Men’s freestyle qualifies three weight classes for Olympic Games at 2020 Pan Am Olympic Qualifier

Photo of Thomas Gilman wrestling Cuba's Reineri Andreu Ortega by Tony Rotundo/Wrestlers are Warriors.

Ottawa, Canada – The men’s freestyle team had three wrestlers make the finals this afternoon at the Pan Am Olympic Qualifier. With Jordan Burroughs and Kyle Snyder already qualifying 74 kg and 97 kg with their bronze medal performances at the 2019 World Championships, the U.S. is now qualified for the Olympic Games at five out of six men’s freestyle weight classes.

At 57 kg, Thomas Gilman faced some of the toughest competition of the day. In the quarterfinals, he squared off with two-time U23 World champion Reineri Andreu Ortega of Cuba. Trailing, 3-1, at the break, Gilman’s relentless pace tired Andreu Ortega out. He scored a step out to cut the lead to one point. Then, he spun behind on an Andreu Ortega shot attempt to take the lead, 4-3, which is how the match would end.

In the semifinals, he dominated Juan Rubelin Ramirez Beltre of Dominica, 10-0, to punch his ticket to the finals and qualify the weight class for the Olympic Games. In the finals, Gilman will face Oscar Eduardo Tigreros Urbano of Colombia, a two-time Pan Am Championships finalist.

David Taylor made his return to competition after an extended lay off due to injury. He looked to be in strong form, opening his tournament at 86 kg with a, 10-0, technical fall over Pedro Francisco Ceballos Fuentes of Venezuela. In the semifinals, Taylor bested three-time Pan Am Championships gold medalist and 2019 Pan Am Games champion Yurieski Torreblanca Queralta of Cuba, 8-0.

In the finals, Taylor will wrestle Pool Edinson Ambrocio Greifo of Peru. Ambrocio Greifo finished second at the 2020 Pan Am Championships.

Nick Gwiazdowski qualified the 125 kg weight class for the Olympic Games for Team USA. In the semifinals, Gwiazdowski earned a, 10-0, technical fall over Luis Felipe Vivenes Urbaenja of Venezuela. In the finals, he will see Amarveer Dhesi of Canada. Dhesi, a 2014 Junior World champion, was a three-time NCAA All-American for Oregon State.

Zain Retherford fell in the 65 kg semifinals to Agustin Alejandro Destribats of Argentina. Retherford, who opened his day with two, 10-0, technical falls, was leading 2-0 and working on a leg lace when Destribats managed to break his grip and catch him on his back for the fall.

Retherford will wrestle Albaro Rudesindo Camacho of the Dominican Republic, the 2019 Pan Am Games runner-up, for third.

The medal matches will start at 5 p.m. EST and can be streamed live on Trackwrestling.

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

Men’s freestyle results

57 kg: Thomas Gilman (Iowa City, Iowa/Titan Mercury WC)
WIN Ligrit Sadiku (Canada), 10-0
WIN Reineri Andreu Ortega (Cuba), 4-3
WIN Juan Rubelin Ramirez Beltre (Dominica), 10-0
vs. Oscar Eduardo Tigreros Urbano (Colombia)

65 kg: Zain Retherford (State College, Pa./Nittany Lion WC)
WIN Jose Javier Rodriguez Colon (Puerto Rico), 10-0
WIN Wiber Euclides Cuero Munoz (Colombia), 10-0
LOSS Agustin Alejandro Destribats (Argentina), FALL, 1:01
vs. Albaro Rudesindo Camacho (Dominica)

86 kg: David Taylor (State College, Pa./Nittany Lion WC)
WIN Pedro Francisco Ceballos Fuentes (Venezuela), 10-0
WIN Yurieski Torreblanca Queralta (Cuba), 8-0
vs. Pool Edinson Ambrocio Greifo (Peru)

125 kg: Nick Gwiazdowski (Raleigh, N.C./Titan Mercury WC/Wolfpack WC)
WIN Charles Merrill (Puerto Rico), 10-0
WIN Angel Ernesto Pacheco Romero (Cuba), Injury default
WIN Luis Felipe Vivenes Urbaenja (Venezuela), 10-0
vs. Amarveer Dhesi (Canada)