FLASH: Hildebrandt, Page win Pan Am women’s golds, Sluberski reaches finals
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by Gary Abbott USA Wrestling
Sarah Hildebrandt, shown at the 2013 Dave Schultz Memorial, won her second career Pan American Championships gold medal, with a victory at 55 kg today. Photo by Larry Slater.
SANTIAGO, Chile – In the first session of the women’s freestyle action, two U.S. women’s freestyle wrestlers won gold medals at the Pan American Championships in Saturday.
Winning round-robin competitions in their non-Olympic weight classes were Sarah Hildebrandt (Granger, Ind./King Univ.) at 55 kg/121 lbs. and Jennifer Page (Colorado Springs, Colo./Titan Mercury WC) at 60 kg/132 lbs.
Hildebrandt won four matches on the way to the title, including two pins. A key win came in the second round, when she defeated 2008 World bronze medalist Brittanee Laverdure of Canada, 8-5. It was Hildebrandt’s second career Pan American Championships gold, to go with her 2013 title.
Page, a 2013 Junior World bronze medalist, had three wins, outscoring her opponents 24-0 in the bouts. A key win was over eventual runner-up Mirna Henriquez Hernandez of Venezuela, 8-0. It was her first career Pan American Championships title in her second appearance.
Earning a spot in the gold-medal finals was Carlene Sluberski (Fredonia, N.Y./New York AC) at 51 kg/116.5 lbs., where she will face 2013 Pan Am Junior champion Sayury Carreon of Colombia. Sluberski had two wins, beating opponents from Venezuela and Peru in her half-bracket. It is Sluberski’s first appearance at a Senior Pan American Championships.
Qualifying for a bronze-medal bout was Amanda Hendey (Beaumont, Calif./Titan Mercury WC) at 63 kg/138.75 lbs., where she will face Jessica Bendesu of Peru. Bendesu is a two-time Pan American Junior medalist.
She opened with a pair of wins by pin, then was defeated by technical fall by 2011 Pan American Games champion Katerina Videaux Lopez of Cuba by technical fall. Hendey was second in the 2011 Pan American Championships.
Three Americans were beaten in preliminary rounds and were eliminated when their opponent failed to reach the finals: 2012 Olympian Kelsey Campbell (Tempe, Ariz./Sunkist Kids) at 58 kg/128 lbs., 2013 World Team member Veronica Carlson (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 69 kg/152 lbs. and 2014 U.S. Open champion Jackie Cataline, Eastvale, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC) at 75 kg/165 lbs.
Campbell lost to Yanet Nino of Peru, 0-2 in her first match. Nino was defeated in her next match by injury default, eliminating Campbell.
Carlson opened with a 10-0 technical fall win over Teresita Cruz of Mexico, but was pinned in her second match by Maria Jose Acosta of Venezuela. Acosta lost to Luz Vazquez of Argentina in the semifinals by technical fall, knocking out Carlson.
Cataline lost to 2014 World silver medalist Aline Ferreira of Brazil by technical fall, 1-14. Ferreira was pinned in the semifinals by Lisett Hechevarria Medina of Cuba, making Cataline not eligible for repechage. Hechevarria was a 2011 Pan American Games champion, and has two Pan American Championships gold medals.
At 48 kg/105.5 lbs., Victoria Anthony (Huntington Beach, Calif./Titan Mercury WC) did not compete after weighing in, dropping her opening match with an injury default.
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 U.S. women had only qualified for the Pan American Games at 48 kg. The top five nations in each weight who have not already qualified will earn a spot in Toronto. Based upon this morning’s efforts, the U.S. has qualified at 53 kg and 63 kg.
The finals round, which will feature the medal matches, will be held at 6:00 p.m. local time (5:00 p.m. U.S. Eastern time zone).
The U.S. men’s freestyle team weighs in this afternoon. An update will be included in the next report.
PAN AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Santiago, Chile
U.S. women’s performances so far
48 kg/105.5 lbs. – Victoria Anthony, Huntington Beach, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC)
LOSS Sehilyn Oliveros (Venezuela), inj. dft.
