Two qualification spots are available at each Olympic weight at this weekend’s Pan-Am Olympic Games Qualification Tournament. This is the second leg of the qualification process for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. Below you will find a breakdown of the major obstacles in each wrestler’s path to qualifying the United States for the Olympic Games. For a full breakdown of the qualifying procedure refer to the Olympic Games Qualifying Procedure article.

Pan-Am Olympic Qualifier

Men’s Freestyle

57kg:

Tony Ramos

Field:
Augustin Destribats (ARG)
Uziel Correia De Santana (BRA)
John Pineda (CAN)
Andre Quispe Fajardo (CHI)
Wber Cuero Munoz (COL)
Yowlys Bonne Rodriguez (CUB)
Jefferson Mayea Figueroa (ECU)
Kevin Bonilla Gomez (HON)
Alexis Olivera Magallanes (MEX)
Pedro Mejias Rodriguez (VEN)

Primary Threats:
Ramos over Cuero Fajardo 2015 Worlds
Bonne over Ramos 2015 World Cup/Beat the Streets

The primary threat to Tony Ramos qualifying the United States for Rio is Yowlys Bonne Rodriguez. The Cuban star owns two wins over Ramos at the World Cup and Beat the Streets.

Ramos needs to figure out what attacks he can use effectively against Bonne Rodriguez as he has given up several points as Bonne defended his leg attacks.

Wber Cuero Munoz finished with a silver medal at last week’s Pan-Am Championships. He was defeated in the finals by Coleman Scott. Ramos is familiar with Cuero Munoz as he defeated him 10-1 in the first round of the 2015 World Championships in Las Vegas.

65kg:

Brent Metcalf

Field:
Lincoln Dos Santos (BRA)
Haislan Garcia (CAN)
Hernan Guzman Ipuz (COL)
Alejandro Valdes Tobier (CUB)
Jeffry Avila (DOM)
Mauricio Sanchez Saltos (ECU)
V.J. Miranda Casasola (GUA)
Luis Barrios Rochez (HON)
Brandon Diaz Ramirez (MEX)
Sixto Auccapina Pedragas (PER)
Franklin Gomez Matos (PUR)
Anthony Montero Chirinos (VEN)

Primary Threats:
Garcia
Gomez
Chirinos
Valdes Tobier

Several guys in the field are dangerous, and a qualifying path with the random draw could be quite a challenge. Gomez owns a world silver medal, and Haislan Garcia has been a consistent performer on the world stage for a long time. Metcalf has had the upper hand against these guys, but they are game competitors.

Two wrestlers that are a little bit of a wild cards are Anthony Montero Chirinos (VEN) and Alejandro Valdes Tobier (CUB). Chirinos was 7th at the 2015 Junior World Championships and defeated James Green to take the title at last week’s Pan-Am Championships. Valdes Tobier was silver to Frank Molinaro at 70kg. Metcalf doesn’t have experience against either of these wrestlers.

86kg:

Jake Herbert

Field:
Adrian Abou Jaoude (BRA)
Tamerlan Tagziev (CAN)
Reineris Salas Perez (CUB)
Billy Valdez Jean (DOM)
Edixon Paladines Alberca (ECU)
Erick Orellana (GUA)
pool Ambrocio Greifo (PER)
Jaimie Espinal (PUR)
Pedro Ceballos Fuentes (VEN)

Primary Threats:
Salas Perez
Espinal
Ceballos Fuentes

The big hurdle here is two-time world silver medalist Salas Perez (CUB). That being said, Ceballos Fuentes (VEN) knocked off Salas Perez first round of the 2015 World Championships.

Herbert defeated Espinal (PUR) at the 2015 Pan-Am Games just after Espinal defeated Ceballos Fuentes. Salas Perez defeated Herbert in the championship final, and has owned the series against Herbert.

At the 2015 World Championships Ceballos Fuentes, Espinal, and Herbert all fell to a common opponent. Sandro Aminashvili (GEO) defeated Herbert on the championship side before taking out Espinal and Ceballos Fuentes in the repechage.

