USA Women Solid at Pan Am Championships in Ottawa
Mallory Velte at the 2017 World Championships. Photo courtesy of Tony Rotundo / WrestlersAreWarriors.com
by Derek Levendusky, AWW Staff Writer
OTTAWA, CANADA - The U.S. Women’s team had another outstanding performance at an international event, this time at the 2020 Pan Am Championships in Ottawa, Canada, taking 1st in the team race. In all, Team USA is came home with six medals, including gold medals by Victoria Anthony at 50 kg, Mallory Velte at 62 kg, and Tamyra Mensah-Stock at 68 kg. 72 kg Victoria Francis and 76 kg Adeline Gray, the 2019 World Champion, garnered silver medals.
Anthony is now a 3x Pan Am gold medalist, winning the event in 2014, 2017 and 2020. Mensah-Stock went back-to-back, putting together a performance that earned her the O.W. Award.
Velte, a 2018 World bronze medalist, won her finals match 62 kg against Brazil’s decisively, defeating Lais Nunes de Oliveira for the second time in the tournament, a convincing 6-2 victory. She beat the Brazilian in the opening round as well by a score of 6-4.
Gray injury defaulted her finals match. The reason for the default is unknown.
The event was held in Ottawa, Canada, March 6th-9th.
Team Standings
1. United States – 152
2. Canada – 141
3. Brazil – 103
4. Ecuador – 66
5. Venezuela – 62
6. Cuba – 53
7. Colombia – 51
8. Mexico – 46
9. Peru – 35
10. Puerto Rico – 20
Individual results
50 kg: Victoria Anthony (Sunkist Kids) – GOLD
WIN Genesis Milano Olivio (Venezuela), 10-0
WIN Kamila Barbosa Vito Da Silva (Brazil), 10-0
GOLD MATCH: : WIN Carolina Castillo Hidalgo (Colombia), win by injury default
53 kg: Haley Augello (New York AC/USOPTC) - 4TH PLACE
LOSS Lianna Montero Herrera (Cuba), 6-2
LOSS Luisa Valverde Melendres (Ecuador), 12-2
WIN Zeltzin Hernandez Guerra (Mexico), 12-1
LOSS Jade Parsons (Canada), 10-0
57 kg: Kelsey Campbell (Sunkist Kids) – eliminated
WIN Giullia Rodrigues Penalber de Oliveira (Brazil), 2-2
LOSS Hannah Taylor (Canada), 3-0
59 kg: Lauren Louive (New York AC/USOPTC) – BRONZE
WIN Karoline Silva de Santana (Brazil), 12-3
LOSS Alexandria Town (Canada), 14-4
BRONZE MATCH: LOSS Nes Marie Rodriguez Tirado (Puerto Rico), 17-9
62 kg: Mallory Velte (Titan Mercury WC) - GOLD
WIN Lais Nunes de Oliveira (Brazil), 6-4
WIN Yessica Oviedo Perez (Dominican Republic), 15-4
WIN Alejandra Bonilla Romero (Mexico), 7-0
WIN Nathaly Griman Herrera (Venezuela), fall 2:19
GOLD MATCH: WIN Lais Nunes de Oliveira (Brazil), 6-2
68 kg: Tamyra Mensah-Stock (Titan Mercury WC/USOPTC) – GOLD
WIN Ambar Garnica Flores (Mexico), fall 2:26
WIN Tatiana Renteria Renteria (Colombia), 11-0
WIN Olivia Di Bacco (Canada), fall 3:54
GOLD MATCH: WIN Yudari Sanchez Rodriguez (Cuba), fall 4:46
72 kg: Victoria Francis (Titan Mercury WC) – SILVER
LOSS Yanet Sovero Nino (Peru), fall
WIN Shauna Kuebeck (Canada), 13-2
WIN Brenda Aguiar Dos Santos (Brazil), 12-0
76 kg: Adeline Gray (New York AC/USOPTC) – SILVER
WIN Andrimar Lazaro Diaz (Venezuela), fall 0:39
WIN Andrea Olaya Gutierrez (Colombia), fall
GOLD MATCH: Justina DiStasio (Canada), did not compete