BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – The finals for the first day of Greco-Roman action of the 2019 Pan American Championships have been set in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Featured in the finals is World and Olympic champion Ismael BORRERO MOLINA (CUB) and 2018 World silver medalist Adam COON (USA).
To get to the finals at 67 kg, Borrero Molina put together three wins, including a 7-4 win against two-time Junior Pan American champion Joilson DE BRITO RAMOS JUNIOR (BRA).
In the gold-medal final, he will face two-time Junior World bronze medalist and 2012 Olympian Ellis COLEMAN (USA).
The other Senior-level World medalist, Coon, earned two pins at 130 kg to move on to the gold bout, where he will face Luciano DEL RIO (ARG).
Del Rio is the first finalist for his country since 2016 and looks to become the first Greco-Roman Pan Am champion for Argentina in the history of the event.
In the company of Coon and Coleman, several other USA wrestlers seek gold on Thursday night, including Max NOWRY at 55 kg, Ryan MANGO at 63 kg and G’Angelo HANCOCK at 97 kg.
The 55 kg and 63 kg weight classes will wrap up round-robin action tonight with Nowry and Mango as the frontrunners, respectively.
At 72 kg, RaVaughn PERKINS (USA) already won the gold medal, going 2-0 in a three-man bracket on Thursday morning. It is his second-straight Pan American title.
In addition to Borrero Molina, Cuba sent two others to the finals, Luis ORTA SANCHEZ and Gabriel ROSILLO KINDELAN.
Orta Sanchez will battle for gold at 60 kg against Samuel GURRIA VIGUERAS (MEX), while Rosillo Kindelan will face Hancock for the gold medal at 97 kg.
The finals are set for 5 p.m. local time (3 p.m. EST) live on unitedworldwrestling.org.
Finals pairings
55 kg – Round 3 matches
Joshua MEDINA (PUR) vs. Sargis KHACHATRYAN (BRA)
Marcelo TORRES (ARG) vs. Max NOWRY (USA)
60 kg
GOLD - Samuel GURRIA VIGUERAS (MEX) vs. Luis ORTA SANCHEZ (CUB)
BRONZE - Dalton ROBERTS (USA) vs. Anthony PALENCIA PUENTES (VEN)
BRONZE - Maikol JOSEFA (DOM) vs. Dicther TORO CASTANEDA (COL)
63 kg – Round 3 matches
Jose DAVILA CABELLO (PER) vs. Mauri VICENTE SILVERIO JUNIOR (BRA)
Ryan MANGO (USA) vs. Andres MONTANO ARROYO (ECU)
67 kg
GOLD - Ismael BORRERO MOLINA (CUB) vs. Ellis COLEMAN (USA)
BRONZE - Shalom VILLEGAS REQUENA (VEN) vs. Cristhian RIVAS CASTRO (ECU)
BRONZE - Manuel LOPEZ SALCERO (MEX) vs. Joilson DE BRITO RAMOS JUNIOR (BRA)
72 kg – Round 3 matches
Francisco BARRIO (ARG) vs. Kenedy MORAES PEDROSA (BRA)
97 kg
GOLD - Gabriel ROSILLO KINDELAN (CUB) vs. G’Angelo HANCOCK (USA)
BRONZE - Kevin MEJIA CASTILLO (HON) vs. Jose ARIAS PAREDES (DOM)
BRONZE - Oscar LOANGO SOLIS (COL) vs. Luillys PEREZ MORA (VEN)
130 kg
GOLD - Luciano DEL RIO (ARG) vs. Adam Jacob COON (USA)
BRONZE - Diego ALMENDRAS RODRIQUEZ (CHI) vs. Angel PACHECO ROMERO (CUB)
BRONZE - Charles THOMS (CAN) vs. Edgardo LOPEZ MORELL (PUR)
