BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – The U.S. Greco-Roman team has weighed-in and received draws for the 2017 Cadet Pan American Championships being held at the Gimnasio Polideportivo CENARD in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Friday.
There will be 10 American athletes competing in the Greco-Roman competition, all of whom are highly accomplished in domestic competition. All 10 athletes placed in the top six of their respective weight class at the UWW Cadet Greco-Roman Nationals held in Akron, Ohio last month.
Five U.S. entrants will battle in round-robin format brackets and wrestle either three or four total matches. These athletes include Tommy Curran (Warrenville, Ill.) at 42 kg/92 lbs., Parker Decker (Keller, Texas) at 46 kg/101 lbs., King Sandoval (Waldorf, Md.) at 54 kg/119 lbs., Michael O’Malley (Hasbrouck Heights, N.J.) at 76 kg/167 lbs. and Hunter DeJong (Little Rock, Iowa) at 85 kg/187 lbs.
Past Cadet Nationals finalist Jace Punke (Eureka, Ill.) is automatically wrestling for the gold medal with Mexico’s Edson Acuna Salazar being the only other entrant in the 100 kg/220 lbs. field.
UWW Cadet Nationals double All-Americans Carson Manville (Shakopee, Minn.) and Peyton Robb (Medford, Minn.) will represent the strong Minnesota Greco-Roman tradition in Argentina. Manville will take on Hector Sanchez Zapata of Mexico in the first round at 58 kg/127 lbs. and Robb is set to face Sebastian Ortega Fernandez of Chile in his opener at 69 kg/152 lbs.
At 50 kg/110 lbs., Hunter Lewis (Stoughton, Wis.) sits in the semifinals and will begin the day against the winner between Elizon Gonzalez Manzano of Venezuela and Janer Ramos Velez of Ecuador.
Rounding out the U.S. draw is Kevon Davenport (Pontiac, Mich.) who is paired against Diego Martinez De Leija of Mexico at 63 kg/138 lbs.
The action from Argentina will kick off at 1 p.m. (ET) with opening ceremonies followed by the Greco-Roman tournament at 1:30 p.m. (ET). The tournament will be run straight-through to completion.
The Cadet Pan American Championships will be broadcast live to U.S. residents through Trackwrestling.com. Complete brackets from the event can also be found on Trackwrestling.
2017 CADET PAN AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS
July 7-9 at Buenos Aires, Argentina
U.S. Greco-Roman draws for Friday
42 kg/92 lbs. – Tommy Curran, Warrenville, Ill. (Gomez WA)
Vs. Jose Jaramillo Tamayo (Ecuador)
Vs. Joel Swarath (Canada)
Vs. Eduardo Lovera (Argentina)
Vs. Juan Munoz Diaz (Chile)
46 kg/101 lbs. – Parker Decker, Keller, Texas (Mile High WC)
Vs. Kevin Chavez Aguilar (Peru), 2015 and 2016 Cadet Pan American bronze medalist, 2016 Junior Pan American silver medalist
Vs. Eliander Diaz Perez (Venezuela)
Vs. Axel Salas Esquivel (Mexico)
50 kg/110 lbs. – Hunter Lewis, Stoughton, Wis. (Team Wisconsin)
Vs. Elizon Gonzalez Manzano (Venezuela) or Janer Ramos Velez (Ecuador)
54 kg/119 lbs. – King Sandoval, Waldorf, Md. (Team Maryland)
Vs. Miguel Ugalde Aguilar (Mexico)
Vs. Alessandro Rodriguez Palacios (Peru)
Vs. Pedro Alarcon Quiroz (Bolivia), Fifth in 2016 Cadet Pan American Championships
Vs. Matias Augusto Panero (Argentina), 2016 Cadet Pan American Championships bronze medalist
58 kg/127 lbs. – Carson Manville, Shakopee, Minn. (Shakopee Mat Club)
Vs. Hector Sanchez Zapata (Mexico)
63 kg/138 lbs. – Kevon Davenport, Pontiac, Mich. (Shamrock Select)
Vs. Diego Martinez De Leija (Mexico)
69 kg/152 lbs. – Peyton Robb, Medford, Minn. (Pinnacle)
Vs. Sebastian Ortega Fernandez (Chile)
76 kg/167 lbs. – Michael O’Malley, Hasbrouck Heights, N.J. (Apex)
Vs. Franco Chialanza (Argentina)
Vs. Dawson Wylie (Canada)
Vs. Jesus Lopez Nino (Mexico), 2016 Cadet Pan American bronze medalist
Vs. Andres Caballero Limaco (Peru)
85 kg/187 lbs. – Hunter DeJong, Little Rock, Iowa (MWC Wrestling Academy)
Vs. Luis Lopez Vazquez (Mexico), 2016 Cadet Pan American bronze medalist
Vs. Igor Alves De Queiroz (Brazil)
Vs. Christian Alster (Puerto Rico)
100 kg/220 lbs. – Jace Punke, Eureka, Ill. (OS/WN)
Vs. Edson Acuna Salazar (Mexico)