Forrest, Lockett, Valencia claim gold in men’s freestyle at Senior Pan American Championships

MONTERREY, Mexico – The United States went a perfect 3-for-3 in the finals on the first day of men’s freestyle at the 2025 Senior Pan American Championships on Saturday night.

Capturing gold medals on Saturday night are high school stars Jax Forrest (61 kg) and Ladarion Lockett (74 kg), plus 2023 World bronze medalist Zahid Valencia (86 kg).

The USA wrestlers won nine matches on the day, eight by technical falls. The other match was a victory by disqualification.

Forrest scored an 11-0 technical fall in the finals over Joseph Silva of Puerto Rico, who wrestled for Michigan in college and Lake Highland Prep in Florida in high school. Forrest led 1-0 at the break on a shot clock point, but got his offense unleashed in the second period, with a four-point takedown, two two-point takedowns and a tilt.

Lockett, a 2023 U17 World champion, had little trouble with Anthony Montero Chirinos of Venezuela in the finals, winning 11-0. Lockett led 5-0 break after a sweet four-point hip toss. In the second period, a takedown and multiple turns ended the match.

Lockett was fresh in the finals, in spite of getting injured during his semifinals disqualification victory over  Geannis Garzon Tamayo of Cuba. Trailing 2-1, Lockett got behind Garzon and tried to break him down from a quad pod, only to have Garzon counter the move and spike Lockett to the mat. Officials disqualified Garzon, and the jury confirmed the disqualification after a challenge review.

Valencia scored an 11-0 technical fall over Jorge Llano of Argentina in the championship finals. Valencia had to chip away at Llano, who competed with an extremely defensive style, not willing to engage. Valencia scored two takedowns, three step outs, a gut wrench turn and got a point on a caution for his scoring onslaught.

Forrest and Valencia were 2025 U.S. Senior Open champions, and will be competing for a spot on the Senior World Team at Final X at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. on June 14.

Team USA jumped to a big lead in the team standings after three weights with 75 points, followed by second place Canada with 40 points and third place Mexico with 38 points.

The Senior Pan American Championships conclude on Sunday with the final seven weight classes (57 kg -65 kg -70 kg -79 kg -92 kg -97 kg -125 kg). Session times are 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Mountain Time.

All of the action will be broadcast live on FloWrestling. https://flosports.link/4fv90qt

SENIOR PAN AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS

At Monterrey, Mexico, May 10

Men’s freestyle results

61 kg

Gold - Jax Forrest (USA)

Silver - Joseph Silva (Puerto Rico)

Bronze - Joshua Kramer (Ecuador)

Bronze - Garette Saunders (Canada)

5^th - Esteban Perez Castellanos (Guatemala)

5^th - Peter Hammer Cude (Costa Rica)

7^th - Jorge Olvera Rodriguez (Mexico)

8^th - Diego Villalba Pereira (Paraguay)

9^th - Andres Gonzalez Andrade (Panama)

Gold - Jax Forrest (USA) tech fall Joseph Silva (Puerto Rico), 11-0

Bronze - Joshua Kramer (Ecuador) tech fall Esteban Perez Castellanos (Guatemala), 10-0

Bronze - Garette Saunders (Canada) dec. Peter Hammer Cude (Costa Rica), 14-8

74 kg

Gold - Ladarion Lockett (USA)

Silver - Anthony Montero Chirinos (Venezuela)

Bronze - Adam Thomson (Canada)

Bronze - Cristian Santiago Perez (Mexico)

5^th - Luis Barrios Roches (Honduras)

6^th - Paulo Goncalves Da Silva (Brazil)

7^th - Jhon Chunga Carreno (Peru)

8^th - Rafael Garcia Morales (Puerto Rico)

9^th - Wilfrido Samaniego Quijada (Panama)

Gold - Ladarion Lockett (USA) tech fall Anthony Montero Chirinos (Venezuela), 11-0

Bronze - Adam Thomson (Canada) by disqualification

Cristian Santiago Perez (Mexico) tech fall Luis Barrios Roches (Honduras), 14-3

86 kg

Gold - Zahid Valencia (USA)

Silver - Jorge Llano (Argentina)

Bronze - Steven Rodriguez Torreyes (Venezuela)

Bronze - Kevin De Leon Trevino (Mexico)

5^th - Taran Goring (Canada)

5^th - Cesar Ubico Estrada (Guatemala)

7^th - Jesus Landa Cespedes (Peru)

8^th - Giovanni de Oliveira Gaion Piazza (Brazil)

9^th - Jorge Adny Tiwi (Ecuador)

Gold - Zahid Valencia (USA) tech fall Jorge Llano (Argentina), 11-0

Bronze - Steven Rodriguez Torreyes (Venezuela) tech fall Taran Goring (Canada), 11-0

Bronze - Kevin De Leon Trevino (Mexico) dec. Cesar Ubico Estrada (Guatemala), 9-4

U.S. men’s freestyle results

61 kg: Jax Forrest, Johnstown, Pa. (Cowboy RTC/Titan Mercury WC), gold medal

WIN Esteban Perez Castellanos (Guatemala), tech fall 10-0

WIN Joshua Kramer (Ecuador), tech fall, 10-0

WIN Joseph Silva (Puerto Rico), tech fall 11-0

74 kg: Ladarion Lockett, Stillwater, Okla. (Cowboy RTC/Titan Mercury WC), gold medal

WIN Adam Thomson (Canada), tech fall 11-0

WIN Geannis Garzon Tamayo (Cuba), disqualification 4:34

WIN Anthony Montero Chirinos (Venezuela), tech fall 11-0

86 kg: Zahid Valencia, Stillwater, Okla. (Cowboy RTC/Titan Mercury WC), gold medal

WIN Steven Rodriguez Torreyes (Venezuela), 11-0

WIN Taran Goring (Canada), tech fall 10-0

WIN Jorge Llano (Argentina), tech fall 11-0

Men’s freestyle team standings after three weight classes

1 United States, 75

2 Canada, 40

3 Mexico, 38

4 Venezuela, 35

5 Puerto Rico, 26

(of 17 nations)

Remaining Event Schedule

(Monterrey is the same as U.S. Mountain Time Zone)

Sunday, May 11

(Men’s Freestyle 57 kg -65 kg -70 kg -79 kg -92 kg -97 kg -125 kg)

10:00 a.m. – Preliminaries

1:00 p.m. – Semifinals

2:00 p.m. – Repechage

5:00 p.m. – Medal Match finals