51 kg/116.5 lbs. – Carlene Sluberski, Fredonia, N.Y. (New York AC)
WIN Betzabeth Argeullo Villegas (Venezuela), 10-4
WIN Jenny Peche (Peru), 6-2
Gold-medal finals – Vs. Sayury Carreon (Colombia)
55 kg/121 lbs. – Sarah Hildebrandt, Granger, Ind. (King Univ.), 1st
WIN Luisa Valverde Melendez (Ecuador), 8-4
WIN Brittanee Lavadure (Canada), 8-5
WIN Camila Tristao (Brazil), pin
WIN Onmariel Valenzuela (Venezuela), pin
58 kg/128 lbs. – Kelsey Campbell, Tempe, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids)
LOSS Yanet Nino (Peru), 0-2
60 kg/132 lbs. – Jennifer Page, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Titan Mercury WC), 1st
WIN Indira Moores (Canada), 6-0
WIN Mirna Henriquez Hernandez (Venezuela), 8-0
WIN Mayara Graciano (Brazil), tech. fall 10-0
63 kg/138.75 lbs. – Amanda Hendey, Beaumont, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC)
WIN Lais Olivera (Brazil), pin
WIN Gloria Maldonado Ayuso (Puerto Rico), pin
LOSS Katerina Videaux Lopez (Cuba), tech. fall 10-0
Bronze-medal match – Vs. Jessica Bendesu (Peru)
69 kg/152 lbs. – Veronica Carlson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
WIN Teresita Cruz (Mexico), tech. fall 10-0
LOSS Maria Jose Acosta (Venezuela), fall
75 kg/165 lbs. – Jackie Cataline, Eastvale, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC)
LOSS Aline Ferreira (Brazil), tech. fall 1-14
Championship finals
48 kg/105.5 lbs. – Genevieve Morrison-Haley (Canada) vs. Katiuska Jaqueline Toaza Avelino (Ecuador)
51 kg/116.5 lbs. – Carlene Sluberski (USA) vs. Sayury Carreon (Colombia)
58 kg/128 lbs. – Joyce Silva (Brazil) vs. Jazmyne Barker (Canada)
63 kg/138.75 lbs. – Katerina Videaux Lopez (Cuba) vs. Breanne Graham (Canada)
69 kg/152 lbs. – Luz Vazquez (Argentina) vs. Yudaris Rodriguez (Cuba)
75 kg/165 lbs. – Justina Distasio (Canada) vs. Lisett Hechevarria Medina (Cuba)
Complete weight classes so far
55 kg/121 lbs.
Gold – Sarah Hildebrandt (USA)
Silver – Luisa Valverde Melendres (Ecuador)
Bronze – Brittanee Laverdure (Canada)
4th – Onmariel Valenzuela (Venezuela)
5th – Camila Tristao (Brazil)
60 kg/132 lbs.
Gold – Jennifer Page (USA)
Silver – Mima Henriquez Hernandez (Venezuela)
Bronze – Indira Moores (Canada)
4th – Mayara Graciano (Brazil)
SANTIAGO, Chile – In the first session of the women’s freestyle action, two U.S. women’s freestyle wrestlers won gold medals at the Pan American Championships in Saturday.
Winning round-robin competitions in their non-Olympic weight classes were Sarah Hildebrandt (Granger, Ind./King Univ.) at 55 kg/121 lbs. and Jennifer Page (Colorado Springs, Colo./Titan Mercury WC) at 60 kg/132 lbs.
Hildebrandt won four matches on the way to the title, including two pins. A key win came in the second round, when she defeated 2008 World bronze medalist Brittanee Laverdure of Canada, 8-5. It was Hildebrandt’s second career Pan American Championships gold, to go with her 2013 title.
Page, a 2013 Junior World bronze medalist, had three wins, outscoring her opponents 24-0 in the bouts. A key win was over eventual runner-up Mirna Henriquez Hernandez of Venezuela, 8-0. It was her first career Pan American Championships title in her second appearance.
Earning a spot in the gold-medal finals was Carlene Sluberski (Fredonia, N.Y./New York AC) at 51 kg/116.5 lbs., where she will face 2013 Pan Am Junior champion Sayury Carreon of Colombia. Sluberski had two wins, beating opponents from Venezuela and Peru in her half-bracket. It is Sluberski’s first appearance at a Senior Pan American Championships.
Qualifying for a bronze-medal bout was Amanda Hendey (Beaumont, Calif./Titan Mercury WC) at 63 kg/138.75 lbs., where she will face Jessica Bendesu of Peru. Bendesu is a two-time Pan American Junior medalist.
She opened with a pair of wins by pin, then was defeated by technical fall by 2011 Pan American Games champion Katerina Videaux Lopez of Cuba by technical fall. Hendey was second in the 2011 Pan American Championships.
Three Americans were beaten in preliminary rounds and were eliminated when their opponent failed to reach the finals: 2012 Olympian Kelsey Campbell (Tempe, Ariz./Sunkist Kids) at 58 kg/128 lbs., 2013 World Team member Veronica Carlson (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 69 kg/152 lbs. and 2014 U.S. Open champion Jackie Cataline, Eastvale, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC) at 75 kg/165 lbs.
