at 75 kg/165 lbs.
This is the final qualifying event for the 2015 Pan American Games, which will be hosted in Toronto, Canada, July 15-18.
Coming in, the USA had only been qualified at 75 kg in Greco-Roman for the Pan American Games. Based upon their performances in Chile, the USA qualified the other five Olympic weight classes, adding qualifiers at 59 kg, 66 kg, 85 kg, 98 kg and 130 kg. The top five non-qualified placers in each weight qualified their nation for Toronto.
Eight U.S. women freestyle wrestlers have weighed in and received their draws for their competition on Saturday, which are posted below.
Coming in, the U.S. women had only qualified for the Pan American Games at 48 kg. They will be seeking to qualify at the other five Olympic weight classes (53 kg, 58 kg, 63 kg, 69 kg and 75 kg)
For updates, check the United World Wrestling website, at the following Pan Am Championships event page:
https://unitedworldwrestling.org/event/pan-american-championship-senior-3
PAN AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Santiago, Chile
59 kg/130 lbs.
Gold – Maykel Anache Lamouth (Cuba)
Silver – Spenser Mango (USA)
Bronze – Jansel Rafael Ramirez (Dominican Republic)
Bronze – Juan Carlos Lopez (Colombia)
5th – Ali Soto Macias (Mexico)
5th – Cristobal Torres (Chile)
66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Gold – Miguel Martinez Palacios (Cuba)
Silver – Alexis Cuero (Colombia)
Bronze – Wuileixis de Jesus Rivas Espinoza (Venezuela)
Bronze – Mario Molina Cortez (Peru)
5th – Alejandro Sancho (USA)
5th – Jefrin Benito Mejia Sambula (Honduras)
71 kg/156.5 lbs.-
Gold – Pat Smith (USA)
Silver – Jose Oliveros (Venezuela)
Bronze – Guilleion Silva (Brazil)
4th – Josh Proctor (Canada)
5th – Juan Carlos Villarroel (Bolivia)
75 kg/163 lbs.
Gold – Julio Bastida Mendoza (Cuba)
Silver – Juan Angel Escobar (Mexico)
Bronze – Maimiliano Prudenzano (Argentina)
Bronze – Carlos Munoz (Colombia)
5th – Luis Eduardo Avendano Rojas (Venezuela)
5th – Mason Manville (USA)
80 kg/176 lbs.
Gold - Joe Rau (USA)
Silver - Victor Montero (Venezuela)
Bronze - Uber Escobar (Colombia)
4th - Carlos Rojas (Chile)
85 kg/187 lbs.
Gold – Gilberto Piquet Herrera (Cuba)
Silver – Gabe Dean (USA)
Bronze – Alfonso Leyva Yepez (Mexico)
Bronze – Qureys Jose Perez Mora (Venezuela)
5th – Cristian Mosqueda (Colombia)
5th – Luis Angel Betancourt Medina (Puerto Rico)
98 kg/215 lbs.
Gold – Reineir Monteagudo Romero (Cuba)
Silver – Davi Albino (Brazil)
Bronze – Caylor Williams (USA)
Bronze – Luillys Jose Perez Mora (Venezuela)
5th – Kevin Mejia Castillo (Honduras)
5th – Jose Yair Rocha (Mexico)
130 kg/286 lbs.
Gold – Robby Smith (USA)
Silver – Ramon Antonio Garcia (Dominican Republic)
Bronze – Yasman Acosta Fernandez (Cuba)
Bronze – Luciano Del Rio (Argentina)
5th – Moises Salvador Perez Hellburg (Venezuela)
5th – Charles Thoms (Canada)
U.S. Greco-Roman performances
59 kg/130 lbs. – Spenser Mango, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP), 2nd
WIN Wesley Morales Ojeda (Puerto Rico), tech. fall 8-0
WIN Juan Carlos Lopez (Colombia), 8-1
WIN Christobal Torres (Chile), pin
LOSS Maykel Andache Lamouth (Cuba), 1-3
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Alejandro Sancho, Miami, Fla. (New York AC/USOTS), 5th
WIN Kenedy Pedroza (Brazil), pin
LOSS Miguel Martinez Palacios (Cuba), pin
WIN Bernardo Cardenas Mora (Mexico), 9-7
LOSS Wuileixis de Jesus Rivas (Venezuela), 0-2
71 kg/156.5 lbs.- Pat Smith, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm), 1st
WIN Juan Carlos Villarroel (Bolivia), tech. fall 10-2
WIN Guilleon Silva (Brazil), tech. fall 9-0
WIN Jose Oliveros (Venezuela), tech. fall 8-0
WIN Josh Proctor (Canada), tech. fall, 9-0
75 kg/165 lbs. – Mason Manville, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Minnesota Storm), 5th
WIN Angelo Moreiroa (Brazil), tech. all 9-0
WIN Alvis Almendra (Panama), 2-1
LOSS Julio Bastida Mendoza (Cuba), tech. fall 0-8
LOSS Carlos Munoz (Colombia), 2-5
80 kg/176 lbs. – Joe Rau, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm), 1st
WIN Uber Escobar (Colombia), tech. fall 8-0
WIN Carlos Rojas (Chile), pin
WIN Victor Montero (Venezuela), tech. fall 8-0
85 kg/185 lbs. – Gabe Dean, Lowell, Mich. (Titan Mercury WC/Finger Lakes WC), 2nd
WIN Querys Jose Perez Mora (Venezuela), 6-1
WIN Luis Angel Betancourt Medina (Puerto Rico), pin
LOSS Gilberto Piquet Herrera (Cuba), 0-4
98 kg/215 lbs. – Caylor Williams, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP), 3rd
WIN Carlos Garcia (Chile), pin
LOSS Davi Albino (Brazil), tech. fall 0-9
WIN Ivan Burtovoy (Argentina), tech. fall 10-2
WIN Kevin Mejia Castillo (Honduras), 4-0
130 kg/286 lbs. – Robby Smith, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC), 1st
