All four Americans reach Pan Am Olympic Qualifier finals; Team USA qualifies all six women's freestyle weight classes for Olympic Games

Photo of Sarah Hildebrandt after her semifinal victory by Tony Rotundo/Wrestlers are Warriors.

Ottawa, Canada – After a phenomenal morning session, the U.S. has put all four competing wrestlers into the finals of the Pan Am Olympic Qualifier in women’s freestyle. With 68 kg and 76 kg already qualified for the Olympic Games at the 2019 World Championships by World gold medalists Tamyra Mensah-Stock and Adeline Gray, Team USA has now qualified all six women’s freestyle weight classes for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan. Additionally, the four wrestlers reaching the finals have now secured berths in the finals of the U.S. Olympic Team Trials.

At 50 kg, Sarah Hildebrandt was flawless. Hildebrandt won her opening match, 10-0, over Rita Rojas Chavez of Mexico and followed it up with a semifinal victory over Jessica MacDonald of Canada, 11-0. Hildebrandt took MacDonald down and locked up a leg lace for four-straight turns to clinch the match. MacDonald is a 2012 World champion and two-time World bronze medalist.

In the finals, Hildebrandt will face Yusneylis Guzman Lopez of Cuba. Guzman Lopez is a two-time Pan American Championships gold medalist and placed second at the 2019 Pan American Games.

Jacarra Winchester, the 2019 55 kg World champion, looks fully adjusted to the 53 kg weight class. Winchester topped 2018 World bronze medalist Lianna de la Caridad Montero Herrera of Cuba, 6-2, in her opening match. In the quarterfinals, she handled Zeltzin Hernandez Guerra of Mexico, 10-0. To advance the finals, Winchester downed Canada’s Samantha Stewart, 8-4.

In the finals, Winchester will take on Montero Herrera once again. Montero Herrera finished runner-up in the pool and won her semifinal over the other pool champion Luisa Valverde Melendres, the 2020 Pan American Championships gold medalist, 5-4.

2016 Olympic champion Helen Maroulis made her return to International competition today in impressive fashion. In her opening match, she defeated the 2019 World champion at 59 kg Linda Morais of Canada by technical fall, 12-2. Maroulis would win the next two matches in her pool to advance to the semifinals, where she would defeat Puerto Rico’s Nes Marie Rodriguez Tirado, 11-0.

Maroulis’s finals opponent is Alma Valencia Escoto of Mexico, the 2019 Bill Farrell International runner-up.

Kayla Miracle also went 4-0 in the first session at 62 kg. In the semifinals Miracle defeated Canada’s Michelle Fazzari, 12-3. Fazzari is a 2017 World bronze medalist. In the finals, Miracle will square off with Lais Nunes de Oliveira of Brazil. Nunes de Oliveira is a two-time Pan Am Championships gold medalist and three-time runner-up and also the 2019 Pan Am Games bronze medalist.

The finals will start at 5:00 p.m. EST and can be streamed live on Trackwrestling.

2020 Pan American Olympic Qualifier
at Ottawa, Canada (March 13-15)

U.S. Women’s Freestyle Results

50 kg: Sarah Hildebrandt (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC/USOPTC)
WIN Rita Rojas Chavez (Mexico), 10-0
WIN Jessica MacDonald (Canada), 11-0
vs. Yusneylis Guzman Lopez (Cuba)

53 kg: Jacarra Winchester (Colorado Springs, Colo./Titan Mercury WC/USOPTC)
WIN Lianna de la Caridad Montero Herrera (Cuba), 6-2
WIN Zeltzin Hernandez Guerra (Mexico), 10-0
WIN Samantha Stewart (Canada), 8-4
vs. Lianna de la Caridad Montero Herrera (Cuba)

57 kg: Helen Maroulis (Rockville, Md./Sunkist Kids)
WIN Linda Morais (Canada), 12-2
WIN Giullia Rodrigues Penalber de Oliveira (Brazil), 9-0
WIN Lissette Antes Castillo (Ecuador), 6-2
WIN Nes Marie Rodriguez Tirado (Puerto Rico), 11-0
vs. Alma Valencia Escoto (Mexico)

62 kg: Kayla Miracle (Iowa City, Iowa/Sunkist Kids)
WIN Nathaly Josefina Griman Herrera (Venezuela), FALL, 2:04
WIN Alejandra Romero Bonilla (Mexico), 5-1
WIN Jackeline Renteria Castillo (Colombia), 11-0
WIN Michelle Fazzari (Canada), 12-3
vs. Lais Nunes de Oliveira (Brazil)