Double Champions Cassioppi, Kaylor Lead USA To Junior Pan American Freestyle Title

By Richard Immel

LIMA, Peru (June 12) – The Junior Pan American Championships concluded on Sunday inside Peru’s Villa Deportiva Nacional Videna with the United States boasting three individual gold medalists to run away with the men’s freestyle team championship.

The talented trio of Anthony CASSIOPPI (USA), Brandon KAYLOR (USA) and Mason MCDANIEL (USA) wrestled their way to gold, leading a group of seven total medalists for the first-place United States team.

Cassioppi, who was the Golden Boot award winner in Greco-Roman on Friday, showcased his abilities to the fullest once again by dominating the 120 kg bracket. He went 3-0 throughout the competition with two technical falls and a pin to his credit. 

Mason MCDANIEL (USA)

Joining Cassioppi with gold medals in Greco-Roman and freestyle this weekend was Kaylor, who won two matches over talented foes to claim the 50 kg title. He tallied a 10-0 technical fall over Javier BARRERA PALACIOS (PER) and an 11-8 victory over Oscar TIGREROS URBANO (COL) to solidify on his second Junior Pan American gold in the past three days.

McDaniel reversed his fate from Greco-Roman, where he did not win a medal, to surpassing all opponents in freestyle with apparent ease. The U.S. brute secured two falls on his road to the championship match against Johnathon MICHAELIS (CAN), whom he defeated 10-0.

Fellow Americans earning a place on the medal stand were silver medalists Gabriel TOWNSELL (USA) and Dalton YOUNG (USA), and bronze medalists Leonard MERKIN (USA) and Hayden MALEY (USA). 

Nishan RANDHAWA (CAN)

Canada earned back-to-back gold medals at 84 kg and 96 kg with Alexander Robert MOORE (CAN) and Nishan Preet Singh RANDHAWA (CAN) successfully defending their Junior Pan American titles from 2016. Both men won by 10-0 technical fall in their respective championship final.

Rising talent Agustin DESTRIBATS (ARG) added a freestyle crown to his Greco-Roman gold from earlier this week with a clutch performance at 60 kg. He won two matches by technical fall to qualify for the final against United States prospect Young. Destribats won the pivotal battles against Young to take the bout, 5-0.

Anthony Jose MONTERO CHIRINOS (VEN) has already won Pan American gold in the Cadet, Junior and Senior divisions, and today he added another at 66 kg, albeit with several close calls. Montero Chirinos escaped Albaro RUDESINDO CAMACHO (DOM) with a one-point victory in the quarterfinals, and he edged Luis Isabel BARRIOS ROCHEZ (HON) by two points in the gold-medal match.

Anthony Jose MONTERO CHIRINOS (VEN)

The 55 kg final, won by Alexander FERNANDEZ PENA (DOM), was a huge highlight of the event. Fernandez Pena rallied from a large first period deficit to defeat America’s Townsell by a 10-9 margin.

The United States surged to a dominant win in the team standings, finishing 14 points ahead of second-place Colombia. Canada snuck into third place overall with its two champions on the day.

For complete brackets and match-by-match results from the Junior Pan American Championships visit our dedicated event page on UnitedWorldWrestling.org.

Men’s Freestyle Results

50 kg (6 entries)

Gold – Brandon Chase KAYLOR (USA) df. Oscar Eduardo TIGREROS URBANO (COL), 11-8

Bronze – Lucas Bryan NAVARRETE VIDAL (ECU) df. Guillermo BAUTISTA TAVAREZ (DOM) by FALL, 8-4

Semifinal – Brandon Chase KAYLOR (USA) df. Javier Eduardo BARRERA PALACIOS (PER) by TF, 10-0

Semifinal – Oscar Eduardo TIGREROS URBANO (COL) df. Guillermo BAUTISTA TAVAREZ (DOM), 8-6

55 kg (7 entries)

Gold – Alexander FERNANDEZ PENA (DOM) df. Richard Gabriel TOWNSELL (USA), 10-9

Bronze – Luis Augusto MORALES MAYANCHA (ECU) df. Jean Carlos Angello PEREZ CAMANO (PAN) by TF, 12-1

Bronze – Daniel ALVES DO NASCIMENTO (BRA) df. Kevin Alexander CHAVES BETANCUR (COL) by TF, 10-0

Semifinal – Alexander FERNANDEZ PENA (DOM) df. Kevin Alexander CHAVES BETANCUR (COL) by TF, 16-6

Semifinal – Richard Gabriel TOWNSELL (USA) df. Jean Carlos Angello PEREZ CAMANO (PAN) by TF, 10-0

60 kg (9 entries)

