Former University of Iowa standout, Brent Metcalf and current Cyclone assistant coach, Angel Escobedo have each received their draws for the Pan Ameircan Games which is held in Toronto, Canada. Action for Day three of wrestling at the Games is expected to get underway at 1:30 PM Central and if each are lucky enough to reach the finals, they would wrestle at 7:00 PM tonight. Action can be watched on ESPN3.
Escobedo got the call from Team USA about a week ago that he would be filling in for two-time World Team member Tony Ramos in the 57 kg weight class at the Pan American Games. He will face Colmbia’s Emir Hernandez Gomez Yerson. Escobedo took third at the U.S. World Team Trials last month, falling to former UNI Panther Joe Colon in the finals of the challenge tournament. This won’t be Escobedo’s first rodeo for Team USA on a big stage, as Escobedo was a fifth place finisher at the 2013 World Championships, which is tied for the highest finish by an American at this weight since Henry Cejudo won gold back in 2008.
Brent Metcalf has now made his fourth World Team, and third straight so this will be his first experience at the Pan American Games. Metcalf missed the 2011 World Team which consequently cost him his shot at the 2011 Pan American Games gold the last time around; since the rule change for the 2014 year Metcalf has been dominant and has climbed all the way to #5 in the World rankings. Metcalf faces Marbin Miranda Casasola of Guatemala in the first round, but then could have a match with former Michigan State wrestler Franklin Gomez (Puerto Rico) in the next round. Metcalf and Gomez wrestled in the Flo Premier League last December, and Metcalf came away with a big win, but FPL uses hybrid rules.
Not only does Metcalf have a potential tough match with Gomez, but looming on the other side of the bracket is host country’s Haislan Garcia, who has been known to give Metcalf a good battle over the past few years.
According to USA Wrestling, both of Escobedo’s and Metcalf’s opponents: “Both Hernandez Gomez Yerson and Miranda Casasola competed in the Pan American Championships this year, but neither earned a medal.”
PAN AMERICAN GAMES
July 15-18 at Hershey Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
U.S. men’s freestyle draws
57 kg/125.5 lbs. – Angel Escobedo, Ames, Iowa (New York AC)
Vs. Emir Hernandez Gomez Yerson (Colombia)
65 kg/143 lbs. – Brent Metcalf, Iowa City, Iowa (NYAC/Hawkeye WC)
Vs. Marbin Miranda Casasola (Guatemala)