Campbell lost to Yanet Nino of Peru, 0-2 in her first match. Nino was defeated in her next match by injury default, eliminating Campbell.
Carlson opened with a 10-0 technical fall win over Teresita Cruz of Mexico, but was pinned in her second match by Maria Jose Acosta of Venezuela. Acosta lost to Luz Vazquez of Argentina in the semifinals by technical fall, knocking out Carlson.
Cataline lost to 2014 World silver medalist Aline Ferreira of Brazil by technical fall, 1-14. Ferreira was pinned in the semifinals by Lisett Hechevarria Medina of Cuba, making Cataline not eligible for repechage. Hechevarria was a 2011 Pan American Games champion, and has two Pan American Championships gold medals.
At 48 kg/105.5 lbs., Victoria Anthony (Huntington Beach, Calif./Titan Mercury WC) did not compete after weighing in, dropping her opening match with an injury default.
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 U.S. women had only qualified for the Pan American Games at 48 kg. The top five nations in each weight who have not already qualified will earn a spot in Toronto. Based upon this morning’s efforts, the U.S. has qualified at 53 kg and 63 kg.
The finals round, which will feature the medal matches, will be held at 6:00 p.m. local time (5:00 p.m. U.S. Eastern time zone).
The U.S. men’s freestyle team weighs in this afternoon. An update will be included in the next report.
PAN AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Santiago, Chile
U.S. women’s performances so far
48 kg/105.5 lbs. – Victoria Anthony, Huntington Beach, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC)
LOSS Sehilyn Oliveros (Venezuela), inj. dft.
51 kg/116.5 lbs. – Carlene Sluberski, Fredonia, N.Y. (New York AC)
WIN Betzabeth Argeullo Villegas (Venezuela), 10-4
WIN Jenny Peche (Peru), 6-2
Gold-medal finals – Vs. Sayury Carreon (Colombia)
55 kg/121 lbs. – Sarah Hildebrandt, Granger, Ind. (King Univ.), 1st
WIN Luisa Valverde Melendez (Ecuador), 8-4
WIN Brittanee Lavadure (Canada), 8-5
WIN Camila Tristao (Brazil), pin
WIN Onmariel Valenzuela (Venezuela), pin
58 kg/128 lbs. – Kelsey Campbell, Tempe, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids)
LOSS Yanet Nino (Peru), 0-2
60 kg/132 lbs. – Jennifer Page, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Titan Mercury WC), 1st
WIN Indira Moores (Canada), 6-0
WIN Mirna Henriquez Hernandez (Venezuela), 8-0
WIN Mayara Graciano (Brazil), tech. fall 10-0
63 kg/138.75 lbs. – Amanda Hendey, Beaumont, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC)
WIN Lais Olivera (Brazil), pin
WIN Gloria Maldonado Ayuso (Puerto Rico), pin
LOSS Katerina Videaux Lopez (Cuba), tech. fall 10-0
Bronze-medal match – Vs. Jessica Bendesu (Peru)
69 kg/152 lbs. – Veronica Carlson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
WIN Teresita Cruz (Mexico), tech. fall 10-0
LOSS Maria Jose Acosta (Venezuela), fall
75 kg/165 lbs. – Jackie Cataline, Eastvale, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC)
LOSS Aline Ferreira (Brazil), tech. fall 1-14
Championship finals
48 kg/105.5 lbs. – Genevieve Morrison-Haley (Canada) vs. Katiuska Jaqueline Toaza Avelino (Ecuador)
51 kg/116.5 lbs. – Carlene Sluberski (USA) vs. Sayury Carreon (Colombia)
58 kg/128 lbs. – Joyce Silva (Brazil) vs. Jazmyne Barker (Canada)
63 kg/138.75 lbs. – Katerina Videaux Lopez (Cuba) vs. Breanne Graham (Canada)
69 kg/152 lbs. – Luz Vazquez (Argentina) vs. Yudaris Rodriguez (Cuba)
75 kg/165 lbs. – Justina Distasio (Canada) vs. Lisett Hechevarria Medina (Cuba)
Complete weight classes so far
55 kg/121 lbs.
Gold – Sarah Hildebrandt (USA)
Silver – Luisa Valverde Melendres (Ecuador)
Bronze – Brittanee Laverdure (Canada)
4th – Onmariel Valenzuela (Venezuela)
5th – Camila Tristao (Brazil)
60 kg/132 lbs.
Gold – Jennifer Page (USA)
Silver – Mima Henriquez Hernandez (Venezuela)
Bronze – Indira Moores (Canada)
4th – Mayara Graciano (Brazil)
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