Today in Acapulco, Benjamin becomes first U.S. man to win a Senior Beach World Series title

ACAPULCO, Mexico – Justin Benjamin of Illinois became the first U.S. man to win a Senior World-level gold medal, and only the second American of any gender, with his victory at 70 kg at Scala Ocean Club on Sunday.

Benjamin won all three of his matches on Sunday, and finished with an impressive 5-0 record for the tournament after a two-win Saturday.

On Sunday morning, Benjamin beat Julian Horta Acevedo of Colombia, 2-1, to win Group A and advance to the semifinals. He scored a six-second pin in the semifinals over Brandon Diaz Ramirez of Mexico. In the gold-medal bout, Benjamin stopped Albaro Rudecindo Camacho o the Dominican Republic, 3-1.

Benjamin has shown great improvement on the international beach wrestling scene. He was ninth at 70 kg in the 2023 Beach World Series. Benjamin was also third at the 2023 U.S. Beach National Championships. Benjamin competed at Northwestern University.

The only previous U.S. Beach wrestler to win a Senior-level gold medal was Eliana Bommarito of Michigan, who won Beach World Series gold medals in 2023 in Mugla, Turkey and Constanta, Romania. She also won the Beach World Series overall gold medal at Over 70kg, based upon the points she scored in the five-event series.

The only U.S. Senior men’s Beach wrestler to make an a Beach World Series finals was Tim Box of California, who won a silver medal at 70 kg in the Beach World Series Odessa in Ukraine in 2019. Box was on this tour, serving as coach for the athletes competing in Acapulco.

The other three U.S. men wrestling in Acapulco were beaten in their group matches on Sunday morning, and none were able to advance to the medal rounds.

Ty Loethen of Missouri placed fourth at 80 kg in a five-athlete round robin, finishing with a 1-3 record. Kyle Ferriter of Colorado was fifth at Over 90 kg, finishing with a 1-2 record. Mike Clark of Kentucky was eighth at 70 kg with an 0-3 record.

Acapulco Beach World Series results

https://arena.uww.org/sport-event/show/1eec187e-c68d-6ba4-92c5-ffd1453463df

ACAPULCO BEACH WORLD SERIES

At Acapulco, Mexico, March 3

Men’s medalists

70 kg

Gold - Justin Benjamin (USA)

Silver - Albaro Rudencindo Camacho (Dominican Republic)

Bronze - Julian Horta Acevedo (Colombia)

80 kg

Gold - David Elias Choc Huoc (Guatemala)

Silver - Jonathan Ender Viruet (Puerto Rico)

Bronze - Victor Hernandez Luna (Mexico)

90 kg

Gold - Jorge Ivan Llano (Argentina)

Silver - Carlos Salazar Gomez (Mexico)

Bronze - Daniel Vicente Gomez (Mexico)

Over 90 kg

Gold - Jose Diaz Robertti (Venezuela)

Silver - Jonovan Smith (Puerto Rico)

Bronze - Adames Garcia Elison (Dominican Republic)

U.S men’s Beach performances

70 kg: Justin Benjamin, St. Charles, Ill. , Gold Medal

WIN Jose Varela Garcia (Guatemala), 3-0, 1:43

WIN Mike Clark (USA), pin 0:25

WIN Julian Horta Acevedo (Colombia), 2-1

WIN Brandon Diaz Ramirez (Mexico), pin, 0:06

WIN Albaro Rudecindo Camacho (Dominican Republic), 3-1

70 kg: Mike Clark, Louisville, Ky., 8^th place

LOSS Julian Horta Acevedo (Colombia), 3-0, 1:14

LOSS Justin Benjamin (USA), pin 0:25

LOSS Jose Varela Garcia (Guatemala), 3-0, 0:59

80 kg: Ty Loethen, Columbia, Mo., 4^th place

LOSS Jonathan Ender Viruet (Puerto Rico), 3-0, 2:16

WIN Cesar Ramirez Castillo (Mexico), fall 0:08

LOSS Victor Hernandez Luna (Mexico), 2-1, 3:00

LOSS David Elias Choc Huoc (Guatemala), 3-0, 2:30

Over 90 kg: Kyle Ferriter, Colorado Springs, Colo.

