The U.S. women’s freestyle team poses after the U17 Pan American Championships.
U.S. wins eight women’s freestyle golds, Fernandez earns Golden Boot at U17 Pan American Championships
by Richard Immel, USA Wrestling
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic – Team USA flexed its muscle for the second-straight day at the U17 Pan American Championship at Pabellón de Balonmano in Santo Domingo, claiming eight gold medals in women’s freestyle, with all 10 entrants finding a spot on the podium.
Maryland native Taina Fernandez brought home the Golden Boot award presented to the outstanding wrestler of the tournament. She dominated the 61 kg bracket with five shutout technical falls, outscoring her five opponents 52-0 combined. Fernandez adds this U17 Pan American title to her three previous U15 Pan American gold medals.
Repeating as U17 Pan American champion was New Jersey’s Francesca Gusfa, who secured the 40 kg gold medal with a terrific 4-0 performance. She opened with a 10-0 technical fall over eventual silver medalist Indra Trejo Jimenez of Mexico before posting three-straight pins to finish her round robin bracket. Gusfa’s fall times were 0:18, 0:23 and 0:28.
2023 U17 World champion Piper Fowler of Tennessee went three-for-three on pins in a four-woman round robin at 73 kg. Fowler recorded falls in 0:40, 0:20 and 0:14, reaffirming her place among the international elite in the division.
Fresh of a dynamic performance at the 16U National Duals, 2023 U17 World bronze medalist Jaclyn Bouzakis of Pennsylvania booked three concise wins to claim the 46 kg gold medal. She picked up two 11-0 technical falls before pinning Mayllin Escobar Marroquin of Guatemala in the championship match at the 1:31 mark.
Three more U.S. champions won every match with bonus points—Julianna Ocampo at 48 kg, Everest Leydecker at 57 kg and Kaili Manuel at 69 kg. Also claiming a gold medal was Bella Williams at 65 kg.
Two more individuals ended the event with a medal to give the U.S. women a perfect 10-for-10 medal haul. 2023 U15 Pan American champion Hailey Delgado finished with a silver medal at 43 kg and returning champion Charlie Wylie wound up with bronze at 53 kg.
Seven competitors in Santo Domingo will represent the U.S. at the upcoming U17 World Championships in Amman, Jordan—Gusfa, Delgado, Leydecker, Fernandez, Williams, Manuel and Fowler.
All told, the U.S. women gathered a 35-2 combined record with 10 victories by pin, 21 by technical fall and four by decision.
Team USA easily ran away with the team standings at 235 points. Mexico finished in second place with 137 points. Canada rounded out the top three with 125 points.
The tournament continues tomorrow with the men’s freestyle competition. Action begins at 10 a.m. (ET) and will run straight through the medal matches.
Brackets for each style and match-by-match results are available on UWW Arena. A live stream of the event can be found at FloWrestling.com.
2024 U17 Pan American Championships | June 27-29, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Women’s Freestyle Results
Team Standings
1. United States, 235
2. Mexico, 137
3. Canada, 125
4. Puerto Rico, 81
5. Brazil, 77
6. Peru, 68
7. Dominican Republic, 59
8. Venezuela, 54
9. Colombia, 45
10. Ecuador, 39
40 kg
Gold – Francesca Gusfa (United States)
Silver – Indra Trejo Jimenez (Mexico)
Bronze – Iraabir Sooch (Canada)
4th – Corangelys Torres Kuilan (Puerto Rico)
