Greco-Roman athletes and coaches celebrate victory at the 2024 U23 Pan American Championships in Rionegro, Colombia.
Lewis, Scott, Abdon, Miley win gold in Greco-Roman at 2024 U23 Pan American Championships
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by Savannah Asmann, USA Wrestling
The United States delivered a strong performance in Greco-Roman at the 2024 U23 Pan American Championships in Rionegro, Colombia, on Friday, concluding the event with eight medals and the team title.
Hunter Lewis claimed gold at 67 kg, defeating Peru’s Marco Fernandez Cubas by 8-0 technical fall. In the final match, Lewis started strong with a takedown and a headlock throw for four points, quickly gaining a 6-0 lead. He then sealed his victory with another takedown, ending the match early and securing gold.
At 72 kg, Justus Scott won gold with a strong performance in the finals. In the gold medal match, Scott was put on top early, where he locked up a gut wrench and executed a series of turns for the 9-0 technical fall, earning him the gold medal.
Brendon Abdon earned the gold medal at 77 kg, besting Peru’s Ryan Cubas Castillo. In the finals, after initially being down 1-0 due to a step out, Abdon responded with a powerful four-point move on the edge, followed by a series of gut wrenches to win by a 10-1 technical fall, clinching the medal.
Keith Miley secured gold at 130 kg with an impressive technical fall victory. In the gold medal match, Miley dominated Antonio Ramos of Puerto Rico, using a four-point throw, an exposure move, and an arm spin for another four points en route to a 10-0 technical fall.
Beka Melelashvili delivered a strong performance at 82 kg in his first international tournament competing for the United States, earning a silver medal. In round five, Melelashvili earned a 10-0 victory over Puerto Rico’s Jose Sanchez. The match saw Melelashvili score with a takedown, a throw for four points, and two points for an exposure, leading to the technical fall win.
At 97 kg, Michael Altomer claimed a silver medal after defeating Argentina’s Ricardo Gomez in the finals. He scored an early four points with a headlock but slipped, allowing his opponent Gomez to score one. Altomer regained control, adding four more points on the edge to lead 8-1, and eventually pinned Gomez to capture the silver medal.
Billy Sullivan earned a bronze medal at 55 kg. In the medal match, Sullivan secured an 8-0 technical fall victory over Ecuador’s Esteban Morales Mayancha.
Tyson Beauperthuy had a strong showing at 87 kg, earning a silver medal. In round five, Beauperthuy was put in a challenging position when Colombia’s Brandon Calle Perez attempted a throw, but Beauperthuy countered and managed to pin his opponent, securing the win.
Joseph Couch placed fifth at 60 kg, falling just short of earning a bronze medal, losing 9-0 to Yonaiker Javier Martinez Cravo of Venezuela in the bronze medal match. At 63 kg, Jonathan Gurule faced a challenging tournament. He lost his first-round match 11-0 and, after a bye in the second round, was defeated 9-0 in the third round.
The tournament continues on Saturday, June 22, in Rionegro, Colombia. Women’s freestyle action continues with 50 kg, 55 kg, 59 kg, 65 kg, and 72 kg. Men’s freestyle competition also begins on Saturday. The full schedule is below.
Visit arena.uww.org for full results and brackets.
Schedule of Events
*All times are local to Rionegro, Colombia, one hour behind US Eastern time.
Saturday, June 22
10 a.m. – Qualification Rounds and Repechage (Men’s freestyle 57 kg, 61 kg, 65 kg, 70 kg, 74 kg, 79 kg, 86 kg, 92 kg, 97 kg, 125 kg, Women’s freestyle 50 kg, 55 kg, 59 kg, 65 kg, 72 kg)
5 p.m. – Finals (Men’s freestyle 57 kg, 61 kg, 65 kg, 70 kg, 74 kg, 79 kg, 86 kg, 92 kg, 97 kg, 125 kg, Women’s freestyle 50 kg, 55 kg, 59 kg, 65 kg, 72 kg)
2024 U23 Pan American Championships | Rionegro, Colombia
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Final Team Rankings
- United States - 194 points
- Venezuela - 155 points
- Colombia - 136 points
- Mexico - 111 points
- Peru - 85 points
- Panama - 67 points
- Puerto Rico - 50 points
- Ecuador - 48 points
- Argentina - 41 points
- Canada - 15 points
- Honduras - 10 points
- Chile - 6 points
Full Results
55 kg
Gold - Cristopher Verastegui Aguilar (Colombia)
Silver - Abel Sanchez Juarez (Peru)
Bronze - Billy Sullivan (United States)
4. Esteban Morales Mayancha (Ecuador)
5. Joshua Martinez Mercado (Puerto Rico)
6. Jose Perez Estrada (Mexico)
60 kg