Gold – Agustin Alejandro DESTRIBATS (ARG) df. Dalton Earl YOUNG (USA), 5-0

Bronze – Oscar Rayson CALVOPINA CANCIO (ECU) df. Joao Victor DOS SANTOS SILVA (BRA) by TF, 14-4

Bronze – Julian Stiven HORTA ACEVEDO (COL) df. Hector A. CANDELARIA RIVERA (PUR), 9-8

Semifinal – Dalton Earl YOUNG (USA) df. Julian Stiven HORTA ACEVEDO (COL), 5-2

Semifinal – Agustin Alejandro DESTRIBATS (ARG) df. Joao Victor DOS SANTOS SILVA (BRA) by TF, 12-0

66 kg (13 entries)

Gold – Anthony Jose MONTERO CHIRINOS (VEN) df. Luis Isabel BARRIOS ROCHEZ (HON), 3-1

Bronze – Albaro RUDESINDO CAMACHO (DOM) df. Maiken Calixto AUCCAPINA PEDRAGAS (PER) by TF, 11-0

Bronze – Leonard MERKIN (USA) df. Arbey ALARCON TOVAR (COL), 10-4

Semifinal – Arbey ALARCON TOVAR (COL) df. David Washington DOS SANTOS MOREIRA (BRA), 8-0

Semifinal – Albaro RUDESINDO CAMACHO (DOM) df. Julio Cesar RODRIGUEZ ABREGO (PAN) by FALL, 2-0

74 kg (12 entries)

Gold – Mason Edward MCDANIEL (USA) df. Johnathon Jake MICHAELIS (CAN) by TF, 10-0

Bronze – Julio Rafael RODRIGUEZ ROMERO (DOM) df. Juan David SANCHEZ CARDONA (COL) by TF, 12-2

Bronze – Marcos Roberto QUESADA MARTINEZ (PER) df. Benjamin LIPSZYC (ARG), 9-0

Semifinal – Johnathon Jake MICHAELIS (CAN) df. Marcos Roberto QUESADA MARTINEZ (PER) by TF, 11-1

Semifinal – Mason Edward MCDANIEL (USA) df. Julio Rafael RODRIGUEZ ROMERO (DOM) by FALL, 4-0

84 kg (9 entries)

Gold – Alexander Robert MOORE (CAN) df. Gino Tanislado AVILA DILBERT (HON) by TF, 10-0

Bronze – Carlos Arturo IZQUIERDO MENDEZ (COL) df. Yorfi JIMENEZ SANTANA (DOM), 12-3

Bronze – Nicolas Enzo BAEZ (ARG) df. Jamir Abdiel NICHOLSON MURILLO (PAN) by TF, 10-0

Semifinal – Gino Tanislado AVILA DILBERT (HON) df. Nicolas Enzo BAEZ (ARG) by TF, 10-0

Semifinal – Alexander Robert MOORE (CAN) df. Carlos Arturo IZQUIERDO MENDEZ (COL), 8-5

96 kg (7 entries)

Gold – Nishan Preet Singh RANDHAWA (CAN) df. Andres Ricardo REY PINZON (COL) by TF, 10-0

Bronze – Blas Alejandro ORTIZ ALAYON (PUR) df. Victor Alberto MANCHENO JUMBO (ECU) by TF, 11-0

Bronze – Haydn Loyd MALEY (USA) df. Nolberto Jaime SOLANO ARAUJO (PER) by TF, 11-1

Semifinal – Nishan Preet Singh RANDHAWA (CAN) df. Nolberto Jaime SOLANO ARAUJO (PER) by TF, 10-0

Semifinal – Andres Ricardo REY PINZON (COL) df. Victor Alberto MANCHENO JUMBO (ECU) by FALL, 12-0

120 kg (4 entries)

Round 3 – Anthony Lawrence CASSIOPPI (USA) df. Jose Rodrigo DIAZ PONCIANO (GUA) by TF, 10-0

Round 3 – Aly Medhat Abde BARGHOUT (CAN) df. Leo Dalis SANTANA HEREDIA (DOM) by Injury Default, 0-0 

Round 2 – Anthony Lawrence CASSIOPPI (USA) df. Leo Dalis SANTANA HEREDIA (DOM) by TF, 10-0

Round 2 – Aly Medhat Abde BARGHOUT (CAN) df. Jose Rodrigo DIAZ PONCIANO (GUA) by TF, 12-2

Round 1 – Anthony Lawrence CASSIOPPI (USA) df. Aly Medhat Abde BARGHOUT (CAN) by FALL, 11-1

Round 1 – Jose Rodrigo DIAZ PONCIANO (GUA) df. Leo Dalis SANTANA HEREDIA (DOM) by TF, 10-0