Strong U.S. women’s freestyle team receives draws at Pan-American Championships

The action in Acapulco, Mexico, continues as the women’s freestyle team has received their first round draws. Women’s freestyle competition begins on Thursday with six weights set to compete. The remaining four weight classes will be contested on Friday at the Expo Mundo Imperial, with matches slated to begin at 10 a.m. CT each day.

At 50 kg, Audrey Jimenez will face off against Linda Castaneda Gaona of Mexico, who placed seventh in the 2023 U20 Pan-American Championships. Katie Gomez will take on Nathaly Herrera Huacre of Peru at 53 kg, gold medalist at the 2022 U20 Pan-American Championships.

Alisha Howk (55 kg) will square off against Zeltzin Hernandez Guerra of Mexico, a 2021 U20 Pan-American Games silver medalist and eighth-place finisher at the 2023 U23 World Championships. At 57 kg, Helen Maroulis awaits her opponent, either Andrea Gonzalez Gongora of Colombia or Karoline Ortiz Rosado of Puerto Rico.

Michaela Beck will take on Jessica Derrell from Barbados at 59 kg, a 2023 Pan-American Championships bronze medalist. At 62 kg, Olympian Kayla Miracle prepares to face the winner of a preliminary match between Eldarah Brown Ton of Jamaica or Katherine Renteria Cuero of Colombia.

At 65 kg, Macey Kilty is set to take on Miki Rowbottom of Canada, a 2022 Pan-American Championships silver medalist and runner-up at the 2022 Bill Farrell Memorial International. Alex Glaude (68 kg) matches up against Olivia Di Bacco of Canada, a 2023 Pan-American Games bronze medalist and fifth-place finisher at the 2021 World Championships.

Brooklyn Hays will take on Katie Mulkay of Canada at 72 kg, a 2023 Pan-American Championships bronze medalist and 2023 Jeux de la Francophonie gold medalist. At 76 kg, Adeline Gray awaits her opponent. Meiriele Charamba Santos Hora of Brazil or Genesis Reasco Valdez of Ecuador will see Gray in her first round match.

U.S. women’s freestyle first-round draws

50 kg: Audrey Jimenez (Sunkist Kids)

Vs. Linda Castaneda Gaona (Mexico) – Seventh at 2023 U20 Pan-American Championships

53 kg: Katie Gomez (Sunkist Kids)

Vs. Nathaly Herrera Huacre (Peru) – 2022 U20 Pan-American Championships gold medalist

55 kg: Alisha Howk (Sunkist Kids)

Vs. Zeltzin Hernandez Guerra (Mexico) – 2021 U20 Pan-American Games silver medalist, eighth at 2023 U23 World Championships

57 kg: Helen Maroulis (Sunkist Kids)

Vs. Andrea Gonzalez Gongora (Colombia) or Karoline Ortiz Rosado (Puerto Rico)

59 kg: Michaela Beck (Sunkist Kids)

Vs. Jessica Derrell (Barbados) – 2023 Pan-American Championships bronze medalist

62 kg: Kayla Miracle (Sunkist Kids)

Vs. Eldarah Brown Ton (Jamaica) or Katherine Renteria Cuero (Colombia)

Brown Ton – Fifth at 2023 Central America and Caribbean Games

Renteria Cuero – 2023 Pan-American Games bronze medalist

65 kg: Macey Kilty (Sunkist Kids)

Vs. Miki Rowbottom (Canada) – 2022 Pan-American Championships silver medalist, 2022 Bill Farrell Memorial International runner-up

68 kg: Alex Glaude (Titan Mercury WC/Beaver Dam RTC)

Vs. Olivia Di Bacco (Canada) – 2023 Pan-American Games bronze medalist, fifth at 2021 World Championships

72 kg: Brooklyn Hays (Minnesota Gold WC)

Vs. Katie Mulkay (Canada) – 2023 Pan-American Championships bronze medalist, 2023 Jeux de la Francophonie gold medalist

76 kg: Adeline Gray (New York AC/Beaver Dam RTC)

Vs. Meiriele Charamba Santos Hora (Brazil) or Genesis Reasco Valdez (Ecuador)

Charamba Santos Hora (Brazil) – 2021 U20 Pan American Games bronze medalist, fourth at 2023 Pan-American Championships

Reasco Valdez – 2023 Pan-American Games bronze medalist, fifth at 2022 Senior World Championships, four-time Pan-American Championships medalist

(U.S. Central time zone)

Thursday, 2/22

10 a.m. – Qualification – WFS 50 kg, 55 kg, 57 kg, 62 kg, 68 kg, 72 kg

2 p.m. – Semifinals – WFS 50 kg, 55 kg, 57 kg, 62 kg, 68 kg, 72 kg

3 p.m. – Repechage – WFS 50 kg, 55 kg, 57 kg, 62 kg, 68 kg, 72 kg

5 p.m. – Finals – WFS 50 kg, 55 kg, 57 kg, 62 kg, 68 kg, 72 kg

Friday, 2/23

10 a.m. – Qualification – WFS 53 kg, 59 kg, 65 kg, 76 kg

2 p.m. – Semifinals – WFS 53 kg, 59 kg, 65 kg, 76 kg

3 p.m. – Repechage – WFS 53 kg, 59 kg, 65 kg, 76 kg

5 p.m. – Finals – WFS 53 kg, 59 kg, 65 kg, 76 kg