Speiller, Haight, Smith, Sancho reach Greco-Roman finals at Pan American Championships
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Cheney Haight of the USA turns Claudio Gamboa of Chile in the semifinals on the way to a technical fall victory. Photo by Stuart Spears.
PLAYLIST: Pan American Championships interviews
FRISCO, Texas – Four U.S. Greco-Roman wrestlers won semifinal bouts and qualified for the gold-medal finals at the Pan American Championships on Sunday night at the Dr. Pepper Arena.
Advancing to the championship round were 2016 U.S. Open champion Geordan Speiller, Oviedo, Fla. (Florida Jets) at 75 kg/165 lbs., 2011 World Team member Cheney Haight (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 80 kg/174 lbs.,2014 University World silver medalist Patrick Smith (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm) at 71 kg/156 lbs, and 2015 World Team Trials runner-up Alejandro Sancho, Miami, Fla. (NYAC/NMU) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs.
All four American finalists won their morning bouts with either pins or technical falls.
Speiller competed with dominance, pinning Juan Angel Escobar of Mexico in 2:30, and scoring a 12-2 technical fall over Eduardo Avendano Rojas of Venezuela in the semifinals. He will battle Yurisandi Hernandez Rios of Puerto Rico for the title.
“It was a great match against Venezuela. I didn’t think he was going to have such a good pace so that caught me off guard a bit. We went into the second period and it was a battle on our feet and then I got a take down. It was a good match and it was well earned,” said Speiller.
Haight was also dominant with two 8-0 technical falls, beating Enrique Cuero Ortiz of Ecuador and Claudio Andres Gamboa Zuniga of Chile. His finals opponent is Maximiliano Prudenzano of Argentina.
“Mostly what I’m trying to do out here is score points. I’m using this as training for the trials. I think when you wrestle like that, then the winning takes care of itself. I feel like it was a win just because I was scoring points out there. That’s what I’m out there to do,” said Haight.
Smith pinned Jose Sanchez Betancourt of Ecuador in 1:46 in his opener, then closed out his semifinals with an 8-0 technical fall over Mourio Molina Cortez of Peru. His gold-medal opponent is Jair Alexis Cuero Munoz of Colombia.
“This is a good opportunity to come and get some good matches before the Trials. It’s good practice, and it’s always an awesome opportunity to throw on the USA singlet and represent our country—the best country in the world. It was a good match; the guy came out hard. I was able to keep my composure, get to my ties and I ended up getting in my opposition and finishing it up pretty quick,” said Smith.
Sancho scored a pair of technical falls, taking out Jose Magallanes Durand of Peru, 8-0 and Raiber Jose Rodriguez Orozco of Venezuela, 12-4. He will square off with Miguel Martinez Palacio of Cuba in the finals.
“I’ve wrestled (Martinez) a couple of times before. I went to Cuba to train and I trained with him there. He likes that 2-on-1 position. It’s going to be a tough match, but I want to pull through,” said Sancho about his finals opponent.
Three U.S. athletes will compete in bronze medal matches, 2016 Dave Schultz runner-up Sam Jones (Folsom, La./NYAC/NMU) at 59 kg/130 lbs., 2011 Junior World bronze medalist Toby Erickson (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 130 kg/286 lbs. and 2015 World Team member Patrick Martinez (Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP) at 85 kg/187 lbs.
Martinez lost his first match, but was pulled back into the bronze medal match when his opponent Alfonso Antonio Leyva Yepez of Mexico made the finals. He battles Ronisson Brandao Santiago of Brazil in his bronze-medal bout.
Both Erickson and Jones won their first bouts, but were defeated in the semifinal round in close matches. Erickson falling to Eduard Soghomonyan of Brazil, 2-4, and Jones dropping a wild 8-13 bout with Ali Soto Macias of Mexico.
Jones faces Andry Davila Baron of Venezuela tonight, and Erickson battles Erwin Caraballo Cabrera of Venezuela.
One U.S. athlete, Jacob Kasper (Mansfield, Ohio/Roughhouse) at 98 kg/215 lbs., has been eliminated from medal contention. He dropped his opener to Oscar Loango Solis of Colombia, 0-10, then was knocked out when Loango was beaten in the next round.
Cuba has the most in the finals with five athletes, while the USA has four finalists. However, Cuba only has one athlete going for a bronze medal, making this a very tight team contest.
The gold-medal finals will be held at 6:00 p.m. Central time, and will broadcast on Flowrestling.
PAN AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Frisco, Texas
Greco-Roman medal match pairings
59 kg/130 lbs.
