U.S. draws in all three styles set for 2025 Junior Pan American Games in Paraguay, August 20-22

ASCUNCION, Paraguay – The draw has been conducted for all three Olympic disciplines for the 2025 Junior Pan American Games wrestling competition, which will be held at the Olympic Training Center of the Paraguayan Olympic Park in Asunción, Paraguay, August 20-22.

Greco-Roman will be contested first on Wednesday, August 20, with a U.S. entry in each of the six Olympic weight classes.

2024 Olympian and 2025 World Team member Payton Jacobson opens his 87 kg competition against Brian Ruiz Marin of Venezuela, a two-time U23 Pan American champion. Should Jacobson win, he faces the winner of Edison Valdez Rodriguez of Paraguay and 2025 U23 Pan American bronze medalist Cristian Pelegrino Viery of Cuba.

Another 2025 Senior World Team member, Max Black at 60 kg, will face 2025 U23 Pan American silver medalist Patrick Rodriguez Quinto of Ecuador in his opening match. Should Black win, he will draw the winner of 2025 Senior Pan American bronze medalist Yonaiker Martinez Cravo of Venezeula and 2024 U23 Pan American champion. Christopher Verastegui Alexande of Columbia.

Two-time U20 World medalist Aden Attao will have three opponents in Group A at 130 kg. He will wrestle Wesley Barrios Das Dores of Brazil, 2022 U20 Pan American silver medalist Juan Herrera De La Rosa of Mexico and Nicolas Araya Tapia of Chile in Group A. His results in Group A will determine if Attao will compete for a medal.

The three other U.S. entries in Greco-Roman have first round draws, Brennan Van Hoecke (67 kg), Aydin Rix McElhinney (77 kg) and Keenan Wyatt (97 kg). Van Hoecke opens with 2025 U23 Pan American champion Yonat Veliz Martinez of Cuba. McElhinney will battle Josue Alvarez Sintuj of Guatemala. Wyatt has drawn 2025 U20 Pan American champion Dorian Trejo Olguin of Mexico.

Women’s freestyle will be contested next on Thursday, August 21, with five U.S. entries.

Brooklyn Hays, who placed second in 2025 Final X to qualify for the U.S. Senior National Team, opens up her competition at 68 kg against 2025 U23 Pan American bronze medalist Debanhi Tapia Garcia of Mexico. If Hays wins, she gets the winner of 2023 U20 Pan American silver medalist Leonela Gruezo Ortiz of Ecuador and Leilani Hernandez of Puerto Rico in the semifinals.

2022 U20 World bronze medalist Tristan Kelly will open against 2024 U23 Pan American bronze medalist Melanie Sanchez Morales of Chile. If Kelly wins, her semifinal opponent would be 2025 U20 Pan American champion Edna Jimenez Villalba of Mexico or Ilorany Prado Batista of Brazil.

A pair of twins who compete for the University of Iowa, Emilie Gonzalez (50 kg) and Brianna Gonzalez (53 kg) also know their first opponents. Emilie will face Arami Cespedes Servin of Paraguay, while Brianna opens against 2024 U23 World silver medalist Serena Di Benedetto of Canada.

At 62 kg, SaVannah Cosme will compete against 2023 U20 Pan American silver medalist Mayara Ramos Pereira of Brazil.

Men’s freestyle will be contested last on Friday, August 22, with a U.S. entry in each of the six Olympic weight classes.

2025 U.S. Senior Open champion Mitchell Mesenbrink will start his 74 kg competition against Arnoldo Proboste of Argentina. Mesenbrink won an NCAA title and placed second in Final X this year. Should Mesenbrink win his opening bout, he faces the winner of Jhon Zambrano Encalada of Ecuador and Ricardo Oyoque Vasquez of Venezuela.

2021 Junior Pan American Games champion Rocco Welsh will be seeking to win this event for the second time, competing this year at 86 kg. Welsh opens against Juan Cardoza Ibata of Colombia. If he wins, he has the winner of Fernando Ramos Arce of Paraguay and 2025 U20 Pan American silver medalist Max Franca Magalhaes De Almeida of Brazil.

