Pan American Olympic Qualifiers was a success for the USA in terms of booking Tokyo Olympic berth. At the end of the first continental qualifiers before the Summer Games, the USA stands with most confirmed spots amongst the participating nations. They have qualified in 15 weight classes out of 18. The USA still has a chance to qualify in the remaining three at the World Olympic Qualifiers.
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Men’s Greco-Roman:
In this discipline, the USA have confirmed berths in four weight classes for the Tokyo Games. They have secured a place in 60kg, 67kg, 87kg, 97kg.
For 60kg, Ildar Hafizov helped the USA qualify, thanks to his silver-medal finish. He lost to Luis Sanchez in the finals but his finish in top-two was enough to get a berth for the Summer Games.
The 67kg shared the same story. Alejandro Sancho won a silver medal and with it a place for the USA at the Tokyo Games. He lost to Julian Acevedo at the continental qualifiers.
In 87kg, Josef Rau defeated Daniel Hechavarria of Cuba to win gold. Along with it, the US wrestler confirmed the Tokyo ticket in his weight class.
G’Angelo Hancock confirmed a berth for the USA in 97kg, courtesy of his silver-medal performance.
While the United States still has two weight categories to qualify in, Cuba is the first country to book all the six Greco weight classes for Tokyo 2020.
Russia, Iran, Uzbekistan and Germany on the other hand, have booked three places each.
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Women’s Wrestling:
Unlike Men’s Freestyle and Greco discipline, the USA Women’s wrestling team has secured a berth in all six weight categories — 50kg, 53kg, 57kg, 62kg, 68kg, 86kg – for the Tokyo Games.
The USA, based on the 2019 World Championships had already booked the Olympic ticket in 68kg and 76kg, thanks to Tamyra Mensah and Adeline Gray’s performance.
In the other four categories, Sarah Hildebrandt, Jacarra Winchester, Helen Maroulis and Kayla Miracle affirmed the USA’s place.
The country with the second-highest confirmed berths in women’s wrestling is Italy. They have booked their place in five weight classes – 53kg, 57kg, 62kg, 68kg and 76kg.
China has qualified in four weight categories – 50kg, 53kg, 57kg, and 76kg. Cuba has also three qualified in three weights classes – 50kg, 53kg, and 68kg.
Men’s Freestyle:
The USA has qualified in five weight categories in this style. The three US wrestlers who won gold were default winners as their opponent had sustained injury.
In 57kg, Thomas Gilman was announced as default champion after his opponent Colombia’s Oscar Urbano sustained injury.
The 86kg category also had a US champion. 2018 World Champion David Taylor won gold after a default win as Pool Greifo of Peru was injured in the semi-final.
Nick Gwiazdowski became the 125kg Pan-Am Olympic Qualifiers Champion as Aamveer Dhesi also sustained an injury.
On the other hand, they already secured the Tokyo ticket in 74kg and 97kg, thanks to Jordan Burroughs and Kyle Snyder’s medal-winning performance at Nur-Sultan held World Championships.
The USA has just one spot to qualify – 65kg – for the Tokyo Summer Games.
With five berths confirmed, they have joined Russia with most weight category places in Men’s Freestyle. Russia has qualified in 57kg, 65kg, 74kg, 86kg, and 97kg.
Kazakhstan is with four confirmed berths – 57kg, 65kg, 74kg, and 97k – while India, Iran and Cuba have three each.