Gold medal – Ali Soto Macias (Mexico) vs. Javier Dumeingo Gonzalez (Cuba)
Bronze – Sam Jones (USA) vs. Andry Davila Baron (Venezuela)
Bronze medal – Jancel Pimentel (Dominican Republic) vs. Andres Taborda (Colombia)
66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Gold medal – Alex Sancho (USA) vs. Miguel Martinez Palacio (Cuba)
Bronze medal – Raiber Rodriguez Orozco (Venezuela) vs. Jose Magallanes (Peru)
Bronze medal – Andres Montano Arroyo (Ecuador) vs. Manuel Lopez (Mexico)
71 kg/156 lbs.
Gold medal – Patrick Smith (USA) vs. Jair Cuero Munoz (Colombia)
Bronze medal – Mourio Cortez (Peru) vs. Jose Sanchez Betancourt (Ecuador)
Bronze medal – Jefrin Mejia Sambula (Honduras) vs. Joilson De Brito Ramos (Brazil)
75 kg/165 lbs.
Gold medal – Geordan Speiller (USA) vs. Luis Centeno Rodriguez (Puerto Rico)
Bronze medal – Alvis Almendra Jimenez (Panama) vs. Yurisandh Hernandez (Cuba)
Bronze medal – Juan Angel Escobar (Mexico) vs. Luis Avendano Rojas (Venezuela)
80 kg/174 lbs.
Gold medal – Cheney Haight (USA) vs. Maximiliano Prudenzano (Argentina)
Bronze medal – Enrique Cuero Ortiz (Ecuador) vs. Claudio Gamboa Zuniga (Chile)
Bronze medal – Renzo Garcia Mendoza (Peru) vs Carlos Munoz Jaramillo (Colombia)
85 kg/187 lbs.
Gold medal – Alan Vera Garcia (Cuba) vs. Alfonso Leyva Yepez (Mexico)
Bronze medal – Alexander Brown Theriault (Canada) vs. Yorgen Cova (Venezuela)
Bronze medal – Patrick Martinez (USA) vs. Ronisson Brandao Santiago (Brazil)
98 kg/215 lbs.
Gold medal – Luillys Perez Mora (Venezuela) vs. Yasmany Lugo Cabrera (Cuba)
Bronze medal – Oscar Loango Solis (Colombia) vs. Alexander Thoms (Canada)
Bronze medal – Carlos Garcia Escuti (Chile) vs. Kevin Mejia Castillo (Honduras)
130 kg/286 lbs.
Gold medal – Eduard Soghomonyan (Brazil) vs. Oscar Pino Hinds (Cuba)
Bronze medal – Luis Roman Barrios (Mexico) vs. Luciano Del Rio (Argentina)
Bronze medal – Toby Erickson (USA) vs. Erwin Caraballo Cabrera (Venezuela)
U.S. Greco-Roman performances so far on Sunday
59 kg/130 lbs. – Sam Jones, Folsom, La. (NYAC/NMU)
WIN Steven Takahashi (Canada), tech. fall 9-0
LOSS Ali Soto Macias (Mexico), 8-13
Bronze medal bout – Andry Davila Baron (Venezuela)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Alejandro Sancho, Miami, Fla. (NYAC/NMU)
WIN Jose Magallanes Durand (Peru), tech fall 8-0
WIN Raiber Jose Rodriguez Orozco (Venezuela), tech. fall 12-4
Gold medal finals - Vs. Miguel Martinez Palacio (Cuba)
71 kg/156 lbs. - Patrick Smith, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)
WIN Jose Sanchez Betancourt (Ecuador), pin 1:46
WIN Mourio Molinaa Cortez (Peru), tech. fall 8-0
Gold medal finals – Jair Alexis Cuero Munoz (Colombia)
75 kg/165 lbs. - Geordan Speiller, Oviedo, Fla. (Florida Jets)
WIN Juan Angel Escobar (Mexico), 2:30
WIN Luis Eduardo Avendano Rojas (Venezuela), tech. fall 12-2
Gold Medal Finals - Vs. Yurisandi Hernandez Rios (Puerto Rico)
80 kg/174 lbs. - Cheney Haight, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
WIN Enrique Cuero Ortiz (Ecuador), tech. fall 8-0
WIN Claudio Andres Gamboa Zuniga (Chile), tech. fall 8-0
Gold Medal finals – Maximiliano Prudenzano (Argentina)
85 kg/187 lbs. - Patrick Martinez, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP)
LOSS Alfonso Antonio Leyva Yepez (Mexico), 2-4
Bronze Medal bout – vs. Ronisson Brandao Santiago (Brazil)
98 kg/215 lbs. - Jacob Kasper, Mansfield, Ohio (Roughhouse)
LOSS Oscar Loango Solis (Colombia), tech fall 0-10
130 kg/286 lbs. - Toby Erickson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
WIN Josue Encarnacion Ovanido (Dominican Republic), tech. fall 10-0
LOSS Eduard Soghomonyan (Brazil), 2-4
Bronze medal bout – Erwin Caraballo Cabrera (Venezuela)
PLAYLIST: Pan American Championships interviews
FRISCO, Texas – Four U.S. Greco-Roman wrestlers won semifinal bouts and qualified for the gold-medal finals at the Pan American Championships on Sunday night at the Dr. Pepper Arena.