WIN Luciano Del Rio (Argentina), tech. fall 8-0
WIN Charles Thoms (Canada), pin
WIN Ramon Antonio Garcia (Dominican Republic), 1-0
Team Standings
1. United States, 68 pts.
2. Cuba, 58
3. Venezuela, 54
4. Colombia, 43
5. Mexico, 32
6. Dominican Republic, 25
7. Canada, 20
8. Argentina, 19
9. Brazil, 19
10. Honduras 18
11. Chile, 17
12. Peru, 14
13. Puerto Rico, 9
14. Bolivia, 6
15. Panama, 6
16. Ecuador, 5
17. Nicaragua, 3
U.S. women’s freestyle draw
48 kg/105.5 lbs. – Victoria Anthony, Huntington Beach, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC)
Vs. Sehilyn Oliveros (Venezuela)
51 kg/116.5 lbs. – Carlene Sluberski, Fredonia, N.Y. (New York AC)
Vs. winner of Betzabeth Argeullo Villegas (Venezuela) and Angelica Bustos Bone (Ecuador)
55 kg/121 lbs. – Sarah Hildebrandt, Granger, Ind. (King Univ.)
Five athlete Roundrobin
Vs. Camila Tristao (Brazil)
Vs. Britanee Lavadure (Canada)
Vs. Luisa Valverde Melendez (Ecuador)
Vs. Onmariel Valenzuela (Venezuela)
58 kg/128 lbs. – Kelsey Campbell, Tempe, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids)
Vs. Yanet Nino (Peru)
60 kg/132 lbs. – Jennifer Page, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Titan Mercury WC)
Four athlete Roundrobin
Vs. Indira Moores (Canada)
Vs. Mirna Henriquez Hernandez (Venezuela)
Vs. Mayara Graciano (Brazil)
63 kg/138.75 lbs. – Amanda Hendey, Beaumont, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC)
Vs. Lais Olivera (Brazil)
69 kg/152 lbs. – Veronica Carlson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
Vs. Teresita Cruz (Mexico)
75 kg/165 lbs. – Jackie Cataline, Eastvale, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC)
Vs. Aline Ferreira (Brazil)
SANTIAGO, Chile – The United States won three gold medals in Greco-Roman at the Pan American Championships on Friday.
Claiming titles were Pat Smith (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm) at 71 kg/156.5 lbs., Joe Rau (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm) at 80 kg/176 lbs. and Robby Smith (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 130 kg/286 lbs. For all three, it was their first career Pan American Championships title.
With all eight athletes scoring team points, the United States won the team title with 68 points, followed by Cuba with 58 points and Venezuela with 54 points. Cuba won the other five weight classes which were not won by the Americans.
“Our Greco athletes competed well. We overcame some adversity and are coming home with the team title and three individual champions. Our team keeps making steps in the right direction. This is a great mix of guys, some young athletes and Greco newcomers, along with former World Team members,” said National Greco-Roman Coach Matt Lindland.
Robby Smith, a two-time World Team member, defeated Ramon Antonio Garcia of the Dominican Republic, 1-0 in the finals. He ran through his half-bracket, scoring an 8-0 tech fall over Luciano Del Rio of Argentina and a pin over
Charles Thoms of Canada.
It was Smith’s third career Pan American Championships medal, to go along with silver medals in 2011 and 2013.
Pat Smith and Joe Rau won their roundrobins and claimed gold medals at their non-Olympic weight classes. Smith won four matches and Rau won three to claim their gold medals. Both were dominant, as Smith had four technical falls, while Rau had a pin and two technical falls.
Rau was a member of the 2014 U.S. World Team, while Smith was second at the 2014 U.S. Open.