125kg:

Tervel Dlagnev

Field:
Antoine Abou Jaoude (BRA)
Korey Jarvis (CAN)
Jaryls Mosquera (COL)
Yudenny Alpajon Estevez (CUB)
Justin Ruiz Flores (MEX)
Rodolpho Waithe Marin (PAN)
Edgardo Lopez Morell (PUR)
Luis Vivenes Urbaneja (VEN)

Primary Threats:
Korey Jarvis (CAN) and Yudenny Alpajon Estevez (CUB) probably present the biggest hurdles as far as opponents go for Tervel Dlagnev, but the true challenge is Tervel’s health. If Tervel is healthy, I can’t see him dropping a match to anyone in the field. He wrestled in Paris at the end of January, and shouldn’t have any problem getting the United States qualified for Rio.

Greco Roman

59kg:

Ildar Hafizov

Field:
Diego Ribeiro Romanelli (BRA)
Steven Takahashi (CAN)Cristobal Torres Nunez (CHI)
Jancel Pimentel Gonzalez (DOM)
Andres Montano Arroyo (ECU)
Gorge Gonzalez Batis (HON)
Ali Soto Macias (MEX)
Jose Magallanes Duran (PER)
Edgardo Lopez Morell (PUR)
Raiber Rodriguez Orozco (VEN)

Primary Threats:
Andres Montano Arroyo (ECU) and Ali Soto Macias (MEX) met for the Pan-Am Games title in 2015. The weight class included 2015 world champion Ismael Borrero (CUB) whom was defeated by Spenser Mango in the quarterfinal. Borrero avenged that loss on the way to his world title in Las Vegas. Borrero qualified Cuba with that performance at the world championships and Cuba will not be represented. Montano Arroyo and Soto Macias present the biggest challenges as Ildar Hafizov attempts to qualify the weight class for the United States.

Ildar Hafizov has Olympic experience representing Uzbekistan back in 2008. He has been representing the United States since late 2015 and will try to qualify the weight class for Rio.

66kg:

RaVaughn Perkins

Field:
Joilson De Brito Ramos (BRA)
John Yeats (CAN)
Miguel Martinez Palacio (CUB)
Edward Polanco (DOM)
Jose Sanchez Betancourt (ECU)
David Choc Huoc (GUA)
Jeffrin Mejia (HON)
Manuel Lopez Salcero (MEX)
Mario Molina Cortez (PER)
Wuileixis Rivas Espinoza (VEN)

Primary Threats:
Wuileixis Rivas Espinoza (VEN) was the 2015 Pan-Am Games champion defeating Bryce Saddoris in the final. He is the major roadblock in the bracket.

The 2016 Pan-Am Championships gold medalist is also in the field. Miguel Martinez Palacio (CUB) was dominant last weekend winning four technical superiority victories en route to the title. He will be a handful for anyone in the bracket.

85kg:

Jordan Holm

Field:
Ivan Burtovoy (ARG)
Ronisson Brando Santiago (BRA)
Alex Brown (CAN)
Alan Vera Garcia (CUB)
Alfonso Leyva Yepez (MEX)
Yorgen Cova Pulido (VEN)

Primary Threats:
Alan Vera Garcia (CUB) won the title last weekend at the Pan-Am Championships. He was also a bronze medalist at last year’s Pan-Am Games. He was defeated in the semifinals by Jon Anderson of the United States. Holm is in good position to qualify the United States for the Olympic Games.

98kg:

Josef Rau

Field:
Davi Albino (BRA)
Alex Thoms (CAN)
Yasmany Lugo Cabrera (CUB)
Kevin Mejia (HON)
Luillys Perez Mora (VEN)

Primary Threats:
All four medalists from the 2015 Pan-Am Games are in the field. Lugo Cabrera won titles at those games and at last week’s Pan-Am Championships. Kevin Mejia (HON), Davi Albino (BRA), and Luillys Perez Mora (VEN) round out the medalists in that order.

Caylor Williams dropped a match to Perez Mora at last year’s Pan-Am Games, but defeated Albino at the world championships. Josef Rau has taken Williams out twice this season and gets the nod to try to qualify the weight class for the Olympic Games.

