It was a competition that, in the end, was not very competitive. Team USA had already secured a collective victory at the Pan-American Championships following Wednesday’s parade of medalists. On Thursday, all Noah Wachsmuth (72 kg, NYAC) and two-time World Team member Alan Vera (97 kg, NYAC) did was make it official.
Day 2 of the 2024 Pan-American Championships began at 10:00am local time from Acapulco, Mexico (11:00am ET) and streamed live in the United States on FLOWrestling.
Vera — who is one of six American wrestlers who next week will participate in the continental Olympic Qualifier — walked away with silver for his third-career Pan-Am medal. Wachsmuth, who was making his tournament debut, earned bronze.
In total, the US grabbed nine medals out of ten weight categories (two golds, four silvers, three bronze) and completed an Olympic cycle sweep of the Pan-Am Championships (and dating back further), having won each edition of the event since ’21. The Americans combined for 183 team points, 58 more than second-place Mexico (125).
Vera & Wachsmuth
Vera got moving in the right direction on Thursday by first scorching Pedro Bello Soto (MEX) via technical superiority. That win put him in the semifinal, where he outlasted tough Luillys Perez Mora (VEN) 5-3. In the final resided multi-time Pan-Am medalist Kevin Mejia Castillo (HON), who was able to take advantage of a questionable call from the officials and garner the win. Vera had been dinged for passivity and as Mejia Castillo went to crank a gutwrench, Vera was cited for a leg foul. The US did challenge the call; and, surprisingly, upon review the call was upheld with Vera staring at a 4-0 deficit as Mejia Castillo received a restart from top par terre. The Honduran yielded two correct hold points plus a turn to gain the win via technical fall. Vera apparently rolled his ankle during the last sequence and grimaced in pain before rising for the end-of-match histrionics.
In one of several round-robin brackets at the event, Wachsmuth was trailing Jose Varela Garcia (GUA) 3-0 in the second period, came back to take a 4-3 lead — and then with time about to expire, Varela Garcia was in hot pursuit of Wachsmuth and lost his footing on an attempt. He had landed on his back and Wachsmuth smartly held position for the fall. The win over Varela Garcia essentially clinched bronze for the two-time US National Team member as he would go on to drop his remaining pair of bouts.
2024 Pan-American Championships
February 21-22 — Acapulco, MEX
TEAM USA FULL RESULTS
55 kg: Camden Russell (NYAC/MWC) — SILVER
LOSS Marco Garcia Alvarez (MEX)
WON Mario Choc Choc (HON)
60 kg: Randon Miranda (NYAC) — SILVER
WON Dicther Toro Castaneda (COL)
WON Angel Segura Tellez (MEX)
LOSS Jose Rodriguez Orozco (VEN) 8-7
63 kg: Hayden Tuma (NYAC) — GOLD
WON Kevin DeArmas Rodriguez (CUB) via DQ
WON Carlos Gonzalez Vahos (COL) 4-1
WON Hector Sanchez Zapata (MEX) 4-0
67 kg: Alex Sancho (Army/WCAP) — GOLD
WON Laguerre Starlin Roodhelly (DOM) 4-1
WON Nestor Almanza (CHI) 4-3
WON Andres Montano Arroyo (ECU) 3-1
72 kg: Noah Wachsmuth (NYAC) — BRONZE
WON Jose Varela Garcia (GUA) via fall
LOSS Alexis Vargas Ramirez (MEX) 11-3, TF
LOSS Calebe Correa Ferreira (BRA) 8-2
77 kg: Kamal Bey (Army/WCAP) — BRONZE
WON Davic Choc Huoc (HON) 10-0, TF
LOSS Jair Cuero Munoz (COL) 6-6 (criteria)
WON Wuileixis Rivas Espinosa (VEN) 11-0, TF
82 kg: Mahmoud Sebie (NYAC) — SILVER
LOSS Sosruko Kodzokov (BRA) 5-2
WON Diego Macias Torres (MEX) 8-3
87 kg: Spencer Woods (Army/WCAP) — 7th
LOSS Carlos Munoz Jaramillo (COL) 3-3 (criteria)
97 kg: Alan Vera (NYAC) — SILVER
WON Pedro Bello Soto (MEX) 11-2, TF
WON Luillys Perez Mora (VEN) 5-3
LOSS Kevin Mejia Castillo (HON) 8-0, TF
130 kg: Cohlton Schultz (Sunkist) — BRONZE
WON Moises Perez Hellburg (VEN) 4-1
WON Jorawar Dhinsa (CAN) 6-0
WON Beder Cantu Martinez (MEX) 4-0
LOSS Yamani Acosta Fernandez (CHI) via inj. default
WON Moises Perez Hellburg (VEN) via fall
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