Advancing to the championship round were 2016 U.S. Open champion Geordan Speiller, Oviedo, Fla. (Florida Jets) at 75 kg/165 lbs., 2011 World Team member Cheney Haight (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 80 kg/174 lbs.,2014 University World silver medalist Patrick Smith (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm) at 71 kg/156 lbs, and 2015 World Team Trials runner-up Alejandro Sancho, Miami, Fla. (NYAC/NMU) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs.
All four American finalists won their morning bouts with either pins or technical falls.
Speiller competed with dominance, pinning Juan Angel Escobar of Mexico in 2:30, and scoring a 12-2 technical fall over Eduardo Avendano Rojas of Venezuela in the semifinals. He will battle Yurisandi Hernandez Rios of Puerto Rico for the title.
“It was a great match against Venezuela. I didn’t think he was going to have such a good pace so that caught me off guard a bit. We went into the second period and it was a battle on our feet and then I got a take down. It was a good match and it was well earned,” said Speiller.
Haight was also dominant with two 8-0 technical falls, beating Enrique Cuero Ortiz of Ecuador and Claudio Andres Gamboa Zuniga of Chile. His finals opponent is Maximiliano Prudenzano of Argentina.
“Mostly what I’m trying to do out here is score points. I’m using this as training for the trials. I think when you wrestle like that, then the winning takes care of itself. I feel like it was a win just because I was scoring points out there. That’s what I’m out there to do,” said Haight.
Smith pinned Jose Sanchez Betancourt of Ecuador in 1:46 in his opener, then closed out his semifinals with an 8-0 technical fall over Mourio Molina Cortez of Peru. His gold-medal opponent is Jair Alexis Cuero Munoz of Colombia.
“This is a good opportunity to come and get some good matches before the Trials. It’s good practice, and it’s always an awesome opportunity to throw on the USA singlet and represent our country—the best country in the world. It was a good match; the guy came out hard. I was able to keep my composure, get to my ties and I ended up getting in my opposition and finishing it up pretty quick,” said Smith.
Sancho scored a pair of technical falls, taking out Jose Magallanes Durand of Peru, 8-0 and Raiber Jose Rodriguez Orozco of Venezuela, 12-4. He will square off with Miguel Martinez Palacio of Cuba in the finals.
“I’ve wrestled (Martinez) a couple of times before. I went to Cuba to train and I trained with him there. He likes that 2-on-1 position. It’s going to be a tough match, but I want to pull through,” said Sancho about his finals opponent.
Three U.S. athletes will compete in bronze medal matches, 2016 Dave Schultz runner-up Sam Jones (Folsom, La./NYAC/NMU) at 59 kg/130 lbs., 2011 Junior World bronze medalist Toby Erickson (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 130 kg/286 lbs. and 2015 World Team member Patrick Martinez (Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP) at 85 kg/187 lbs.
Martinez lost his first match, but was pulled back into the bronze medal match when his opponent Alfonso Antonio Leyva Yepez of Mexico made the finals. He battles Ronisson Brandao Santiago of Brazil in his bronze-medal bout.
Both Erickson and Jones won their first bouts, but were defeated in the semifinal round in close matches. Erickson falling to Eduard Soghomonyan of Brazil, 2-4, and Jones dropping a wild 8-13 bout with Ali Soto Macias of Mexico.
Jones faces Andry Davila Baron of Venezuela tonight, and Erickson battles Erwin Caraballo Cabrera of Venezuela.
One U.S. athlete, Jacob Kasper (Mansfield, Ohio/Roughhouse) at 98 kg/215 lbs., has been eliminated from medal contention. He dropped his opener to Oscar Loango Solis of Colombia, 0-10, then was knocked out when Loango was beaten in the next round.
Cuba has the most in the finals with five athletes, while the USA has four finalists. However, Cuba only has one athlete going for a bronze medal, making this a very tight team contest.
The gold-medal finals will be held at 6:00 p.m. Central time, and will broadcast on Flowrestling.
PAN AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Frisco, Texas
Greco-Roman medal match pairings
59 kg/130 lbs.