High school star Bo Bassett, who was a 2021 U17 World champion, opens against 2025 U20 Pan American bronze medalist Diego Peraza Aguilar of Mexico at 65 kg. A win puts him in a semifinal against either 2025 U23 Pan American silver medalist Juset Martinez Deprestre of Cuba or 2025 U23 Pan American bronze medalist Jose Benites Vasquez of Peru.

Two U.S. wrestlers were drawn into Group competitions, Charlie Farmer (57 kg) and Tommy Dineen (97 kg). Farmer has four athletes in Group A, facing Juan Valerio Delgado of the Dominican Republic, Jose Falcon Reyes of Venezuela and Adrian Samano of Puerto Rico. Dineen has a three-athlete pairing in Group B, facing both Juan Andres of the Dominican Republic and 2021 U20 Pan American bronze medalist Lucas Imbernon Da Silva of Brazil.

At 125 kg, Lucas Stoddard opens against 2024 U23 Pan American silver medalist Jorawar Dhinsa of Canada.

Competition begins each day at 10:00 a.m. local time, with the qualification rounds, followed by the championship finals at 6:00 p.m. Ascuncion is one hour ahead of U.S. Eastern time zone.

Brackets and results for the tournament can be found on UWW Arena.

Live video from the Junior Pan American Games will be posted on the Pan Am Sports Channel at https://www.panamsportschannel.org/

JUNIOR PAN AMERICAN GAMES

At Asunción, Paraguay, August 20-22

U.S. Greco-Roman pairings

60 kg: Max Black, Castle Rock, Colo. (New York AC/NMU-NTS)

Vs. Patrick Rodriguez Quinto (Ecuador)

67 kg: Brennan Van Hoecke, Fort Myers, Fla. (Arkansas RTC)

Vs. Yonat Velez Martinez (Cuba)

77 kg: Aydin Rix McElhinney, South Berwick, Maine (Northern Colorado WC)

Vs. Josue Alvarez Sintuj (Guatemala)

87 kg: Payton Jacobson, Elkhorn, Wis. (New York AC/NMU-NTS)

Vs. Brian Ruiz Marin (Venezuela)

97 kg: Keenan Wyatt, Gardendale, Ala. (Knights RTC)

Vs. Dorian Trejo Olguin (Mexico)

130 kg: Aden Attao, Boise, Idaho (Beaver Dam RTC) 

Group A opponents

Vs. Wesley Barrios Das Dores (Brazil)

Vs. Juan Herrera De La Rosa (Mexico)

Vs. Nicolas Araya Tapia (Chile)

U.S. Women’s Freestyle pairings

50 kg: Emilie Gonzalez, El Monte, Calif. (Iowa Women’s WC/TMWC)

Vs. Arami Cespedes Servin (Paraguay)

53 kg: Brianna Gonzalez, El Monte, Calif. (Iowa Women’s WC/TMWC)

Vs. Serena Di Benedetto (Canada)

62 kg: SaVannah Cosme, Denver, Colo. (Atreus WC)

Vs. Mayara Ramos Pereira (Brazil)

68 kg: Brooklyn Hays, Colorado Springs, Colo. (USOPTC/TMWC)

Vs. Debanhi Tapia Garcia (Mexico)

76 kg: Tristan Kelly, Erie, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP)

Vs. Melanie Sanchez Morales (Chile)

U.S. Men’s Freestyle pairings

57 kg: Charlie Farmer, Coal Valley, Ill. (West Point WC)

Group A opponents

Vs. Juan Valerio Delgado (Dominican Republic)

Vs. Jose Falcon Reyes (Venezuela)

Vs. Adrian Samano (Puerto Rico)

65 kg: Bo Bassett, Windber, Pa. (Titan Mercury WC)

Vs. Diego Peraza Aguilar (Mexico)

74 kg: Mitchell Mesenbrink, Hartland, Wis. (Nittany Lion WC/TMWC)

Vs. Arnoldo Proboste (Argentina)

86 kg: Rocco Welsh, Fredericktown, Pa. (Nittany Lion WC/TMWC)

Vs. Juan Cardoza Ibata (Colombia)

97 kg: Tommy Dineen, Hancock, Minn. (Jackrabbit WC)

Group B opponents

Vs. Juan Andres (Dominican Republic)

Vs. Lucas Imbernon Da Silva (Brazil)

125 kg: Lucas Stoddard, Chardon, Ohio (West Point WC)

Vs. Jorawar Dhinsa (Canada)