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

The United States has received draws in men’s freestyle ahead of action at the 2025 U17 Pan American Championships, held at the Centro de Entrenamiento de Niterói in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Men’s freestyle competitors also competed in Greco-Roman on Thursday, bringing home seven gold medals, two silver medals and one bronze medal. Gold medals were secured by Ariah Mills at 48 kg, Carter Shin at 51 kg, Tommy Wurster at 55 kg, Nicholas Sorrow at 60 kg, Arseni Kikiniou at 65 kg, Jayden James at 71 kg and JT Smith at 92 kg.

Silver medals were awarded to Thales Silva at 45 kg and Alex Taylor at 110 kg. The lone bronze medalist was Isai Fernandez at 80 kg.

Fernandez has international experience as a 2023 U15 Pan American champion in both styles. Fernandez won a title in Greco-Roman at the U.S. Open in April in Las Vegas, placing third in freestyle.

Along with Fernandez, five athletes finished atop the podium in Greco-Roman in Las Vegas, Silva, Mills, Shin, Kikiniou and Taylor. Mills, Kikiniou and Taylor won titles in both styles at the U.S. Open. James also won a title in men’s freestyle at the U.S. Open. James was the runner-up at 74 kg at the U20 World Team Trials in Geneva, Ohio, in early June.

Wurster placed eighth in freestyle and fifth in Greco-Roman at the U.S. Open, Sorrow placed fourth in freestyle and third in Greco-Roman, and Smith placed sixth in freestyle and third in Greco-Roman.

The men’s freestyle competition begins on Saturday. There will be two U.S. wrestlers competing in the Beach Wrestling competition on Sunday. The schedule for the remainder of the event is below.

The event will be broadcast live on FloWrestling. Fans can see updated results on UWW Arena.

U.S. Men’s freestyle draw

45 kg – Thales Silva (Clovis, Calif./SilvaBack Training Center)

Vs. Willian Ribeiro Da Conceicao (Brazil)

Vs. Israel Amaro Garcia (Mexico), 2024 U15 Pan American Championships bronze medalist

Vs. Cristhian Cevallos Espana (Ecuador), 2023 U15 Pan American Championships bronze medalist

48 kg – Ariah Mills (Atlanta, Ga./Roundtree Wrestling Academy)

Vs. Carlos Belmo Cortez (Panama), two-time U15 Pan American Championships team member

51 kg – Carter Shin (Fairfax, Va./Palm Wrestling Academy)

Vs. Jorge Rios (Mexico), 2023 U15 Pan American Championships silver medalist

55 kg – Tommy Wurster (Dublin, Ohio/Beast Mode Wrestling)

Vs. Aaharen Piranavan (Canada)

60 kg – Nicholas Sorrow (Jackson, Mich./Simmons Academy of Wrestling)

Vs. Juan Cristaldo Galindo (Peru), 5th at 2023 U15 Pan American Championships in Greco-Roman, 7th at 2023 U15 Pan American Championships in freestyle

65 kg – Arseni Kikiniou (Escondido, Calif./Poway Wrestling)

Vs. Austreberto Cordova Martinez (Mexico)

71 kg – Jayden James (Westwood, N.J./KD Training Center)

Vs. Benjamin Casas Vaquel (Argentina) , 2024 U15 Pan American Championships bronze medalist in Greco-Roman and freestyle

80 kg – Isai Fernandez (Sylmar, Calif./Titan Mercury WC)

Vs. Maycki Flores Ayala (Peru), 5th at 2023 U15 Pan American Championships in Greco-Roman and freestyle

92 kg – JT Smith (Omaha, Neb./MWC Wrestling Academy)

Vs. Alvaro Villa Aviles (Peru)

Vs. Harjot Shergill (Canada)

110 kg – Alex Taylor (Howard, Ohio/Beast Mode Wrestling)

Vs. Carlos Cabrales Encarnacion (Mexico)

Vs. Wandson Rodrigues De Deus (Brazil), 2024 U17 South American Open silver medalist

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

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)