FRISCO, Texas (February 28) – Pan American Games gold medalist Yasmany LUGO CABRERA (CUB) notched a pair of falls at 98kg Sunday and led four Cuban teammates into the Greco-Roman finals at the Pan American wrestling championships.
Lugo Cabrera, seeking a fifth continental championships crown, will face Pan American Games bronze medalist Luillys PEREZ MORA (VEN) in the heavyweight final Sunday evening at Dr. Pepper Arena.
Perez Mora advanced to the final with a technical fall triumph over defending Pan Am champ Kevin MEJIA CASTILLO (HON) in the semifinals.
Joining Lugo Cabrera in the finals for Cuba are Pan American Games bronze medalists Miguel MARTINEZ PALACIOS (66kg) and Alan VERA GARCIA (85kg) along with 2012 Pan Am champ Javier DUMENIGO GONZALEZ (59kg) and relative newcomer Oscar PINO HINDS (130kg).
Despite his lack of international experience, Pino Hinds won at the Granma Cup in Havana last February and breezed into the super heavyweight finals in Frisco with three technical falls – all wrapped up in the first period.
Pino Hinds meets South America champion Eduard SOGHOMONYAN (BRA) in the 130kg gold medal final.
Meanwhile, the host Americans advanced four wrestlers to the finals with an eye on winning their third team title of the championships after cruising to wins in women’s wrestling and freestyle.
The U.S. squad has the advantage of having entries in all eight weight categories, while Cuba has only entered wrestlers in the six weights to be contested at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games this summer.
U.S. wrestlers Patrick SMITH (71kg) and Cheney HAIGHT (80kg) have advanced to the finals at the two non-Olympic weight categories, giving the hosts an 18-point advantage even before the first whistle is blown in the final session Sunday evening.
Mexico also has a pair in the gold medal matches with Pan American Games silver medalist Ali SOTO MACIAS (59kg) squaring off with Dumenigo Gonzalez and Alfonso LEYVA YEPEZ (85kg) set to meet Vera Garcia for the middleweight crown.
For complete results, go to unitedworldwrestling.org/event/pan-american-championship-senior-2 and click on the button for “Arena” and then “Results”.
Greco-Roman, Championship Final Pairings
59kg – Ali SOTO MACIAS (MEX) v Javier DUMENIGO GONZALEZ (CUB)
66kg – Alejandro SANCHO (USA) v Miguel MARTINEZ PALACIOS (CUB)
71kg – Patrick SMITH (USA) v Alexis CUERU (COL)
75kg – Luis CENTENO RODRIGUEZ (PUR) v Geordan SPEILLER (USA)
80kg – Cheney HAIGHT (USA) v Maximiliano PRUDENZANO (ARG)
85kg – Alan VERA GARCIA (CUB) v Alfonso LEYVA YEPEZ (MEX)
98kg – Yasmany LUGO CABRERA (CUB) v Luillys PEREZ MORA (VEN)
