Updated: Morris, Bommarito place fourth at Beach World Series in Buenos Aires

Jamal Morris (USA) loads up Spain’s Pablo Garcia during first round action in Buenos Aires. Morris placed fourth at 80 kg. Photo by Rusty Davidson.

Two U.S. wrestlers reached the medal rounds and placed fourth at the Beach World Series – Buenos Aires, which completed on Monday.

Claiming fourth for Team USA were Jamal Morris of Florida in the men’s 80 kg category and Eliana Bommarito of Michigan in the women’s over 70 kg category.

Morris went 2-0 on Sunday in Group C competition. On Monday, he defeated Martin Omar Paz of Argentina, 4-0, to win Group C and advance into the eight-athlete championship bracket.

In his quarterfinals bout, he defeated fellow U.S. wrestler LaTrell Davis of Ohio, 1-0. He advanced to the semifinals, where he was defeated by eventual champion Nika Kenchadze of Georgia, 3-0.

In the bronze medal match, Morris was defeated by Steven Nohel Rodriguez Torreyes of Venezuela, 2-0. It was a rematch of a Group C bout on Sunday, won by Morris by referee’s decision.

Davis emerged after placing second in Group B, advancing into the eight-athlete championship bracket.

Competing in her first Beach World Series, Bommarito won Group B with a 3-0 record. She went 2-0 on Sunday, then defeated Stefania Zacheila of Greece, 4-0 on Monday morning.

In the semifinals, Bommarito was edged by Linda Machuca of Argentina, 1-1. Bommarito scored first, then Machuca scored, who won the criteria of scoring last. In the bronze-medal match, Genesis Reasco Valdez of Ecuador hit a blast double to end the match, 3-0, giving Bommarito fourth place in her first Beach event.

Bommarito was an NJCAA national champion this year for Indian Hills Community College.

Ty Loethen of Missouri, who was 2-0 on Sunday, was defeated in his final Group D match by Hirotaka Abe of Japan, 4-0. He advanced into the eight-athlete championship bracket, where he was defeated by eventual champion Nika Kenchadze of Georgia, 4-0 in the quarterfinals and eliminated.

In the final standings at 80 kg, Loethen placed seventh and Davis placed eighth.

All eight of the U.S. athletes entered competed on Monday morning, in their third Group match. Winning a match on Monday morning was Isabeau Shalack of Illinois in women’s Over 70 kg, with a 3-0 win over Atzimba Lanaverde Moreno of Mexico in Group A. Shalack did not advance into the semifinals, finishing with a 1-2 record

Shalack finished eighth in the final standings. Placing 10th were Laura White at 50 kg and Mia Macaluso at 60 kg

This was the fourth of five UWW Beach World Series events which are qualifiers for the 2023 World Beach Games in Bali, Indonesia. (The first three qualifying events were held in 2022). Athletes from the top eight nations in each weight class qualify their nation to compete in the World Beach Games in Bali in August.

Coming into the event, Loethen was ranked No. 10 and Morris is ranked No. 14 at men’s 80 kg for the World Beach Games. On the women’s side, Mia Macaluso was ranked No. 5 at 60 kg and Shalack is ranked No. 7 at Over 70 kg.

The next Beach World Series event, which is the final qualifier for the World Beach Games, is in Singapore, June 10-11.

The next major domestic Beach Wrestling event is the U.S. Beach Nationals, set for Carolina Beach, N.C., May 20.

BEACH WORLD SERIES
At Buenos Aires, Argentina, May 7

Men’s medalists

70kg
1. Yunus COSKUN, Turkey
2. Levan KELEKHSASHVILI, Georgia
3. Ramiz HASANOV, Azerbaijan

80kg
1. Nika KENCHADZE, Georgia
2. Hirotaka ABE, Japan
3. Steven Nohel RODRIGUEZ TORREYES, Venezuela

90kg
1. Dato PIRUZASHIVLI, Georgia
2. Ibrahim YUSUBOV, Azerbaijan
3. Davit KUTSISHVILI, Georgia

Over 90kg
1. Mamuka KORDZAIA, Georgia
2. Jose Daniel DIAZ ROBERTTI, Venezuela
3. Fatih YASARLI, Turkey

