Rau earns second Pan Am gold, Stefanowicz wins title in continental debut in Ottawa

Photo of John Stefanowicz by Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com.

OTTAWA, Canada – The USA collected five more medals on the second day of the Pan American Championships, including gold medals from John Stefanowicz and Joe Rau in Greco-Roman.

Rau picked up his second Pan Am title, winning the 87 kg bracket, while Stefanowicz picked up gold in his Pan Am debut at 82 kg.

Rau, who won his first Pan Am gold in 2015, finished off a solid performance winning his finals bout with a shutout over Carlos Munoz Jaramillo of Colombia.

Drawing a passivity in the first period, Rau capitalized in par terre, scoring on a gut wrench to take a 3-0 lead into the break. In the second period, Munoz was put down for passivity once again and Rau scored from a lift, holding on for a 6-0 decision.

At 82 kg, Stefanowicz took on his U.S. Marine Corps teammate Marciano Ali of Puerto Rico in his final round of round-robin action.

The American got ahead early with a throw for four points, but Ali responded with a takedown and gut wrench to tie it up. A couple more takedowns put Stefanowicz ahead 8-4 at the break. In the second period, he got behind Ali and threw him for four points, then tacked on a gut wrench to end it with a 14-4 victory.

Three other U.S. athletes won medals, with silver-medal performances coming from Pat Smith in Greco and Victoria Francis in women’s freestyle as well as a bronze medal coming from Lauren Louive in women’s freestyle.

Smith dropped a tough bout to Yosvanys Pena Flores of Cuba, who he beat earlier in the day in pool action. For the title at 77 kg, Smith gave up a deciding gut wrench in par terre in the second period to fall, 3-1.

Overall, the USA Greco team finished its tournament with the team title, thanks to five gold medals, three silvers and one bronze. 

After a day of round-robin action, Francis finished her day with a win in dominating fashion against Brenda Aguiar Dos Santos of Brazil, 12-0, to secure a 2-1 record and the silver medal at 72 kg.

In her first Senior Pan American appearance since 2012, Louive claimed a bronze medal at 59 kg on Saturday night.

Action continues Sunday with the remainder of the women’s freestyle weights as well as the 79 and 92 kg men’s freestyle weight classes. Watch all the action live on @trackwrestling.com.

2020 PAN AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS

at Ottawa, Canada (March 6-9)

Final Greco Team standings
1. USA – 200
2. Cuba – 105
3. Venezuela – 69
4. Mexico – 68
5. Colombia – 67
6. Brazil – 65
7. Canada – 55
8. Dominican Republic – 42
9. Puerto Rico – 29
10. Honduras - 18

Final Greco-Roman results
77 kg
GOLD - Yosvanys PENA FLORES (CUB) df. Patrick SMITH (USA), 3-1
BRONZE - Wuileixis de Jesus RIVAS ESPINOZA (VEN) df. Jair Alexis CUERO MUNOZ (COL), 6-1

82 kg
GOLD - John STEFANOWICZ (USA)
SILVER – Jose Andres VARGAS RUEDA (MEX)
BRONZE - Marciano ALI (PUR)

87 kg
GOLD - Josef RAU (USA) df. Carlos MUNOZ JARAMILLO (COL), 6-0
BRONZE - Lesyan Osvaldo COUSIN OTOMURO (JAM), win by injury default
BRONZE - Ronisson BRANDAO SANTIAGO (BRA), win by injury default

U.S. Greco-Roman results
77 kg: Pat Smith (Minnesota Storm) - SILVER
WIN Yosvanys Pena Flores (Cuba), 3-1
WIN Angelo Marques Moreira (Brazil), 12-3
WIN Jair Cuero Munoz (Colombia), 4-4
LOSS Yosvanys Pena Flores (Cuba), 3-1

82 kg: John Stefanowicz (Marines) - GOLD
WIN Jose Vargas Rueda (Mexico), 10-1
WIN Marciano Ali (Puerto Rico), 14-4

87 kg: Joe Rau (Titan Mercury WC/Chicago RTC) - GOLD
WIN Luis Avendano Rojas (Venezuela), 8-0
WIN Lesyan Cousin Otomuro (Jamaica), 11-2
WIN Carlos Munoz Jaramillo (Colombia), 6-0

Final women’s freestyle results
59 kg
GOLD - Alexandria TOWN (CAN)
SILVER – Nes Marie RODRIGUEZ TIRADO (PUR)
BRONZE – Lauren LOUIVE (USA)

72 kg
GOLD - Yanet SOVERO NINO (PER)
SILVER – Victoria FRANCIS (USA)
BRONZE – Shauna KUEBECK (CAN)

U.S. women’s freestyle results
59 kg: Lauren Louive (New York AC/USOPTC) – BRONZE
WIN Karoline Silva de Santana (Brazil), 12-3
LOSS Alexandria Town (Canada), 14-4
LOSS Nes Marie Rodriguez Tirado (Puerto Rico), 17-9

72 kg: Victoria Francis (Titan Mercury WC) – SILVER
LOSS Yanet Sovero Nino (Peru), fall
WIN Shauna Kuebeck (Canada), 13-2
WIN Brenda Aguiar Dos Santos (Brazil), 12-0