U.S. receives draws in women’s freestyle at U17 Pan American Championships in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Team USA has received its draw in women’s freestyle ahead of competition at the 2025 U17 Pan American Championships, held at the Centro de Entrenamiento de Niterói in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Morgan Turner (49 kg) and Taina Fernandez (61 kg) lead the group in women’s freestyle, as both are U17 World Champions. Turner is a two-time U17 Pan American Champion, a 2023 U17 World Champion and 2024 U17 World bronze medalist.

Fernandez won a World title in 2024 at the U17 World Championships in Amman, Jordan. She is a four-time U15 Pan American champion, and will also be competing in the beach wrestling tournament on June 22.

Jaclyn Bouzakis, set to compete at 46 kg, is also a U17 World medalist. Bouzakis earned bronze in 2023, and is a 2022 U15 Pan American champion.

Three athletes enter with age-group experience at a Pan American Championships, including Maisie Elliott at 40 kg, Emma Bacon at 57 kg and Violette Lasure at 65 kg. Elliot and Lasure won gold at the 2023 U15 Pan American Championships, while Bacon is a 2021 U17 Pan American Champion.

Four athletes will be making their international debut in Rio de Janeiro. Natalie Radecki at 43 kg, Stevie Martin at 53 kg, Cassandra Gonzales at 69 kg and Ella Poalillo at 73 kg are slated to compete in their first Pan American Championship tournament.

The women’s freestyle competition is set for Friday, with the men’s freestyle competition following on Saturday. There will be two U.S. wrestlers competing in the Beach Wrestling competition on Sunday. U.S. draws men’s freestyle will be posted when made available.

The event will be broadcast live on FloWrestling

At Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, June 19-22

40 kg – Maisie Elliott (Puyallup, Wash./Mat Demon WC)

Vs. Zoe Vasquez Valdez (Mexico)

Vs. Andrea Flores (Honduras)

43 kg – Natalie Radecki (Newark, Del./Stellar Trained Wrestling)

Vs. Isabela Garnica Aponte (Colombia), 5th at 2023 U15 Pan American Championships

Vs. Xiomara Meza Alava (Ecuador), three-time U15 Pan American Championships medalist

Vs. Elianny Cleviert Flores (Venezuela)

46 kg – Jaclyn Bouzakis (Shavertown, Pa./Wyoming Seminary)

Vs. Mayllin Escobar Marroquin (Guatemala), 2023 U15 Pan American Championships bronze medalist

49 kg – Morgan Turner (Lockport, Ill./Sunkist Kids)

Vs. Genesis Penafiel Vera (Ecuador) or Kamryn Mason (Canada)

53 kg – Stevie Martin (Castro Valley, Calif./ZM Grappling Academy)

Vs. Emma A Peake (Puerto Rico)

57 kg – Emma Bacon (Dallas, Pa./Wyoming Seminary WC)

Vs. Milagros Salgado Rios (Panama), two-time U15 Pan American Championships team member

61 kg – Taina Fernandez (Bowie, Md./Cavalier WC)

Vs. Michely Gutierrez Cayllahua (Peru)

65 kg – Violette Lasure (New Paris, Pa./Team Pennsylvania)

Vs. Shantallee Barrios Bonalde (Colombia), 7th at 2023 U15 Pan American Championships

69 kg – Cassandra Gonzales (Apple Valley, Minn./MN Elite WC)

Vs. Sofia Bazan (Argentina), 2024 U15 South American Open runner-up

Vs. Mayara Neper Oliveira Santos (Brazil), two-time U15 Pan American Championships bronze medalist

Vs. Linda Martinez Armenta (Mexico), two-time U15 Pan American Championships bronze medalist

Vs. Khushleen Jhalli (Canada), 13th at U17 World Championships

73 kg – Ella Poalillo (Wantage, N.J./Iron Horse WC)

Vs. Chelse Carhuallanqui Dominguez (Peru)

Vs. Deborah Garcia Pacheco (Mexico), 5th at 2023 U15 Pan American Championships

*all times listed local to Rio de Janeiro, one hour ahead of U.S. Eastern (GMT-3)

Friday, June 20

10 a.m. – Qualification Rounds and Repechage (WFS all weights)

5 p.m. – Finals and medal matches (WFS all weights)

Saturday, June 21

10 a.m. – Qualification Rounds and Repechage (MFS all weights)

5 p.m. – Finals and medal matches (MFS all weights)

Sunday, June 22

1 p.m. – Qualification rounds, repechages and finals (BW all weights)