Wednesday begins the 2021 Junior Pan-American Games in Cali, Colombia. Greco-Roman kicks off the festivities with the six Olympic weight categories represented. Competition is scheduled to start at 9:00am ET and will air live in the United States on FLOWrestling. The tournament is being run using the one-day format.
Key among the starters for Team USA are three ’21 Junior World Team members: Dominic Damon (67 kg, NMU/NTS), Matt Singleton (77 kg, Compound), and Kodiak Stephens (87 kg, Beaver Dam RTC). Damon’s reputation as a Greco competitor precedes his entrance in the Games. Along with having also been a Cadet World Teamer in ’18, the native Washingtonian has increasingly begun to establish himself on the Senior level, as well. Damon claims two appearances at Denmark’s Thor Masters (’19 and ’21, respectively, the latter of which he placed fifth) in addition to competing in the Granma Cup last year.
Singleton — now a high school senior in Georgia — is a folkstyle dynamo who has committed to North Carolina State. Greco wants him, too, and for good reason. Singleton impressed many observers with his approach and conviction at the Junior Trials, particularly in his final against a very-tough Justin McCunn (Viking WC); he is also a kinetic, intuitive scorer from the feet. Stephens, originally from California, is a redshirt freshman at Oregon State University. Thus far, he holds a record of 3-2 after finishing fourth at the Roadrunner Open last week in Bakersfield. Another folk-first wrestler, Stephens profiles as an eventual relevant upper-weight Senior once his scholastic career comes to an end.
At 60 kilograms for the Americans is former ’18 Cadet World Team member/’21 Trials runner-up Phillip Moomey (Spartan Wrestling RTC). Moomey — widely recognized as a potent lightweight prospect — could have a point to prove in Colombia. At the Pan-Am Championships in June, the Cornell student dropped a 10-4 decision to Mexican Uvaldo Diaz in what wound up an 0-1 showing.
Cameron Dubose (Team Tornado) of King University is receiving the nod at 97, as is Eli Pannell (130 kg) of Division III Wartburg. Dubose finished sixth at the Junior Trials while Pannell placed fourth.
2021 Pan-American Games Schedule
*All times ET
Wednesday, December 1
9:00am-12:00pm — Preliminary rounds through semifinals
6:30pm-8:00pm — Medal rounds
Team USA Roster
60 kg: Phillip Moomey (Spartan Wrestling RTC)
67 kg: Dominic Damon (NMU/NTS)
77 kg: Matt Singleton (Compound)
87 kg: Kodiak Stephens (Beaver Dam RTC)
97 kg: Cameron Dubose (Team Tornado)
130 kg: Eli Pannell (Burg TC)
’21 Haavisto Cup Participants
When the Oslo Worlds wrapped in October, most figured it would ignite a return to a normal competitive schedule. Ibrahim Moustafa in Egypt, Haparanda Cup in Sweden, SA Lavrikov Memorial in Russia, and the Haavisto Cup in Finland — all four events were eyeballed by the US program as viable competitive opportunities for potentially-interested Seniors. Fast forward, and only two of the four tournaments are still standing: Ibrahim Moustafa, where Randon Miranda (60 kg, Rise RTC, 5PM #1) powered to gold on Saturday; and this coming weekend’s Haavisto Cup. Both Haparanda and Lavrikov were effectively canceled.
As of press time, there is one US entrant for Haavisto, Jeff Henry, who competes in the Veterans age division and has attained varying degrees of success there domestically. The rest of the participation list is, as expected, crammed with Scandinavians and several others from different European regions.
The ’21 Arvo Haavisto Cup in Ilmajokie, FIN begins at 11:00am local time on Saturday (+7 hours ET). Streaming information has not yet been released (though in ’19 this was the address).
*Note: 55 & 63 kg will not be contested.
60 kg
Helary Mägisalu (EST)
Aleksi Seppälä (FIN)
Ivan Khlabystov (RUS)
Ardit Fazljija (SWE)
67 kg
Nestori Mannila (FIN)
Rokas Cepauskas (LTU)
Adomas Grigailunas (LTU)
Georgios Barbanos (SWE)
Niklas Öhlen (SWE)
72 kg
Joni Komppa (FIN)
Jedi Lönn (FIN)
Elmer Mattila (FIN)
Robert Mhitarjan (EST)
Joonas Perkka (FIN)
Onni Rintamäki (FIN)
Riku Suhonen (FIN)
Eimantas Vilimas (LTU)
Christoffer Dahlén (SWE)
Erik Persson (SWE)
Oscar Pettersson (SWE)
Nasimjon Salimov (TAJ)
77 kg
Edvin Kin (EST)
Matias Lipasti (FIN)
Mantas Sinkevicius (LTU)
82 kg
Otto Ketonen (FIN)
Roni Purolainen FIN)
Lukas Ahlgren (SWE)
87 kg
Robin Uspenski (EST)
Juho Pahikainen (FIN)
Aapo Viitala (FIN)
Simone Fidelbo (ITA)
Mirco Minguzzi (ITA)
Damian Matveiko (LTU)
Firdavs Saidshoev (TAJ)
Jeff Henry (USA)
97 kg
Richard Karelson (EST)
Kevin Uspenski (EST)
Arttu-Petteri Klami (FIN)
Mindaugas Venckaitis (LTU)
Aleksandar Stjepanetic (SWE)
Dilshod Saidchoev (TAJ)
130 kg
Artur Vititin (EST)
Konsta Mäenpää (FIN)
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