5th – Yissel Gil Santana (Dominican Republic)
Round robin bracket records: Gusfa (4-0), Trejo Jimenez (3-1), Sooch (2-2), Torres Kuilan (1-3), Gil Santana (0-4)
43 kg
Gold – Gabriela Palacios Hernandez (Mexico)
Silver – Hailey Delgado (United States)
Bronze – Xiomara Meza Alava (Ecuador)
4th – Angela Pasco Rivasplata (Peru)
5th – Manavi Asthana (Canada)
6th – Tiana Quiles Bermudez (Puerto Rico)
Gold – Gabriela Palacios Hernandez (Mexico) dec. Hailey Delgado (United States), 8-4
Bronze – Xiomara Meza Alava (Ecuador) fall Angela Pasco Rivasplata (Peru), 1:56
46 kg
Gold – Jaclyn Bouzakis (United States)
Silver – Mayllin Escobar Marroquin (Guatemala)
Bronze – Miayalee Ortiz Martinez (Puerto Rico)
Bronze – Camila Pachas Huaroto (Peru)
5th – Adsaya Piranavan (Canada)
5th – Maria Vazquez Chavez (Mexico)
7th – Mariangel Gallardo Herrera (Venezuela)
8th – Valerin Volquez Perez (Dominican Republic)
Gold – Jaclyn Bouzakis (United States) fall Mayllin Escobar Marroquin (Guatemala), 1:31
Bronze – Miayalee Ortiz Martinez (Puerto Rico) dec. Adsaya Piranavan (Canada), 9-4
Bronze – Camila Pachas Huaroto (Peru) dec. Maria Vazquez Chavez (Mexico), 7-2
49 kg
Gold – Julianna Ocampo (United States)
Silver – Andreilyn Zamora Delgado (Venezuela)
Bronze – Isabela Garcia Carvajalino (Colombia)
Bronze – Aneishka Santos Baez (Puerto Rico)
5th – Natacha Reyes Soriano (Dominican Republic)
5th – Clara Ramirez Guardia (Peru)
7th – Giovanna Cincinato Pimenta (Brazil)
8th – Elizabeth Chapman (Canada)
9th – Ana Mora Mena (Mexico)
Gold – Julianna Ocampo (United States) tech. fall Andreilyn Zamora Delgado (Venezuela), 10-0
Bronze – Isabela Garcia Carvajalino (Colombia) fall Natacha Reyes Soriano (Dominican Republic), 1:00
Bronze – Aneishka Santos Baez (Puerto Rico) dec. Clara Ramirez Guardia (Peru), 3-1
53 kg
Gold – Kaura Coles (Canada)
Silver – Angelica Plascencia Aceves (Mexico)
Bronze – Charlie Wylie (United States)
Bronze – Delialah Betances (Puerto Rico)
5th – Valery Gomez Nanez (Colombia)
5th – Carolina Sulca Godoy (Peru)
7th – Yurquenia Filpo (Dominican Republic)
8th – Sharon Mackepeace Merino (Guatemala)
Gold – Kaura Coles (Canada) fall Angelica Plascencia Aceves (Mexico), 3:21
Bronze – Charlie Wylie (United States) tech. fall Valery Gomez Nanez (Colombia), 10-0
Bronze – Delialah Betances (Puerto Rico) fall Carolina Sulca Godoy (Peru), 2:40
57 kg
Gold – Everest Leydecker (United States)
Silver – Ana Vergara Gil (Colombia)
Bronze – Agnia Krakovska (Canada)
Bronze – Gabriela Avila Diaz (Puerto Rico)
5th – Yasmim Neper Oliveira Santos (Brazil)
5th – Jada Pichardo Azcona (Dominican Republic)
7th – Karime Prtiz Contreras (Mexico)
8th – Nairam Jaime Figueroa (Venezuela)
9th – Luisinna Navia Corozo (Ecuador)
10th – Isis Fachin Quispe (Peru)
Gold – Everest Leydecker (United States) tech. fall Ana Vergara Gil (Colombia), 10-0
Bronze – Agnia Krakovska (Canada) dec. Yasmim Neper Oliveira Santos (Brazil), 12-4
Bronze – Gabriela Avila Diaz (Puerto Rico) dec. Jada Pichardo Azcona (Dominican Republic), 4-1
61 kg
Gold – Taina Fernandez (United States)
Silver – Leiddy Acuna Penaranda (Ecuador)
Bronze – Yolayni Rosado Valerio (Dominican Republic)
4th – Beatriz Calasans Camargo (Brazil)
5th – Zoe Cardenas Hernandez (Mexico)
6th – Romina Garro Villanera (Peru)
Gold – Taina Fernandez (United States) tech. fall Leiddy Acuna Penaranda (Ecuador), 11-0
Bronze – Yolayni Rosado Valerio (Dominican Republic) tech. fall Beatriz Calasans Camargo (Brazil), 13-3