LOSS Adames Garcia Elison (Dominican Republic), pin 2:28

WIN Eduardo Garcia Betanzos (Mexico), 3-2, 2:51

LOSS Jonovan Smith (Puerto Rico), 2-1, 3:00

Men’s Team Rankings

1 Mexico, 59

2 United States, 47

3 Argentina, 43

4 Puerto Rico, 40

5 Dominican Republic, 35

(of nine teams)

Women’s medalists

50 kg

Gold - Mariana Diaz Munoz (Mexico)

Silver - Moran Sanchez Yorlenis Milagros (Panama)

Bronze - Maia Abigail Cabrera (Argentina)  

60 kg

Gold - Lozano Veytia Susana (Mexico)

Silver - BetzabethArguello Villegas (Venezuela)

Bronze - Anastasiya Kravchenko (Ukraine)

70 kg

Gold - Astrid Montero Chirinos (Venezuela)

Silver - Nicoll Parrado Osorio (Colombia)

Bronze - Alejandra Rivera Arriaga (Mexico)

Over 70 kg

Gold - Tatiana Renteria (Colombia)

Silver - Linda Marilina Machuca (Argentina)

Bronze - Marie Jose Acosta (Venezuela)

Note: No U.S. women were entered

Women’s Team rankings

1 Mexico 77

2 Venezuela 60

3 Colombia 45

4 Argentina 45

5 El Salvador 21

(of nine teams)

UWW Senior Beach World Series Medals from the USA

(Beach World Series held 2019-present)

Men

Justin Benjamin, St. Charles, Ill. (2024 Gold at 70 kg, Acapulco, Mexico)

Tim Box, Oceanside, Calif. (2019 Silver at 70 kg, Odessa, Ukraine)

Reece Humphrey, Princeton, N.J. (2019 Bronze at 70 kg, Rio de Janiero, Brazil)

Michael Peters, Quincy, Ill. (2019 Bronze at 70 kg, Zagreb, Croatia)

Tyson Beauperthuy, Colorado Springs, Colo. (2023 Bronze at 90 kg, Constanta, Romania)

Women

Eliana Bommarito, Brighton, Mich. (2023 Gold at Over 70 kg, Mugla, Turkey)

Eliana Bommarito, Brighton, Mich. (2023 Gold at Over 70 kg, Constanta, Romania)

Laura White, Duanesburg, N.Y. (2022 Bronze at 50 kg, Saint Laurent du Var, France)

Kristal Betanzo, Hillsborough, Calif. (2019 Silver at 50 kg, Zagreb, Croatia)

Diana Betanzo, Hillsborough, Calif. (2019 Silver at 70 kg, Zagreb, Croatia)

ANOC Beach World Games Medals from the USA

(ANOC World Beach Games held 2019-present)

Women

Shauna Kemp, Jamestown, N.D. (2019 Bronze at 60 kg, Doha, Qatar)

UWW Senior Beach World Championships Medals from the USA

(Senior World Championships held 2007-2018)

Men

Jeff Funicello, Mesa, Ariz., 2 medals (2007 Bronze at Under 85 kg, 2008 Bronze at Under 85 kg)

Carlos Dolmo, Bronx, N.Y, 2 medals. (2007 Bronze at Over 85 kg, 2010 bronze at Over 85 kg)

Donovan DePatto, Camp Lejeune, N.C. (2011 Silver at 70 kg)

Jeff Jacobs, Belmar, N.J. (2016 Bronze at 80 kg)

Ike Okoli, Rome, Ga. (2014 bronze at Over 90 kg)

Ray Downey, Babylon, N.Y. (2006 bronze at Under 85 kg)

Angelo Borzio, Stroudsburg, Pa. (2006 bronze, Over 85 kg)

Women

Leigh Jaynes, Colorado Springs, Colo. (2006 bronze at Under 70 kg)

Bethany Harris, Valley Center, Calif. (2007 Bronze at Under 70 kg)

Tanya Miyasaki, Kaneohe, Hawaii (2007 Bronze at Under 70 kg)