Five Greco-Roman athletes advance to semifinals following first session of Pan-American Olympic Games Qualifier

Five athletes advance to the semifinals in Greco-Roman and remain in the hunt for the coveted weight class quota for this year’s Olympic Games. The U.S. entered the tournament with six Greco-Roman athletes attempting to qualify weight classes: Ildar Hafizov (60 kg), Alex Sancho (67 kg), Kamal Bey (77 kg), Spencer Woods (87 kg), Alan Vera (97 kg) and Cohlton Schultz (130 kg).

The semifinals are slated to begin at 5 p.m. CT in Acapulco, Mexico.

The winners of each semifinal match secure the weight class Olympic quota for their country. There will not be finals matches in this tournament, as the semifinal rounds are decisive in qualifying the weight class for the 2024 Paris Games.

Alex Sancho started his tournament with a 4-0 win in the quarterfinals over Luis Centeno Rodriguez of Puerto Rico. One point for a step out got Sancho on the board, and he added two points after Puerto Rico was called for passivity. The second period saw neither wrestler score as Sancho held onto the lead he built in the first period.

Sancho will face Nestor Almanza Truyol of Chile in the semifinals. The pair met up last week at the Pan-American Championships, with Sancho finishing the 3-1 decision on top.

Kamal Bey had one of the toughest opening draws of the tournament, facing Arsen Julfalakyan of Argentina in the quarterfinals. Julfalakyan is a 2014 World Champion from Armenia, and this is just his second competition for Argentina. In the match, Bey led with a 1-0 advantage after Julfalakyan was called for passivity. A leg foul called on the Argentinian pushed Bey ahead 3-0. Bey locked up a front headlock and scored four, but the move was challenged and called back. A step out made the score 4-0 in Bey’s favor entering the break, and Julfalakyan generated just two points of offense in the second period.

Bey will face Jair Cuero Munoz of Colombia in the semifinals. The pair matched up against each other at the Pan-American Championships, with Cuero Munoz squeaking by in a 6-6 criteria decision.

In the quarterfinals at 87 kg, Spencer Woods pinned Alfonso Ariel Andres of Honduras at 3:43 to secure a spot in the semifinals. Woods led 1-0 after his opponent was called for passivity, and the score remained 1-0 into the break. He got four points after getting Andres to his back, then sealed the win by fall.

Woods will face Daniel Gregorich Hechavarria of Cuba in the semifinals. Gregorich Hechavarria is a three-time Pan-American Championships gold medalist, two-time Pan-American Games  medalist and 2020 Olympian for Cuba.

Alan Vera had one of the quickest matches of the day, defeating Max Madrid De Leon of Panama, 10-0. Vera got the takedown and fired off a series of turns close to the edge in just 22 seconds for the victory. In the semifinals, Vera will face Luillys Perez Mora of Venezuela. The pair met last week at the Pan-American Championships, with Vera winning that matchup, 5-3.

At 130 kg, Cohlton Schultz had two matches in the first session of the day. Schultz picked up two pins, starting with a fall at 1:02 against Jorawar Dhinsa of Canada. In round two, Schultz pinned Eduard Soghomonyan of Brazil to secure a spot in the semifinals.

Schultz will face Moises Perez Hellburg of Venezuela in the semifinals. Schultz last saw the Venezuelan last week at the Pan-American Championships, as they faced each other twice. He defeated Perez Hellburg in a 4-1 decision before pinning him in 33 seconds in the bronze medal match.

In a rematch of the 60 kg gold medal match at the 2023 Pan-American Games, it was Kevin De Armas Rodriguez of Cuba that came out with a 7-3 win over Ildar Hafizov. De Armas Rodriguez led early after Hafizov was called for passivity. The Cuban tallied six points in par terre, forcing Hafizov to try to chip at the score. Hafizov was only able to generate three points in the tough match, falling to De Armas Rodriguez in the quarterfinals.

The Pan American Olympic Games Qualifier kicks off each day 10 a.m. (CT) from Hotel Mundo Imperial in Acapulco. The all-important semifinal round, where each winner earns an Olympic quota for his or her country, is set for 5 p.m. (CT) daily.

The U.S. audience can watch this event live through FloWrestling.com-Monthly and annual subscription options are available. Brackets and updated results can be found on UWW Arena.

For those unable to tune in live, USA Wrestling will provide continued coverage from Acapulco on TheMat.com and its various social media platform. Add to the conversation using #wrestleacapulco.

60 kg – Ildar Hafizov

LOSS Kevin De Armas Rodriguez (Cuba), 7-3

67 kg – Alex Sancho

WIN Luis Centeno Rodriguez (Puerto Rico), 4-0

77 kg – Kamal Bey

WIN Arsen Julfalakyan (Argentina), 4-2

87 kg – Spencer Woods

WIN Alfonso Ariel Andres (Honduras), 3:43

97 kg – Alan Vera

WIN Max Madrid De Leon (Panama), 10-0

130 kg – Cohlton Schultz

WIN Jorawar Dhinsa (Canada). 1:02

WIN Eduard Soghomonyan (Brazil), 2:42

60 kg

Jose Rodriguez Orozco (Venezuela) vs Dichter Toro Castaneda (Colombia)

Kevin De Armas Rodriguez (Cuba) vs Yerony Liria Carreras (Dominican Republic)

67 kg

Alex Sancho (USA) vs Nestor Almanza Truyol (Chile)

Andres Montano Arroyo (Ecuador) vs Julian Horta Acevedo (Colombia)

77 kg

Kamal Bey (USA) vs Jair Cuero Munoz (Colombia)

Yosvanys Pena Flores (Cuba) vs Joilson De Brito Ramos Junior (Brazil)

87 kg

Spencer Woods (USA) vs Daniel Gregorich Hechavarria (Cuba)

Carlos Munoz Jaramillo (Colombia) vs Luis Avendano Rojas (Venezuela)

97 kg

Alan Vera (USA) vs Luillys Perez Mora (Venezuela)

Kevin Mejia Castillo (Honduras) vs Carlos Adames Palmer (Dominican Republic)

130 kg

Cohlton Schultz (USA) vs Moises Perez Hellburg (Venezuela)

Yasmani Acosta (Chile) vs Eduard Soghomonyan (Brazil)