Claiming silver medals were two-time Olympian Spenser Mango (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army WCAP) at 59 kg/130 lbs. and 2015 NCAA champion from Cornell, Gabe Dean (Lowell, Mich./Titan Mercury WC/Finger Lakes WC) at 85 kg/185 lbs. Both were beaten by Cuban opponents in the finals.
Mango won three straight dominant matches on his side of the bracket to reach the finals, where he lost to Maykel Anache Lamouth of Cuba, 1-3. For Lamouth, it was his second career Pan American Championships gold, to go with a victory in 2011. Lamouth was also a 2007 Junior World bronze medalist.
Mango now has three Pan American medals, with another silver in 2009 and a bronze in 2013. Mango has placed fifth in the World Championships the last two years (2013 and 2014).
Dean, who has limited Greco-Roman experience, won his first two matches, stopping Querys Jose Perez Mora of Venezuela, 6-1 and pinning Luis Angel Betancourt Medina of Puerto Rico. In the championship finals, he lost to
Gilberto Piquet Herrera of Cuba, 0-4. Piquet won his second Pan American gold medal, to go along with the 2013 title.
Winning a bronze medals was Caylor Williams (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army WCAP) at 98 kg/215 lbs., who defeated Kevin Mejia Castillo of Honduras in the bronze-medal bout, 4-0
Two other U.S. athletes lost their bronze-medal bouts and placed fifth: Alejandro Sancho, Miami, Fla. (New York AC/USOTS) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. and Mason Manville, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Minnesota Storm) at 75 kg/165 lbs.
This is the final qualifying event for the 2015 Pan American Games, which will be hosted in Toronto, Canada, July 15-18.
Coming in, the USA had only been qualified at 75 kg in Greco-Roman for the Pan American Games. Based upon their performances in Chile, the USA qualified the other five Olympic weight classes, adding qualifiers at 59 kg, 66 kg, 85 kg, 98 kg and 130 kg. The top five non-qualified placers in each weight qualified their nation for Toronto.
Eight U.S. women freestyle wrestlers have weighed in and received their draws for their competition on Saturday, which are posted below.
Coming in, the U.S. women had only qualified for the Pan American Games at 48 kg. They will be seeking to qualify at the other five Olympic weight classes (53 kg, 58 kg, 63 kg, 69 kg and 75 kg)
For updates, check the United World Wrestling website, at the following Pan Am Championships event page:
https://unitedworldwrestling.org/event/pan-american-championship-senior-3
PAN AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Santiago, Chile
59 kg/130 lbs.
Gold – Maykel Anache Lamouth (Cuba)
Silver – Spenser Mango (USA)
Bronze – Jansel Rafael Ramirez (Dominican Republic)
Bronze – Juan Carlos Lopez (Colombia)
5th – Ali Soto Macias (Mexico)
5th – Cristobal Torres (Chile)
66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Gold – Miguel Martinez Palacios (Cuba)
Silver – Alexis Cuero (Colombia)
Bronze – Wuileixis de Jesus Rivas Espinoza (Venezuela)
Bronze – Mario Molina Cortez (Peru)
5th – Alejandro Sancho (USA)
5th – Jefrin Benito Mejia Sambula (Honduras)
71 kg/156.5 lbs.-
Gold – Pat Smith (USA)
Silver – Jose Oliveros (Venezuela)
Bronze – Guilleion Silva (Brazil)
4th – Josh Proctor (Canada)
5th – Juan Carlos Villarroel (Bolivia)
75 kg/163 lbs.
Gold – Julio Bastida Mendoza (Cuba)
Silver – Juan Angel Escobar (Mexico)
Bronze – Maimiliano Prudenzano (Argentina)
Bronze – Carlos Munoz (Colombia)
5th – Luis Eduardo Avendano Rojas (Venezuela)
5th – Mason Manville (USA)
80 kg/176 lbs.
Gold - Joe Rau (USA)
Silver - Victor Montero (Venezuela)
Bronze - Uber Escobar (Colombia)
4th - Carlos Rojas (Chile)
85 kg/187 lbs.
Gold – Gilberto Piquet Herrera (Cuba)
Silver – Gabe Dean (USA)
Bronze – Alfonso Leyva Yepez (Mexico)
Bronze – Qureys Jose Perez Mora (Venezuela)
5th – Cristian Mosqueda (Colombia)
5th – Luis Angel Betancourt Medina (Puerto Rico)
98 kg/215 lbs.
Gold – Reineir Monteagudo Romero (Cuba)
Silver – Davi Albino (Brazil)
Bronze – Caylor Williams (USA)
Bronze – Luillys Jose Perez Mora (Venezuela)
5th – Kevin Mejia Castillo (Honduras)
5th – Jose Yair Rocha (Mexico)
130 kg/286 lbs.