65 kg
Gold – Bella Williams (United States)
Silver – Luz Cuaro Alvarez (Venezuela)
Bronze – Mayara Neper Oliveira Santos (Brazil)
4th – Paige Veloso (Canada)
5th – Linda Martinez Armenta (Mexico)
Round robin bracket records: Williams (4-0), Cuaro Alvarez (3-1), Neper Oliveira Santos (2-2), Veloso (1-3), Martinez Armenta (0-4)
69 kg
Gold – Kaili Manuel (United States)
Silver – Khushleen Jhalli (Canada)
Bronze – Maria Paz Rangel (Mexico)
4th – Ana Vicente Da Cruz (Brazil)
5th – Leyla Mallqui Hinostroza (Peru)
Gold – Kaili Manuel (United States) tech. fall Khushleen Jhalli (Canada), 10-0
Bronze – Maria Paz Rangel (Mexico) fall Ana Vicente Da Cruz (Brazil), 2:32
73 kg
Gold – Piper Fowler (United States)
Silver – Julia Da Silva Joaquim (Brazil)
Bronze – Nathaly Murillo Duran (Mexico)
4th – Charlotte Bowslaugh (Canada)
Round Robin Bracket Results: Fowler (3-0), Da Silva Joaquim (2-1), Murillo Duran (1-2), Bowslaugh (0-3)
U.S. Women’s Freestyle Results
40 kg – Francesca Gusfa (Ridgewood, N.J.), gold
WIN Indra Trejo Jimenez (Mexico), tech. fall, 10-0
WIN Yissel Gil Santana (Dominican Republic), fall, 0:28
WIN Corangelys Torres Kuilan (Puerto Rico), fall, 0:23
WIN Iraabir Sooch (Canada), fall, 0:18
43 kg – Hailey Delgado (El Paso, Texas/NXT Level Wrestling Academy), silver
WIN Dianny Reyes Perez (Dominican Republic), tech. fall, 10-0
WIN Manavi Asthana (Canada), tech. fall, 12-2
WIN Xiomara Meza Alava (Ecuador), tech. fall, 11-1
WIN Angela Pasco Rivasplata (Peru), tech. fall, 10-0
LOSS Gabriela Palacios Hernandez (Mexico), 8-4
46 kg – Jaclyn Bouzakis (Shavertown, Pa./Wyoming Seminary WC), gold
WIN Adsaya Piranavan (Canada), tech. fall, 11-1
WIN Miayalee Ortiz Martinez (Puerto Rico), tech. fall, 11-0
WIN Mayllin Escobar Marroquin (Guatemala), fall, 1:31
49 kg – Julianna Ocampo (Fort Wayne, Ind./Beast Mode WC), gold
WIN Natacha Reyes Soriano (Dominican Republic), tech. fall, 10-0
WIN Isabela Garcia Carvajalino (Colombia), fall, 1:15
WIN Andreilyn Zamora Delgado (Venezuela), tech. fall, 10-0
53 kg – Charlie Wylie (Montague, N.J.), bronze
WIN Sharon Mackepeace Merino (Guatemala), tech. fall, 10-0
LOSS Kaura Coles (Canada), tech. fall, 10-0
WIN Valery Gomez Nanez (Colombia), tech. fall, 10-0
57 kg – Everest Leydecker (Phoenix, Ariz./Thorobred WC), gold
WIN Yasmim Neper Oliveira Santos (Brazil), tech. fall, 12-2
WIN Agnia Krakovska (Canada), tech. fall, 11-0
WIN Ana Vergara Gil (Colombia), tech. fall, 10-0
61 kg – Taina Fernandez (Bowie, Md./Cavalier WC), gold
WIN Romina Garro Villanera (Peru), tech. fall, 10-0
WIN Leiddy Acuna Penaranda (Ecuador), tech. fall, 10-0
WIN Zoe Cardenas Hernandez (Mexico), tech. fall, 10-0
WIN Beatriz Calasans Camargo (Brazil), tech. fall, 11-0
WIN Leiddy Acuna Penaranda (Ecuador), tech. fall, 11-0
65 kg – Bella Williams (Edmond, Okla./Husky WC), gold
WIN Linda Martinez Armenta (Mexico), 4-4
WIN Mayara Neper Oliveira Santos (Brazil), 6-3
WIN Paige Veloso (Canada), 1-1
WIN Luz Cuaro Alvarez (Venezuela), 11-8
69 kg – Kaili Manuel (Washington, Mich./Michigan Revolution WC), gold
WIN Maria Paz Rangel (Mexico), tech. fall, 11-0
WIN Leyla Mallqui Hinostroza (Peru), fall, 4:00
WIN Ana Vicente Da Cruz (Brazil), fall, 0:46
WIN Khushleen Jhalli (Canada), tech. fall, 10-0
73 kg – Piper Fowler (Cleveland, Tenn./Higher Calling WC), gold
WIN Julia Da Silva Joaquim (Brazil), fall, 0:40
WIN Charlotte Bowslaugh (Canada), fall, 0:20
WIN Nathaly Murillo Duran (Mexico), fall, 0:14