Schedule set for Pan American Olympic Games Qualifier Wrestle-offs in Denver, Colo., Feb. 3
by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
USA Wrestling has announced the schedule for the Pan American Olympic Games Qualifier Wrestle-offs, which will be held Saturday, Feb. 3 at Regis University in Denver, Colo. The Wrestle-offs will be held alongside the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) Women’s Championships.
The winners of the Wrestle-offs will compete at the 2023 Pan American Olympic Games Qualifier in Acupulco, Mexico, February 28 – March 1, 2024. Pan American nations may enter an athlete only at weight classes where their nation has not yet qualified for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France. The semifinals winners from the Pan American Olympic Games Qualifier in each weight class qualify their nation to compete at the Olympic Games at that weight class.
The United States has not qualified to compete in Paris in three weight classes in women’s freestyle (53 kg, 62 kg and 68 kg), two weight classes in men’s freestyle (57 kg, 65 kg) and all six weight classes in Greco-Roman (60 kg, 67 kg, 77 kg, 87 kg, 97 kg, 130 kg).
On Dec. 7, USA Wrestling announced the 11 athletes who qualified for the Wrestle-offs, and accepted the opportunity to compete for a spot on the Pan American Olympic Games Qualifier team.
USA Wrestling has published its team selection process for the Pan American Olympic Games Qualifier on its website under Team Selection Criteria.
There are no Wrestle-offs in Greco-Roman, as the winner of the Senior Nationals in Fort Worth, Texas, Dec. 15-17 in the six Olympic weight classes will represent the USA in Acupulco.
In men’s freestyle and women’s freestyle, the 2023 Senior World Team member in the weight classes not yet qualified will be the U.S. representative, but can be challenged by a Senior World medalist, at any weight, within the years 2019-2023. Athletes who met the qualification to challenge were required to notify USA Wrestling that they would compete in the Wrestle-off, as were the 2023 World Team members.
At 57 kg in men’s freestyle, no qualified athletes decided to challenge 2023 World Team member Zane Richards, so Richards will compete at the Pan American Olympic Games Qualifier in Acupulco at that weight class.
At 65 kg, the other men’s freestyle weight class not yet qualified, 2023 World Team member Nick Lee will be challenged by Yianni Diakomihalis, a 2022 World silver medalist at 65 kg, in the best-of-three series.
At 53 kg, 2023 World Team member Dom Parrish will be challenged by Jacarra Winchester, a 2019 World champion at 55 kg. This will be a best-of-three series between World champions, as Parrish was a 2022 World champion at 53 kg.
At 62 kg, 2023 World Team member Kayla Miracle will be challenged by two athletes. Macey Kilty, a 2023 World silver medalist at 65 kg will wrestle one match against Jennifer Page, a 2023 World bronze medalist at 59 kg. The winner of that match will face Miracle in a best-of-three series.
At 68 kg, 2023 World Team member Emma Bruntil will be challenged by three athletes. A single-elimination bracket will include Amit Elor, a 2022 and 2023 World champion at 72 kg, Forrest Molinari, a 2021 World bronze medalist at 65 kg, as well as Mallory Velte, a 2022 World bronze medalist at 65 kg. (Velte was also a 2018 World bronze medalist, which was not in the 2019-23 time frame). The winner of the bracket will face Bruntil in a best-of-three series.
Pan American Olympic Games Qualifier Wrestle-offs will be broadcast live by FloWrestling https://flosports.link/47Eahc1
Below is the match schedule for the Pan American Olympic Games Qualifier Wrestle-offs.
PAN AMERICAN OLYMPIC GAMES QUALIFIER WRESTLE-OFF
At Denver, Colo., Feb. 3
Match schedule – with Singlet Color
10:00 AM
Match # 1: 68 KG - Mallory Velte – Red vs Forrest Molinari – Blue
Match # 2: 65 KG – Nick Lee – Red vs Yianni Diakomihalis – Blue
11:00 AM
Match # 3: 62 KG - Macey Kilty – Red vs Jennifer Page – Blue
Match # 4: 68 KG – Amit Elor – Red vs Winner Match # 1 – Blue
Match # 5: 65 KG – Yianni Diakomihalis – Red vs Nick Lee – Blue
12:00 NOON
Match # 6: 53 KG – Dom Parrish – Red vs Jacarra Winchester – Blue
Match # 7: 62 KG - Kayla Mircle – Red vs Winner Match # 3 – Blue
Match # 8: 68 KG - Emma Bruntil – Red vs Winner Match # 4 – Blue
(IF NEEDED) Match # 9: 65 KG - Nick Lee – Red vs Yianni Diakomihalis – Blue
1:00 PM
Match # 10: 53 KG - Jacarra Winchester – Red vs Dom Parrish – Blue
Match # 11: 62 KG - Winner Match # 3 – Red vs Kayla Miracle – Blue
Match # 12: 68 KG – Winner Match # 4 – Red vs Emma Bruntil – Blue
2:00 PM
(IF NEEDED) Match # 13: 53 KG – Dom Parrish – Red vs Jacarra Winchester – Blue
(IF NEEDED) Match # 14: 62 KG - Kayla Mircle – Red vs Winner Match # 3 – Blue
(IF NEEDED) Match # 15: 68 KG - Emma Bruntil – Red vs Winner Match # 4 – Blue