Gold medal – Ali Soto Macias (Mexico) vs. Javier Dumeingo Gonzalez (Cuba)
Bronze – Sam Jones (USA) vs. Andry Davila Baron (Venezuela)
Bronze medal – Jancel Pimentel (Dominican Republic) vs. Andres Taborda (Colombia)
66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Gold medal – Alex Sancho (USA) vs. Miguel Martinez Palacio (Cuba)
Bronze medal – Raiber Rodriguez Orozco (Venezuela) vs. Jose Magallanes (Peru)
Bronze medal – Andres Montano Arroyo (Ecuador) vs. Manuel Lopez (Mexico)
71 kg/156 lbs.
Gold medal – Patrick Smith (USA) vs. Jair Cuero Munoz (Colombia)
Bronze medal – Mourio Cortez (Peru) vs. Jose Sanchez Betancourt (Ecuador)
Bronze medal – Jefrin Mejia Sambula (Honduras) vs. Joilson De Brito Ramos (Brazil)
75 kg/165 lbs.
Gold medal – Geordan Speiller (USA) vs. Luis Centeno Rodriguez (Puerto Rico)
Bronze medal – Alvis Almendra Jimenez (Panama) vs. Yurisandh Hernandez (Cuba)
Bronze medal – Juan Angel Escobar (Mexico) vs. Luis Avendano Rojas (Venezuela)
80 kg/174 lbs.
Gold medal – Cheney Haight (USA) vs. Maximiliano Prudenzano (Argentina)
Bronze medal – Enrique Cuero Ortiz (Ecuador) vs. Claudio Gamboa Zuniga (Chile)
Bronze medal – Renzo Garcia Mendoza (Peru) vs Carlos Munoz Jaramillo (Colombia)
85 kg/187 lbs.
Gold medal – Alan Vera Garcia (Cuba) vs. Alfonso Leyva Yepez (Mexico)
Bronze medal – Alexander Brown Theriault (Canada) vs. Yorgen Cova (Venezuela)
Bronze medal – Patrick Martinez (USA) vs. Ronisson Brandao Santiago (Brazil)
98 kg/215 lbs.
Gold medal – Luillys Perez Mora (Venezuela) vs. Yasmany Lugo Cabrera (Cuba)
Bronze medal – Oscar Loango Solis (Colombia) vs. Alexander Thoms (Canada)
Bronze medal – Carlos Garcia Escuti (Chile) vs. Kevin Mejia Castillo (Honduras)
130 kg/286 lbs.
Gold medal – Eduard Soghomonyan (Brazil) vs. Oscar Pino Hinds (Cuba)
Bronze medal – Luis Roman Barrios (Mexico) vs. Luciano Del Rio (Argentina)
Bronze medal – Toby Erickson (USA) vs. Erwin Caraballo Cabrera (Venezuela)
U.S. Greco-Roman performances so far on Sunday
59 kg/130 lbs. – Sam Jones, Folsom, La. (NYAC/NMU)
WIN Steven Takahashi (Canada), tech. fall 9-0
LOSS Ali Soto Macias (Mexico), 8-13
Bronze medal bout – Andry Davila Baron (Venezuela)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Alejandro Sancho, Miami, Fla. (NYAC/NMU)
WIN Jose Magallanes Durand (Peru), tech fall 8-0
WIN Raiber Jose Rodriguez Orozco (Venezuela), tech. fall 12-4
Gold medal finals - Vs. Miguel Martinez Palacio (Cuba)
71 kg/156 lbs. - Patrick Smith, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)
WIN Jose Sanchez Betancourt (Ecuador), pin 1:46
WIN Mourio Molinaa Cortez (Peru), tech. fall 8-0
Gold medal finals – Jair Alexis Cuero Munoz (Colombia)
75 kg/165 lbs. - Geordan Speiller, Oviedo, Fla. (Florida Jets)
WIN Juan Angel Escobar (Mexico), 2:30
WIN Luis Eduardo Avendano Rojas (Venezuela), tech. fall 12-2
Gold Medal Finals - Vs. Yurisandi Hernandez Rios (Puerto Rico)
80 kg/174 lbs. - Cheney Haight, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
WIN Enrique Cuero Ortiz (Ecuador), tech. fall 8-0
WIN Claudio Andres Gamboa Zuniga (Chile), tech. fall 8-0
Gold Medal finals – Maximiliano Prudenzano (Argentina)
85 kg/187 lbs. - Patrick Martinez, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP)
LOSS Alfonso Antonio Leyva Yepez (Mexico), 2-4
Bronze Medal bout – vs. Ronisson Brandao Santiago (Brazil)
98 kg/215 lbs. - Jacob Kasper, Mansfield, Ohio (Roughhouse)
LOSS Oscar Loango Solis (Colombia), tech fall 0-10
130 kg/286 lbs. - Toby Erickson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
WIN Josue Encarnacion Ovanido (Dominican Republic), tech. fall 10-0
LOSS Eduard Soghomonyan (Brazil), 2-4
Bronze medal bout – Erwin Caraballo Cabrera (Venezuela)
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