Women’s Freestyle

48kg:

Alyssa Lampe (USA)

Field:
Patricia Bermudez (ARG)
Susana De Almeida Dos Santos (BRA)
Carolina Castillo Hidalgo (COL)
Yusneyleys Guzman Lopez (CUB)
Katiuska Toaza Avelino (ECU)
Brenda Bailey Gomez (HON)
Laura Peredo Torres (MEX)
Thalia Mallqui Peche (PER)
Onmariel Valenzuela (VEN)

Primary Threats:
There will be plenty of competition for the two qualifying spots at 48kg. Mallqui Peche (PER), Castillo Hidalgo (COL) and Lampe all took home medals from the 2015 Pan-Am games. Castillo defeated a tough Burmudez at the world championships, and both are quality opponents.

Canada has already qualified the weight class and will not have an entry. Lampe defeated Guzman Lopez (CUB) for the bronze medal last year at the Pan-Am Games. The draw will play an important roll here, and it is possible for all the favorites to end up on one side of the bracket.

53kg:

Whitney Conder

Field:
Giullia Rodrigues Penalber De Oliveira (BRA)
Jillian Gallays (CAN)
Leidy Montero Carranza (COL)
Lianna Montero Herrera (CUB)
Luisa Valverde Melendres (ECU)
Alma Valencia Escoto (MEX)
Jenny Mallqui Suazo (PER)
Nes Marie Rodriguez (PUR)
Betzabeth Arguello Villegas (VEN)

Primary Threats:
Conder defeated Valencia Escoto (MEX) for the Pan-Am Games title in 2015. That was a slim 3-2 decision. The Canadian women are a very strong team and they will enter former world medalist Gallays (CAN).

To go with the three favorites several women brought home medals from a variety of weight classes last week at the Pan-Am Championships. This is another bracket that will be interesting to track when the draws come out.

58kg:

Allison Ragan

Field:
Joice Souza Da Silva (BRA)
Michelle Fazzari (CAN)
Yaquelin Estornell Elizastigue (CUB)
Lissette Antes Castillo (ECU)
Alejandra Romero Bonilla (MEX)
Emily Sanchez Ortega (PAN)
Yanet Sovero Nino (PER)
Sheykaliz Cintron Martinez (PUR)
Virginia Jimenez Fernandez (VEN)

Primary Threats:
Souza Da Silva (BRA) took home the Pan-Am Games title from Toronto last summer. She is joined by Fazzari (CAN) and Antes Castillo (ECU), who are both ranked by United World Wrestling, as the primary threats to keep Ragan from qualifying the weight.

Colombia has already qualified the weight and will not have a representative. Check out Fazzari against former Olympian Kelsey Campbell from this year's Bill Farrell.

63kg:

Erin Clodgo

Field:
Lais Nunes De Oliveira (BRA)
Leidy Izquirdo Mendez (COL)
Katerina Vidiaux Lopez (CUB)
Saidy Chavez (HON)
Nathaly Griman Herrera (VEN)

Primary Threats:
Vidiaux Lopez is ranked 9th by United World Wrestling and is the primary threat. She was leading Amanda Hendey last week when the American pinned her in the semifinal. Nunes De Oliveira won the title over Hendey and is also in the field.

The small bracket increases the importance of the draw. A semifinal victory secures a spot in the Olympic Games. Canada is already qualified and will not send a representative.

69kg:

Tamyra Mensah

Field:
Gilda De Oliveira (BRA)
Dorothy Yeats (CAN)
Yudari Sanchez Rodriguez (CUB)
Cinthia Morales Repizo (MEX)
Maria Acosta (VEN)

Primary Threats:
Dorothy Yeat won the Pan-Am Games in 2015 and is the primary threat to the qualification spots available. Yeats defeated Mensah in the finals at this year’s Bill Farrell Memorial.

Acosta (VEN) and Sanchez Rodriguez (CUB) both took home hardware from last week’s championships. The small field will again be influenced greatly by the random draw bracket.

Pan Am Countries With Qualifiers:

These weight classes were qualified at the 2015 World Championships. These countries are not eligible to send a representative at the weight classes listed.
Brazil: WF 75kg
Canada: WF 48kg, 63kg
Cuba: GR 59kg, 130kg
Colombia: WF 58kg, 75kg
USA: MF 74kg, 97kg, WF 75kg, GR 75kg, 130kg