Gold – Robby Smith (USA)
Silver – Ramon Antonio Garcia (Dominican Republic)
Bronze – Yasman Acosta Fernandez (Cuba)
Bronze – Luciano Del Rio (Argentina)
5th – Moises Salvador Perez Hellburg (Venezuela)
5th – Charles Thoms (Canada)
U.S. Greco-Roman performances
59 kg/130 lbs. – Spenser Mango, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP), 2nd
WIN Wesley Morales Ojeda (Puerto Rico), tech. fall 8-0
WIN Juan Carlos Lopez (Colombia), 8-1
WIN Christobal Torres (Chile), pin
LOSS Maykel Andache Lamouth (Cuba), 1-3
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Alejandro Sancho, Miami, Fla. (New York AC/USOTS), 5th
WIN Kenedy Pedroza (Brazil), pin
LOSS Miguel Martinez Palacios (Cuba), pin
WIN Bernardo Cardenas Mora (Mexico), 9-7
LOSS Wuileixis de Jesus Rivas (Venezuela), 0-2
71 kg/156.5 lbs.- Pat Smith, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm), 1st
WIN Juan Carlos Villarroel (Bolivia), tech. fall 10-2
WIN Guilleon Silva (Brazil), tech. fall 9-0
WIN Jose Oliveros (Venezuela), tech. fall 8-0
WIN Josh Proctor (Canada), tech. fall, 9-0
75 kg/165 lbs. – Mason Manville, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Minnesota Storm), 5th
WIN Angelo Moreiroa (Brazil), tech. all 9-0
WIN Alvis Almendra (Panama), 2-1
LOSS Julio Bastida Mendoza (Cuba), tech. fall 0-8
LOSS Carlos Munoz (Colombia), 2-5
80 kg/176 lbs. – Joe Rau, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm), 1st
WIN Uber Escobar (Colombia), tech. fall 8-0
WIN Carlos Rojas (Chile), pin
WIN Victor Montero (Venezuela), tech. fall 8-0
85 kg/185 lbs. – Gabe Dean, Lowell, Mich. (Titan Mercury WC/Finger Lakes WC), 2nd
WIN Querys Jose Perez Mora (Venezuela), 6-1
WIN Luis Angel Betancourt Medina (Puerto Rico), pin
LOSS Gilberto Piquet Herrera (Cuba), 0-4
98 kg/215 lbs. – Caylor Williams, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP), 3rd
WIN Carlos Garcia (Chile), pin
LOSS Davi Albino (Brazil), tech. fall 0-9
WIN Ivan Burtovoy (Argentina), tech. fall 10-2
WIN Kevin Mejia Castillo (Honduras), 4-0
130 kg/286 lbs. – Robby Smith, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC), 1st
WIN Luciano Del Rio (Argentina), tech. fall 8-0
WIN Charles Thoms (Canada), pin
WIN Ramon Antonio Garcia (Dominican Republic), 1-0
Team Standings
1. United States, 68 pts.
2. Cuba, 58
3. Venezuela, 54
4. Colombia, 43
5. Mexico, 32
6. Dominican Republic, 25
7. Canada, 20
8. Argentina, 19
9. Brazil, 19
10. Honduras 18
11. Chile, 17
12. Peru, 14
13. Puerto Rico, 9
14. Bolivia, 6
15. Panama, 6
16. Ecuador, 5
17. Nicaragua, 3
U.S. women’s freestyle draw
48 kg/105.5 lbs. – Victoria Anthony, Huntington Beach, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC)
Vs. Sehilyn Oliveros (Venezuela)
51 kg/116.5 lbs. – Carlene Sluberski, Fredonia, N.Y. (New York AC)
Vs. winner of Betzabeth Argeullo Villegas (Venezuela) and Angelica Bustos Bone (Ecuador)
55 kg/121 lbs. – Sarah Hildebrandt, Granger, Ind. (King Univ.)
Five athlete Roundrobin
Vs. Camila Tristao (Brazil)
Vs. Britanee Lavadure (Canada)
Vs. Luisa Valverde Melendez (Ecuador)
Vs. Onmariel Valenzuela (Venezuela)
58 kg/128 lbs. – Kelsey Campbell, Tempe, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids)
Vs. Yanet Nino (Peru)
60 kg/132 lbs. – Jennifer Page, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Titan Mercury WC)
Four athlete Roundrobin
Vs. Indira Moores (Canada)
Vs. Mirna Henriquez Hernandez (Venezuela)
Vs. Mayara Graciano (Brazil)
63 kg/138.75 lbs. – Amanda Hendey, Beaumont, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC)
Vs. Lais Olivera (Brazil)
69 kg/152 lbs. – Veronica Carlson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
Vs. Teresita Cruz (Mexico)
75 kg/165 lbs. – Jackie Cataline, Eastvale, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC)
Vs. Aline Ferreira (Brazil)
