FRISCO, Texas (March 6) – Venezuela and Cuba were the big winners at the Pan American Olympic Qualifier during the Greco-Roman wrestling competition Sunday at the Dr. Pepper Arena.

Venezuela pushed four wrestlers into the finals and Cuba three as the last 12 Olympic qualifying spots of the weekend were determined in suburban Dallas.

The top two finishers in each of the six Greco-Roman weight classes clinched spots Sunday to advance to August’s Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The Pan Am Olympic Qualifier medal matches are set for 5 p.m. Central Time in suburban Dallas and will be shown on a live webcast at FloWrestling.org

The top two finishers in each of the 18 Olympic weight classes in Texas, six weight classes in each style, qualified their nations to compete at the 2016 Olympic Games.

Past Junior World champion Yasmany LUGO CABRERA (CUB) hit an early headlock to pin Joe Rau (USA) in the first period of the 98kg semifinals.

Miguel MARTINEZ PALACIO (CUB) scored a 9-0 win over Jefrin MEJIA SAMBULA (HON) in the 66kg semis and Yurisandy HERNANDEZ RIOS (CUB) prevailed 6-0 over Angelo MARQUES MOREIRA (BRA) in the 75kg semis. Cuba has now qualified for the Olympics in Greco in 5-of-6 weight categories.

Raiber RODRIGUEZ OROZCO (VEN) powered to a quick 10-2 semifinal win over Jose MAGALLANES DURAND (PER) in the 59kg semis. Wuileixis RIVAS ESPINOZA (VEN) followed by making the finals at 66kg.

Luillys PEREZ MORA (98kg) and Erwin CARABALLO CABRERA (130kg) also won semifinal bouts to clinch Olympic berths for Venezuela.

American Jordan HOLM (USA) was the aggressor throughout the bout in earning a hard-fought 3-0 win over Yorgen COVA PULIDO (VEN) in the 85kg semifinals. Holm scored on a gut-wrench maneuver in the first period and added a passivity point in the second period to prevail.

Holm was the only American Greco wrestler out of four entries Sunday to land an Olympic berth for the U.S.

Alfonso LEYVA YEPEZ (MEX) looked strong in earning a 5-0 victory over Ronisson BRANDAO SANTIAGO (BRA) in the other semi at 85kg.

Olympic host country Brazil landed a qualifier at heavyweight when Antoine ABOU JAOUDE downed Andres AYUB VALENZUELA (CHI) 7-1 in the 130kg semis.

2015 Pan American Games champion Andres MONTANO ARROYO (ECU) landed his country a spot in Rio with a quick 10-0 technical fall over Steven TAKAHASHI (CAN) in the 59 kg semis. 

Carlos MUNOZ JARAMILLO (COL) took charge early in earning a 5-0 win over Maximillano PRUDENZANO (ARG) in the 75 kg semis.

There will be two more Olympic Games qualifiers after the Pan Am Olympic Qualifier, in Mongolia in April and in Turkey in May.

Pan American countries landed a total of four Olympic berths in Greco-Roman during the 2015 Worlds in Vegas. Cuba (59kg, 130kg) and the United States (75kg, 130kg) each punched two Olympic tickets this past September.

PAN AMERICAN OLYMPIC GAMES QUALIFIER
Dr. Pepper Arena, Frisco, Texas
March 4-6, 2016

Greco-Roman Sunday’s Medal Matchups
(Top two finishers qualify their countries for 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)

59kg
Gold – Andres MONTANO ARROYO (ECU) v Raiber RODRIGUEZ OROZCO (VEN)
Bronze – Jose MAGALLANES DURAND (PER) v Jancel PIMENTEL GONZALEZ (DOM)
Bronze – Steven TAKAHASHI (CAN) v Diego RIBEIRO ROMANELLI (BRA)

66kg
Gold – Miguel MARTINEZ PALACIO (CUB) v Wuileixis RIVAS ESPINOZA (VEN)
Bronze – Jose SANCHEZ BETANCOURT (ECU) v David CHOC HUOC (GUA)
Bronze – Jefrin MEJIA SAMBULA (HON) v Jair CUERO MUNOZ (COL)

75kg
Gold – Yurisandy HERNANDEZ RIOS (CUB) v Carlos MUNOZ JARAMILLO (COL)
Bronze – Maximillano PRUDENZANO (ARG) v Renzo GARCIA MENDOZA (PER)
Bronze – Angelo MARQUES MOREIRA (BRA) v Juan ANGEL ESCOBAR (BRA)

85kg
Gold – Jordan HOLM (USA) v Alfonso LEYVA YEPEZ (MEX)
Bronze – Yorgen COVA PULIDO (VEN) v Alex BROWN THERIAULT (CAN)
Bronze – Ronisson BRANDAO SANTIAGO (BRA) v Cristian MOSQUERA (COL)

98kg
Gold – Yasmany LUGO CABRERA (CUB) v Luillys PEREZ MORA (VEN)
Bronze – Joe RAU (USA) v Davi ALBINO (BRA)
Bronze – Oscar LOANGO SOLIS (COL) v Ivan BURTOVOY (ARG)

130kg
Gold – Erwin CARABALLO CABRERA (VEN) v Antoine ABOU JAOUDE (BRA)
Bronze – Andres AYUB VALENZUELA (CHI) v Randy LAMBERT MARTINEZ (HON)
Bronze – Edgardo LOPEZ MORELL (PUR) v Josue ENCARNACION OVANDO (DOM)