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Updated: U.S. wins men’s freestyle title at U15 Pan Am Championships, Women sweep first five weights

by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling

The United States of America, 2023 U15 Pan American Championships men's freestyle champions (Photo by Christina Hargrove)

PANAMA CITY, Panama – It was a strong day for Team USA at the U15 Pan American Championships on Friday.


The U.S. men’s freestyle team won the team title, competing in all 10 weight classes, while the U.S. women’s freestyle team won golds in all five weight classes contested today.


The Golden Boot as the Outstanding Wrestler in men’s freestyle was awarded to Cooper Rowe of the United States, the champion at 68 kg.


Men’s freestyle champions for the USA were Chase Karenbauer (38 kg), Keegan Bassett (41 kg), Christopher Grossman (52 kg), Austin Collins (57 kg), Travis Cardenas (62 kg), Cooper Rowe (68 kg), Isai Fernandez (76 kg) and Evan Perez (85 kg)


Winning a silver medal was Rocco Cassioppi (48 kg). Getting a bronze medal was Eli Herring (44 kg).


The USA was first in the men’s freestyle team standings, followed by Puerto Rico.


The women’s freestyle tournament featured the first five weight classes today, with the other five weights set for Saturday. Team USA swept the five weights contested on Friday, with gold medals from Maise Elliott (33 kg), Gail Sullivan (39 kg), Epenesa Elison (46 kg), Kaylyn Harrill (54 kg) and Taina Fernandez (62 kg).


The men will compete in Greco-Roman on Saturday. All of the same athletes who wrestled freestyle will also compete in Greco-Roman for Team USA.


The final five weight classes in women’s freestyle will be held on Saturday: 36 kg, 42 kg, 50 kg, 58 kg and 66 kg.


The final results from Friday have not yet been posted by UWW. This article will be updated with all of the match scores when available.

2023 U15 Pan American Championships

Panama City, Panama, November 25

Men’s Freestyle Medalists


38 kg

Gold – Chase Karenbauer (USA)

Silver - Ronald Morales Garcia (Ecuador)

Bronze - Cristhian Cevallos Espana (Ecuador)


41 kg

Gold – Keegan Bassett (USA)

Silver – Jose Quintero Alonso (Mexico)

Bronze - Allan Jimenez Franco (Ecuador)

Bronze – Jesuan Morales Pacheco (Puerto Rico)


44 kg

Gold - Frederick Bachmann, Jr. (Puerto Rico),

Silver – Jorge Rios (Mexico)

Bronze – Eli Herring (USA)

Bronze – Dylan Narvaez Camacho (Ecuador)


48 kg

Gold - Joseph Bachmann (Puerto Rico)

Silver – Rocco Cassioppi (USA)

Bronze - Jhon Ramirez Munoz (Colombia)

Bronze – Andre Huarcaya Lopez (Peru)


52 kg

Gold - Christopher Grossman (USA)

Silver - Edwin Morales Pacheco (Puerto Rico)

Bronze - Arthur Dos Santos (Brazil)

Bronze – Deivid Erazo SantaCruz (Colombia)


57 kg

Gold – Austin Collins (USA)

Silver - Braylon Gonzalez (Puerto Rico)’

Bronze - David Maldonado Melendez (Puerto Rico)

Bronze – Ignacio Figueroa Torres (Chile)


62 kg

Gold – Yandro Soto Rivera (Puerto Rico)

Silver – Travis Cardenas (USA)

Bronze  - Anthony Molina Rubio (Peru)

Bronze – Luis Medellin Hernandez (Mexico)


68 kg

Gold – Cooper Rowe (USA)

Silver - Joab Carrillo Rodriguez (Puerto Rico)

Bronze - Daniel Tejada Rivera (Honduras)

Bronze – Antonio Arguello Belcolore (El Salvador)


75 kg

Gold – Isai Fernandez (USA)

