Schultz enters Greco-Roman gold medal match, Rau up for bronze at Pan American Games

SANTIAGO, Chile – Team USA Greco-Roman wrestlers Cohlton Schultz and Josef Rau have advanced to Saturday evening’s medal session at the Pan American Games—Schultz will wrestle for the heavyweight gold medal, while Rau attempts to score a bronze at 97 kg.

Competing in his first Senior level Pan American event, Schultz went to the well with his front headlock techniques against both of his opponents. The three-time age-group World medalist from Colorado picked up a fall against Edgardo Lopez Morell of Puerto Rico to open his day. He followed up with a 5-2 semifinal victory against Moises Perez Hellburg of Venezuela.

Neither session one match was particularly competitive for Schultz, which is a promising sign for the young American now that the competition level raises significantly in the finals. Standing opposite Schultz in the gold medal match is four-time World medalist and two-time defending Pan American champion Oscar Pino Hinds of Cuba.

Three-time U.S. World Team member Rau opened his day at 97 kg with a strong 9-0 technical fall against Jose Jourdan Calderon of Puerto Rico. Rau picked up a quick takedown, two gut wrenches and a counter takedown to ice it against Calderon, setting up a monster semifinal matchup.

Reigning World champion and Pan American Games champion Gabriel Rosillo Kindelan of Cuba proved too much for the veteran American. Rau gave up a crafty arm drag to body lock takedown for four points, plus a pair of turns that ended it, 8-0, in the first period.

 Rau drops down to the bronze medal match where he will battle it out with Kevin Mejia Castillo of Honduras. Mejia Castillo has a proven track record with medal wins at the U17 World Championships, U20 World Championships and Pan American Games in the past.

U.S. World Team member Zac Braunagel experienced a tale of two matches on Saturday morning at 87 kg. The Illinois native made quick work of Ronisson Brandao Santiago of Brazil, making quick work of his opponent with a series of high gut-wrench attacks. In the quarterfinals, Braunagel was unable to defend the top attacks from Colombian buzzsaw Carlos Munoz Jaramillo, falling 11-0.

Munoz Jaramillo, a 2016 Olympian, dropped his semifinal to Luis Avendano Rojas of Venezuela, which eliminated Braunagel from medal contention in Chile.  

The final session of wrestling at the Pan American Games begins at 4 p.m. (ET) with the last set of Greco-Roman medal matches. The Panam Sports Channel is broadcasting the event live at panamsportschannel.org. Brackets and updated results from this event can be found at arena.uww.org.