USA wrestlers receive draws for Junior Pan American Games in Colombia
by Taylor Miller, USA Wrestling
CALI, Colombia – All 15 U.S. wrestlers received their draws for the inaugural Junior Pan American Games, a multi-sport event held in Cali, Colombia. Wrestling action takes place Dec. 1-4, which fans can watch live here.
Competition begins Wednesday with Greco-Roman action, followed by women’s freestyle on Thursday and Friday, and wrapping up with men’s freestyle on Friday and Saturday.
The wrestling portion will feature the 18 Olympic weight classes across the three Olympic styles. In order to qualify a weight, countries had to produce a top-eight finish in the category at the Junior Pan American Championships earlier this summer. The United States qualified all six in men’s freestyle and Greco-Roman, while securing five spots in women’s freestyle. However, due to late roster changes, the U.S. will only send three athletes in women’s freestyle.
Below are the draws for Team USA.
2021 JUNIOR PAN AMERICAN GAMES
Cali, Colombia | Dec. 1-4, 2021
U.S. Greco-Roman draws
60 kg: Phillip Moomey (Kearney, Neb./Spartan Combat RTC)
vs. Jonaiker Martinez (Venezuela), no international credentials
67 kg: Dominic Damon (Seattle, Wash./NMU)
vs. Piero Cruces (Peru), bronze at 2021 Junior Pan Ams
77 kg: Matthew Singleton (College Park, Ga./Woodward Academy)
vs. Alain Moreno (Cuba), silver at 2020 Granma Cup
87 kg: Kodiak Stephens (Arnold, Calif./Beaver Dam RTC)
vs. Brahamys Fuentes Mosquera (Ecuador), 5th at 2021 Junior Pan Ams
97 kg: Cameron Dubose (Yelm, Wash./Team Tornado)
vs. Liober Betancourt Hechevarria (Cuba), bronze at 2021 Junior Pan Ams
130 kg: Eli Pannell (Fulton, Ill./Burg Training Center)
vs. Marcos Barbosa da Silva (Brazil), 6th at 2021 Junior Pan Ams
U.S. women’s freestyle draws
62 kg: Aliyah Yates (Palmdale, Calif.)
vs. Alondra Martinez Rosado (Puerto Rico), 5th at 2021 Junior Pan Ams
68 kg: Viktorya Torres (Granger, Wash./Team Tornado)
vs. Vicky Cevillano Porozo (Ecuador), gold at 2017 Cadet South American Championship
76 kg: Kylie Welker (Franksville, Wisc./Titan Mercury WC)
vs. Gabriela Canales Herrera (Mexico), bronze at 2021 Junior Pan Ams
U.S. men’s freestyle draws
57 kg: Richard Figueroa (Selma, Calif./Sunkist Kids)
vs. Elkin Espana Santa (Colombia), silver at 2019 Junior Pan Ams
65 kg: Cody Chittum (Charleston, Tenn./Greco-Roman Development)
vs. Leandro Vallejo Cabrera (Dominican Republic), bronze at 2021 Junior Pan Ams
74 kg: Rocco Welsh (Waynesburg, Pa./Young Guns WC)
vs. Geannis Garzon Tamayo (Cuba), no international credentials
86 kg: Sam Wolf (Colorado Springs, Colo./Air Force RTC)
vs. Liosbel Hernandez Bustamante (Cuba), silver at 2021 Junior Pan Ams
97 kg: Peter Casale, Jr. (Little Falls, N.J./NJ Scorpions)
vs. Chigozie Ijeoma (Bahamas), no international credentials
125 kg: Matthew Cover (Bay Village, Ohio/Princeton WC)
vs. Jhoan Ocoro (Colombia), no international credentials
Schedule (shown in U.S. ET)
Wednesday, Dec. 1
9 a.m. – Qualification rounds (GR 60, 67, 77, 87, 97, 130)
4:30 p.m. – Finals (GR 60, 67, 77, 87, 97, 130)
Thursday, Dec. 2
10 a.m. – Qualification rounds (WFS 50, 53, 57)
4:30 p.m. – Finals (WFS 50, 53, 57)
Friday, Dec. 3
10 a.m. – Qualification rounds (WFS 62, 68, 76; MFS 57, 65)
4:30 p.m. – Finals (WFS 62, 68, 76; MFS 57, 65)
Saturday, Dec. 4
10 a.m. – Qualification rounds (MFS 74, 86, 97, 125)
4:30 p.m. – Finals (MFS 74, 86, 97, 125)