U17 Pan American Championships set for June 21-25 in Mexico City, Mexico

Photo: Henry Aslikyan at the 2023 US Open Championships (Photo by Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)

The United States will send 20 athletes to compete in the U17 Pan American Championships in Mexico City, Mexico, June 20-25.

Action begins with Greco-Roman on Thursday, followed by women’s freestyle on Friday and wraps up with men’s freestyle on Saturday. Each discipline will feature one-day tournaments.

All tournaments begin at 10 a.m. MT with finals slated for 5 p.m. MT each day.
Greco-Roman/Men’s Freestyle
The Greco-Roman and men’s freestyle squad features Henry Aslikyan and Lincoln Sledzianowski.

Both Aslikyan and Sledzianowski have Pan American medals on their resume, as Aslikyan was a gold medalist in both men’s freestyle and Greco-Roman at the 2022 U15 Pan American Championships at 44 kg. Sledzianowski won a gold medal in both styles at the 2022 U15 Pan American Championships at 48 kg.

The five additional athletes expected to wrestle in Mexico include Czar Quintanilla (51 kg), Elijah Cortez (55 kg), Gabriel Bouyssou (65 kg), Vince Bouzakis (71 kg) and Aiden Cooley (92 kg).

Completing the team are U17 Nationals Greco-Roman champions Sam Herring (60 kg), Adam Waters (80 kg) and Nicholas Sahakian (110 kg).

The U17 team, based upon team selection procedures, was determined by a point system for athletes competing in both styles at the U17 Nationals.
Women’s Freestyle
Four of the athletes on the women’s freestyle team have international experience at the age-group level. Two athletes won gold at the U15 Pan American Championships last year in Francesca Gusfa (38 kg) and Isabella Gonzales (53 kg).
Katelyn Valdez won gold at last year’s U17 Pan American Championships at 43 kg. Mishell Rebisch was a gold medalist at the U17 Pan American Championships last year, competing at 69 kg.
Charlie Wylie (46 kg), Harlee Hiller (49 kg), Carley Ceshker (57 kg), Cadence Diduch (61 kg), Belicia Manuel (65 kg) and Sarah Henckel (69 kg) round out the athletes that will represent the United States at the U17 Pan American Championships this week.

All of the women’s freestyle team members placed second at U17 Nationals, except for Wylie who placed fourth.
2023 U17 PAN AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS

June 21-25 | Mexico City, Mexico
U.S. Men’s Freestyle & Greco Roman Roster
45kg: Henry Aslikyan, Panorama City, Calif.
48kg: Lincoln Sledzianowski, Johnstown, Pa.
51kg: Czar Quintanilla, Spokane, Wash.
55kg: Elijah Cortez, Los Banos, Calif.
60kg: Sam Herring, Sidman, Pa.
65kg: Gabriel Bouyssou, Hope, R.I.
71kg: Vince Bouzakis, Shavertown, Pa.
80kg: Adam Waters, Stowe, Pa.
92kg: Aiden Cooley, Allen, Texas
110kg: Nicholas Sahakian, Sherman Oaks, Calif.
Women’s Freestyle Roster
40kg: Francesca Gusfa, Ridgewood, N.J.
43kg: Katelyn Valdez, Colorado Springs, Colo.
46kg: Charlie Wylie, Montague, N.J.
49kg: Harlee Hiller, Evanston, Ill.
53kg: Isabella Gonzales, Fresno, Calif.
57kg: Carley Ceshker, Lake Geneva, Wis.
61kg: Cadence Diduch, Freeport, Ill.
65kg: Belicia Manuel, Washington, Mich.
69kg: Sarah Henckel, Southbury, Conn.
73kg: Mishell Rebisch, Brighton, Mich.

Mexico City is in the U.S. Mountain time zone. The schedule for session times is below.
Thursday, June 22
10:00 a.m.
Greco-Roman all weights – Qualification rounds

4:15 p.m.
Opening Ceremonies

5:00 p.m.
Greco-Roman all weights – Finals
Friday, June 23
10:00 a.m.
Women’s Freestyle all weights – Qualification rounds

5:00 p.m.
Women’s Freestyle all weights – Finals
Saturday, June 24
10:00 a.m.
Men’s Freestyle all weights – Qualification rounds

5:00 p.m.
Men’s Freestyle all weights – Finals