Silver -Kawayran Vazquez, Jr. (Puerto Rico)

Bronze - Arat Gonzalez Castro (Mexico)

Bronze – Fernando Bencke Brandao Lopes Dias (Brazil)


U.S. Men’s Freestyle performances


38 kg – Chase Karenbauer (Bad Karma WC/Mercer, Pa.), Gold Medal

WIN Carlos Velmo Cortez (Panama), pin 0:48

WIN Ronald Morales Garcia (Ecuador), tech fall 10-0, 1:10

WIN Eydan Lezcano Castillo (Panama), pin 0:53

WIN Ronald Morales Garcia (Ecuador), tech fall, 10-0, 0:53


41 kg – Keegan Bassett (Young Guns WC/Windber, Pa.), Gold Medal

WIN Allan Jimenez Franco (Ecuador), tech fall 10-0, 0:43

WIN Jose Arreguin Grimaldo (Mexico), tech fall 10-0, 0:34

WIN Jose Quintero Alonso (Mexico), tech fall, 10-0, 1:11


44 kg – Eli Herring (Pennsylvania/Saint Michael, Pa.), Bronze Medal

LOSS Frederick Bachmann, Jr. (Puerto Rico), 6-0

WIN Kadir Quinones Tejada (Panama), tech fall, 11-0, 0:51


48 kg – Rocco Cassioppi (Hononegah WC/Roscoe, Ill.), Silver Medal

WIN Jhon Ramirez Munoz (Colombia), tech fall 10-0, 0:36

WIN Fernando Rios Martinez (Mexico), tech fall 10-0, 0:38

LOSS Joseph Bachmann (Puerto Rico), 3-0


52 kg – Christopher Grossman (Billings WC/Billings, Mont.), Gold Medal

WIN Felipe Cisneros Nunez (Mexico), tech fall 11-0, 2:15

WIN Arthur Dos Santos (Brazil), tech fall 12-2, 1:39

WIN Edwin Morales Pacheco (Puerto Rico), pin 1:02


57 kg – Austin Collins (Bear Cave WC/Wray, Colo.), Gold Medal

WIN Ignacio Figueroa Torres (Chile), tech fall 10-0, 1:06

WIN Javes Echeverry (Colombia), tech fall, 10-0, 0:48

WIN David Maldonado Melendez (Puerto Rico), tech fall 13-2, 1:28

WIN  Braylon Gonzalez (Puerto Rico). Tech fall 14-3, 3:16


62 kg – Travis Cardenas (Grindhouse WC/Mesa, Ariz.), Silver Medal

WIN Juan Orozco Perez (Ecuador), tech fall 10-0, 0:34

WIN Anthony Molina Rubio (Peru), tech fall 10-0 1:12

WIN Leonardo Gutierrez Manihuari (Peru), tech fall 11-0, 0:43

LOSS Yandro Soto Rivera (Puerto Rico), 9-7


68 kg – Cooper Rowe (Pinnacle WC/Mound, Minn.), Gold Medal

WIN Juan Palacios Ronquillo (Ecuador), pin 0:11

WIN Eikiel Saldana Guerra (Panama), 8-4

WIN Daniel Tejada Rivera (Honduras), tech fall 12-0, 0:34

WIN Joab Carrillo Rodriguez (Puerto Rico), tech fall 10-0, 1:16


75 kg – Isai Fernandez (Sunkist Kids Monster Garage/Sylmar, Calif.), Gold medal

WIN Arat Gonzalez Castro (Mexico), tech fall, 11-1, 1:35

WIN Juan Diaz Zamora (Peru), tech fall, 12-1, 1:06

WIN Maycki Flores Ayala (Peru), tech fall 14-3, 2:00

WIN Kawayran Vazquez, Jr. (Puerto Rico), 11-7


85 kg – Evan Perez (Bear Cave WC/Severance, Colo.)