U.S. Senior Men’s performances

80 kg: Jamal Morris, Miami, Fla. (Cardinal Gibbons High School), 4th place
Group C matches
WIN Pablo Garcia Garcia (Spain), 3-0, 2:01
WIN Steven Rodriguez Torreyes (Venezuela), 0-0, referee’s decision
WIN Martin Omar Paz (Argentina), 4-0
Quiarterfinals - WIN LaTrell Davis (USA), 1-0
Semifinals - LOSS Nika Kenchadze (Georgia), 3-0
Bronze-medal bout - LOSS Steven Nohel Rodriguez Torreyes (Venezuela), 2-0

80 kg: Ty Loethen, Columbia, Mo. (Purler Wrestling Academy), 7th place
Group D matches
WIN Ewan Emile LePrince (France), fall, 1:32
WIN Enrique Perez Castellanos (Guatemala), fall, 0:18
LOSS Hirotaka Abe (Japan), 4-0
Quarterfinals - LOSS Nika Kenchadze (Georgia), 4-0

80 kg: LaTrell Davis, Middletown, Ohio, eighth place
Group B matches
WIN Lautaro Agustin Seghesso (Argentina), fall, 0:12
LOSS Maxim Vasilioglo (Romania), 1-0
WIN Manuel Brown (Panama)
Quarterfinals - LOSS Jamal Morris (USA), 1-0

Women’s medalists

50kg
1. Stefania Claudia PRICEPUTU, Romania
2. Maria Abigail CABRERA, Argentina
3. Naiyeliz Silvana GUTIERREZ RIVAS, Venezuela

60kg
1. Karla Abigail ACOSTA MARTINEZ, Mexico
2. Elena Simona IONESCU, Romania
3. Betzabeth Angelica AGUELLO VILLEGAS, Venezuela

70kg
1. Astrid Paola MONTERO CHIRINOS, Venezuela
2. Adina Ionela IRIMIA, Romania
3. Paula Andrea MONTOYA GARCIA, Colombia

Over 70kg
1. Tatiana RENTERIA RENTERIA, Colombia
2. Linda Mariliana MACHUCA, Argentina
3. Genesis Rosangela REASCO VALDEZ, Ecuador

U.S. Senior Women’s performances

50 kg: Laura White, Duanesburg, N.Y. (Curby 3 Style WC), 10th place
Group C matches
LOSS Blanka Reczi (Hungary), pin, 0:12
LOSS Yuseiry Agrazal West (Panama), pin, 0:05
LOSS Maria Cabrera (Argentina), pin 1:05

50 kg: Emma Lauter, Louisville, Ky. (Brawlers WC), dnp, 11th place
Group A matches
LOSS Patricia Daniela Sosa (Argentina), 3-0, 0:32
LOSS Sefania Claudia Priceputu (Romania), 3-0, 0:18
LOSS Nathaly Herrera Huarcre (Peru), 3-0

60 kg: Mia Macaluso, Otisville, N.Y., 10th place
Group C matches
LOSS Aurore Cabanne (France), 3-1, 0:55
LOSS Nes Marie Rodriguez Tirado (Puerto Rico), 3-2, 2:07
LOSS Karla Acosta Martinez (Mexico), 3-0

+70 kg: Isabeau Shalack, Oak Lawn, Ill. (Evergreen Park Stallions WC), 8th place
Group A matches
LOSS Catalina Axente (Romania), 2-0
LOSS Genesis Reasco Valdez (Ecuador), pin, 0:15
WIN Atzimba Lanaverde Moreno (Mexico), 3-0

+70 kg: Eliana Bommarito, Brighton, Mich. (Michigan Revolution WC), 4th place
Group B matches
WIN Soleymi Caraballo Hernandez (Venezuela), 3-0, 2:10
WIN Angelique Gonzalez (France), 3-0, 0:17
WIN Stefania Zacheila (Greece), 4-0
Semifinals - LOSS Linda Machuca (Argentina), 1-1
Bronze-Medal Match - LOSS Genesis Reasco Valdez (Ecuador), 3-0