Two Pan American wrestling events coming to Frisco, Texas, Feb. 26-28 and March 4-6, with Olympic implications

Photo of U.S. men’s freestyle star Tony Ramos at the 2015 World Championships by Tony Rotundo, Wrestlers Are Warriors

USA Wrestling will be hosting two major international wrestling events at Dr. Pepper Arena in Frisco, Texas, the final weekend of February and the first weekend of March. This is a rare opportunity for people to be a part of the Olympic process and see Olympic athletes in action in their own community.

The first event is the Pan American Wrestling Championships, set for Feb. 22-28. Teams from North, Central and South America will compete in the three Olympic disciplines, men’s freestyle, women’s freestyle and Greco-Roman. This is an annual event, featuring many top international wrestlers in all three styles.

USA Wrestling has hosted the Pan American Championships five times, all in Colorado Springs, Colo. (2012, 2008, 1989, 1990, 1986).

Next up is the Pan American Olympic Games Qualifier, set for March 4-6. This event serves as a major qualifier for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The top two place winners in each of the 18 Olympic weight classes will qualify their nation to compete at the Olympic Games. Pan American nations can only qualify athletes at weight classes which have not yet been qualified for the Rio Games. In total, 36 spots in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro are up for grabs.

This is the second Olympic four-year cycle in a row that USA Wrestling has hosted the Pan American Olympic Games Qualifier. In 2012, the event was hosted in Kissimmee, Fla.

This will be the first time that either of these Pan American wrestling events have been hosted in Texas.

Tickets for both events can be ordered at the same time. All-Session General Admission prices are $14.50 for a single day pass, $39.50 for a three-day pass and $59.50 for a six-day pass. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.

Please note that the three-day pass will be good for either the three days of the Pan American Championships or for the Pan American Olympic Qualifier, but cannot be used partially for one event and then the rest on the other.
Click here for direct link for tickets through Ticketmaster.

The lineups for Team USA, as well as for each of the other Pan American national teams, have not yet been announced. USA Wrestling will make announcements for each team roster as they become available. With the importance of these events, there are expected to be many World and Olympic medalists in the field.

The United States has qualified wrestlers for five weight classes for the Olympic Games so far. These weight classes are 74 kg in men’s freestyle, 97 kg in men’s freestyle, 75 kg in Greco-Roman, 130 kg in Greco-Roman and 75 kg in women’s freestyle. Team USA will not have entries at those five weights at the Pan American Olympic Games Qualifier. Therefore, the USA will enter athletes and seek to qualify at 13 weight classes in Pan American Olympic Games Qualifier, four in men’s freestyle, four in Greco-Roman and five in women’s freestyle.

The first qualifying event for the Olympic Games was the 2015 World Championships in Las Vegas, Nev. in September 2015. Including the five qualified weights by the USA, in total, the Pan American nations qualified 12 weight classes for Rio. Canada, Colombia and Cuba have qualified two weight classes and Brazil has qualified one weight class.

For more information, please visit the Pan American Championships and Pan American Olympic Games Qualifier website at:
http://usawevents.sportngin.com/panams
PAN-AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS

At Frisco, Texas, Feb. 26-28

Friday, February 26
Women’s Freestyle Wrestling (48kg, 53kg, 55kg, 58kg, 60kg, 63kg, 69kg and 75kg)
10:00 am - 3:00 pm - Qualification Rounds and Repechage
5:30 pm - 6:00 pm - Opening Ceremony
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm – Medal Match Finals

Saturday, February 27
Men’s Freestyle Wrestling (57kg, 61kg, 65kg, 70kg, 74kg, 86kg, 97kg, 125kg)
10:00 am - 3:00 pm - Qualification Rounds and Repechage
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm – Medal Match Finals

Sunday, February 28
Greco-Roman Wrestling (59kg, 66kg, 71kg, 75kg, 80kg, 85kg, 98kg, 130kg)
10:00 am - 3:00 pm - Qualification Rounds and Repechage
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm – Medal Match Finals

PAN-AMERICAN OLYMPIC GAMES QUALIFIER

At Frisco, Texas, March 4-6

Friday March 4
Women’s Freestyle Wrestling (48kg, 53kg, 58kg, 63kg, 69kg and 75kg)
10:00 am - 2:00 pm - Qualification Rounds and Repechage
5:00 pm - 5:15 pm - Opening Ceremonies
5:30 pm - 7:30 pm – Medal Match Finals

Saturday, March 5
Men’s Freestyle Wrestling (57kg, 65kg, 74kg, 86kg, 97kg, 125kg)
10:00 am - 2:00 pm - Qualification Rounds and Repechage
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm – Medal Match Finals

Sunday March 6
Greco-Roman Wrestling (59kg, 66kg, 75kg, 85kg, 98kg, 130kg)
10:00 am - 2:00 pm - Qualification Rounds and Repechage
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm – Medal Match Finals