WIN Brandon Hernandez Ramirez (Mexico), tech fall 12-2, 3:18

WIN Franco Latorre (Puerto Rico), tech fall 10-0, 0:47

WIN Raphael Rodrigues Duarte (Brazil), tech fall, 10-0, 1:18

WIN Brandon Hernandez Ramirez (Mexico), tech fall, 11-0, 1:03


Final Men’s freestyle team standings

1 USA, 230

2 Puerto Rico, 179

3 Mexico, 114

4 Ecuador, 93

5 Peru, 65

6 Brazil, 64

7 Panama, 58

8 Colombia, 48

9 El Salvador, 29

10 Honduras, 15

11 Chile, 10

12 Barbados, 9

13 Argentina, 8

Women’s freestyle medalists


33 kg

Gold - Maisie Elliott (USA)

Silver - Katherine Gutierrez Munoz (Ecuador)


39 kg

Gold – Gail Sullivan (USA)

Silver - Indra Trejo Jimenez (Mexico),

Bronze - Kristel Sosa Carpio (Ecuador)


46 kg

Gold – Epenesa Elison (USA)

Silver - Camila Pachas Huaroto (Peru)

Bronze - Miayalee Ortiz Martinez (Puerto Rico)

Bronze – Maylin Escobar Marroquin (Guatemala)


54 kg

Gold - Kaylyn Harrill (USA)

Silver - Luisianna Naviua Corozo (Ecuador)

Bronze - Savannah Arroyo (Puerto Rico)

Bronze – Alejandra Serrano Roa (Colombia)


62 kg

Gold - Taina Fernandez (USA)

Silver - Meissy Valdez Obando (Guatemala),

Bronze - Linda Martinez Armenta (Mexico)

Bronze – Sylvua Espinosa Muniz (Mexico)


U.S. women’s freestyle results


33 kg – Maisie Elliott (Mat Demon WC/Puyallup, Wash.), Gold Medal

WIN Katherine Gutierrez Munoz (Ecuador), pin 1:13

WIN Andrea Mitchell Flores (Honduras), forfeit


39 kg – Gail Sullivan (Apex Wrestling NYC LLC/Monroe, N.Y.), Gold Medal

WIN Indra Trejo Jimenez (Mexico), tech fall 10-0, 1:49

WIN Kristel Sosa Carpio (Ecuador), tech fall, 10-0, 1:27


46 kg – Epenesa Elison (Sunkist Kids Monster Garage/Downey, Calif.)

WIN Miayalee Ortiz Martinez (Puerto Rico), tech fall 10-0, 0:37

WIN Luitciany Itzell Orano (Panama), tech fall 10-0, 0:17

WIN Karoline Cerqueira Doerl (Brazil), tech fall 10-0, 1:13

WIN Camila Pachas Huaroto (Peru)


54 kg – Kaylyn Harrill (The Best Wrestler/Elkhorn, Neb.), Gold Medal

WIN Jaqueline Ortega Andrade (Mexico), pin 0:46

WIN Ximena Balderas Martinez (Mexico), pin 0:22

WIN Savannah Arroyo (Puerto Rico), pin 1:01

WIN Luisianna Naviua Corozo (Ecuador), pin 0:38


62 kg – Taina Fernandez (Cavalier WC/Bowie, Md.), Gold Medal

WIN Elizabeth Casiano Macario (Mexico), tech fall 10-0, 1:07

WIN Shantallee Barrios Bonalde (Colombia), pin 0:33

WIN Linda Martinez Armenta (Mexico), pin 1:25

WIN Meissy Valdez Obando (Guatemala), tech fall 10-0, 1:38


Women’s freestyle team standings (after five weight classes)

1. United States, 125

2. Ecuador, 65

3. Mexico, 45

4. Guatemala, 39

5. Colombia, 36

6. Puerto Rico, 30

7. Peru, 28

8. Brazil, 20

9. Chile, 10

10. Barbados, 6

11. Panama, 6