Gold - Ronaldo Sanchez Ramirez (Colombia)
Silver - Angel Segura Tellez (Mexico)
Bronze - Yonaiker Martinez Cravo (Venezuela)
Bronze - Edwin Allain Miranda (Peru)
5. Joseph Couch (United States)
5. Clisman Carracedo Veliz (Ecuador)
7. Abel Hidalgo Berrios (Panama)
8. Wilson Ojeda (Argentina)
63 kg
Gold - Hector Sanchez Zapata (Mexico)
Silver - Jeremy Peralta Gonzalez (Ecuador)
Bronze - Cristian Gomez Figueroa (Colombia)
4. Kevin Carrasco Arteaga (Panama)
5. Mayker Herrera Barrios (Venezuela)
6. Jonathan Gurule (United States)
67 kg
Gold - Hunter Lewis (United States)
Silver - Marco Fernandez Cubas (Peru)
Bronze - Gavin James Eldridge (Canada)
Bronze - Alonso Parra Garcia (Colombia)
5. Cristian Rafael Proboste (Argentina)
5. Luis Medina Reyes (Venezuela)
7. Royglen Temple Batista (Panama)
8. Matias Munoz Ramirez (Chile)
72 kg
Gold - Justus Scott (United States)
Silver - Nilson Sinisterra Angulo (Colombia)
Bronze - Julio Tovar Guzamana (Venezuela)
Bronze - Brian Lopez Barroso (Mexico)
5. Oscar Barrios Rochez (Honduras)
5. Brandon Navarro (Puerto Rico)
7. Marck Gudino Tunon (Panama)
8. Jhon Zambrano Encalada (Ecuador)
77 kg
Gold - Brendon Abdon (United States)
Silver - Ryan Castillo (Peru)
Bronze - Darfel Parada Camacaro (Venezuela)
4. Raul Unzueta Torres (Mexico)
5. Lautaro Seghesso (Argentina)
6. Manuel Brown (Panama)
82 kg
Gold - Daniel Bello Vega (Venezuela)
Silver - Beka Melelashvili (United States)
Bronze - Diego Macias Torres (Mexico)
4. Yulian Preciado Obregon (Colombia)
5. Jose Sanchez (Puerto Rico)
87 kg
Gold - Brian Ruiz Marin (Venezuela)
Silver - Tyson Beauperthuy (United States)
Bronze - Carlos Salazar Gomez (Mexico)
4. Brandon Calle Perez (Colombia)
5. Eduardo Vega Garcia (Panama)
97 kg
Gold - Juan Diaz Blanco (Venezuela)
Silver - Michael Altomer (United States)
Bronze - Ricardo Gomez (Argentina)
4. Max Madrid De Leon (Panama)
130 kg
Gold - Keith Miley Jr (United States)
Silver - Antonio Ramos (Puerto Rico)
Bronze - Luis Talavera Luna (Venezuela)
4. Kevin Morales Potosi (Colombia)
5. Diego Nole Azabache (Peru)
Juan Cantillo Torres (Panama)
U.S. Greco-Roman Results
55 kg: Billy Sullivan (Las Vegas, Nev./U.S. Army WCAP) – BRONZE
WIN Christopher Verastegui Aguilar (Colombia), 7-5 decision
WIN Jose Perez Estrada (Mexico), 9-0 technical fall
LOSS Abel Sanchez Juarez (Peru), 8-0 technical fall
WIN Esteban Morales Mayancha (Ecuador), 8-0 technical fall
60 kg: Joseph Couch (Pasadena, Md., West Point WC) – Fifth
WIN Abel Hidalgo Berrios (Panama), 0:34 fall
LOSS Ronaldo Sanchez Ramirez (Colombia), 8-1 decision
LOSS Yonaiker Martinez Cravo (Venezuela), 9-0 technical fall
63 kg: Jonathan Gurule (Peralta, N.M./NMU-National Training Center) – Sixth
LOSS Jeremy Peralta Gonzalez (Ecuador), 11-0 technical fall
LOSS Hector Sanchez Zapata (Mexico), 9-0 technical fall
67 kg: Hunter Lewis (Clayton, N.C./Wolfpack WC) – GOLD
WIN Luis Medina Reyes (Venezuela), 2:21 fall
WIN Alonso Parra Garcia (Colombia), 2:01 fall
WIN Marco Fernandez Cubas (Peru), 8-0 technical fall
72 kg: Justus Scott (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army WCAP) – GOLD
WIN Julio Tovar Guzamana (Venezuela), 10-2 technical fall
WIN Oscar Barrios Rochez (Honduras), 4:47 fall
WIN Nilson Sinisterra Angulo (Colombia), 9-0 technical fall
77 kg: Brendon Abdon (Lakeland, Fla./Arkansas RTC) – GOLD
WIN Lautaro Seghesso (Argentina), 0:38 fall
WIN Raul Unzueta Torres (Mexico), 1:28 fall
WIN Darfel Parada Camacaro (Venezuela), 4-1 decision
WIN Ryan Cubas Castillo (Peru), 10-1 technical fall
82 kg: Beka Melelashvili (Philadelphia, Pa./New York AC) – SILVER
WIN Yulian Preciado Obregon (Colombia), 13-4 technical fall
LOSS Daniel Bello Vegas (Venezuela), 5-4 decision
WIN Diego Macias Torres (Mexico), 8-0 technical fall
WIN Jose Sanchez (Puerto Rico), 10-0 technical fall
87 kg: Tyson Beauperthuy (Colorado Springs, Colo.) – SILVER
LOSS Carlos Salazar Gomez (Mexico), 5-1 decision
LOSS Brian Ruiz Marin (Venezuela), 9-0 technical fall
WIN Eduardo Vega Garcia (Panama), 8-0 technical fall
WIN Brandon Calle Perez (Colombia), 1:47 fall
97 kg: Michael Altomer (Stuyvesant, N.Y./New York AC/Curby 3 Style WC) – SILVER
LOSS Juan Diaz Blanco (Venezuela), 7-1 decision
WIN Max Madrid De Leon (Panama), 0:56 fall
WIN Ricardo Gomez (Argentina), 0:51 fall
130 kg: Keith Miley (Little Rock, Ark./Arkansas RTC) – GOLD
WIN Luis Talavera Luna (Venezuela), 3:49 fall
WIN Juan Cantillo Torres (Panama), forfeit
WIN Kevin Morales Potosi (Colombia), 0:40 fall
WIN Antonio Ramos (Puerto Rico), 10-0 technical fall
