The U.S. Pan American Championships women's team pose together with their championship trophy in Monterrey, Mexico

MONTERREY, Mexico – The United States dominated the women’s freestyle wrestling at the Pan American Championships on Saturday, capturing the team title with four individual champions and seven medalists.

Claiming individual titles were Clarissa Chun (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 48 kg/105.5 lbs., Deanna Rix (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 59 kg/130 lbs., Elena Pirozhkova (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) at 63 kg/138.75 lbs.and Ali Bernard (New Ulm, Minn./Gator WC) at 72 kg/158.5 lbs.

Chun and Pirozhkova won the Pan American Championships for the second straight year.

“The athletes have had a tough couple of weeks with the U.S. Open and this event back to back. The performance was very good. Coming right off the Open, they responded well. We won some matches, and got away with some things, which we might not at a higher level event. The women got some good matches in,” said National Women’s Coach Terry Steiner.

Chun, a 2008 World champion and 2008 Olympian, won three matches on the way to the title, including a win over Jasmin Mian of Canada in the finals. It was her first competition since the 2009 World Championships, as Chun has been recovering from surgery.

“For Clarissa, it was her first competition in about eight months, since the World Championships. It was pretty good for a first event. She had a tough first match. Each match she got better. It was good for her to get these matches in,” said Steiner.

Rix won two straight for the victory, not allowing a point in either match. She stopped Joice Souza Da Silva of Brazil in the finals, 3-0, 1-0.

“Deanna looked really good. She scored offensive points. Dealing with pressure and getting the offense going is important for her, and she did a great job with that here,” said Steiner.

Pirozhkova went 3-0 for the day, including a pin over Katerina Vidiaux of Cuba in the finals. It 

“Elena was definitely still coming down from last week. She did what she needed to do to win matches. She was consistent. She found ways to win matches and is competing very well.”

Bernard, a 2008 Olympian, also ended with a 3-0 record, stopping Canada’s Leah Callahan in the finals, 5-0, 3-0.

“Ali looked really good. She scored a lot of offensive points today. She scored in a variety of different ways, which is excellent for her,” said Steiner

The three other U.S. women who competed won silver medals: Jessica Medina (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 51 kg/112.2 lbs., Whitney Conder (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) at 55 kg/121 lbs. and Christen Paysse (Fullerton, Calif./Univ. of the Cumberlands) at 67 kg/147.5 lbs.

The Pan American Championships conclude on Sunday with the men’s freestyle competition.

PAN AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Monterrey, Mexico, May 1

Women’s freestyle results

48 kg/105.5 lbs.
Gold – Clarissa Chun (USA)
Silver – Jasmine Mian (Canada)
Bronze – Guadalupe Perez (Mexico)
Bronze – Flor Quispe (Peru)

51 kg/112 lbs.
Gold - Vanessa Brown (Canada)
Silver - Jessica Medina (USA)
Bronze - Vanessa Mallqui Suazo (Peru)

55 kg/121 lbs.
Gold – Andrea Ross (Canada)
Silver – Whitney Conder (USA)
Bronze – Alma Jane Valencia (Mexico)
Bronze – Idirmis Acea Garcia (Cuba)

59 kg/130 lbs.
Gold – Deanna Rix (USA)
Silver – Joice Souza Da Silva (Brazil)
Bronze – Wendy Lizette Garcia (Mexico)
Bronze – Amanda Gerhart (Canada)

63 kg/138.75 lbs.
Gold – Elena Pirozhkova (USA)
Silver – Katerina Vidiaux (Cuba)
Bronze – Susana Ana Valencia (El Salvador)
Bronze – Stacie Anaka (Canada)

67 kg/147.5 lbs.
Gold – Liz Williams (Canada)
Silver – Christen Paysse (USA)
Bronze – Lil Azucena Canales (El Salvador)

72 kg/158.5 lbs.
Gold – Ali Bernard (USA)
Silver – Leah Callahan (Canada)
Bronze – Aline Ferreira (Brazil)
Bronze – Lisset Hechevarria (Cuba)

U.S. women’s freestyle team

48 kg/105.5 lbs. – Clarissa Chun, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids), 1st
WIN Mayelis Caripa (Venezuela), 1-0, 1-0
WIN Flor Quispe (Peru), 3-1, 1-0
WIN Jasmin Mian (Canada), 2-0, 3-1

51 kg/112.2 lbs. – Jessica Medina, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
WIN Patricia Bermudez (Argentina)
LOSS Vanessa Brown (Canada)
WIN Vanessa Mallqui Suazo (Mexico)
WIN Itzel Viridiana Maldonado (Mexico)?

55 kg/121 lbs. – Whitney Conder, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC)
WIN Idermas Acea-Garcia (Cuba), 0-1, 2-0, 6-0
WIN Daney Lisbeth Cespedes (Peru), 2-0, 2-5, 5-0
LOSS Andrea Ross (Canada), 3-0, pin

59 kg/130 lbs. – Deanna Rix, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
WIN Wendy Lizette Garcia (Mexico), 4-0, 2-0
WIN Joice Souza Da Silva (Brazil), 3-0, 1-0

63 kg/138.75 lbs. – Elena Pirozhkova, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC)
WIN Stacie Anaka (Canada), 3-0, 4-0
WIN Diana Paulina Miranda (Mexico)
WIN Katerina Vidiaux (Cuba), pin

67 kg/147.5 lbs. – Christen Paysse, Fullerton, Calif. (Univ. of the Cumberlands)
LOSS Liz Williams (Canada)
WIN Gracie Felix Alejo (Mexico)
WIN Yanira Morales (Mexico)
WIN Lil Azucena Canales (El Salvador)

72 kg/158.5 lbs. – Ali Bernard, New Ulm, Minn. (Gator WC)
WIN Jarasmit Weffer (Venezuela), pin
WIN Lisset Hechavarria (Cuba), 7-1, 8-2
WIN Leah Callahan (Canada), 5-0, 3-0