Justin Ruiz won the Pan American Championships on Friday in Colombia.

RIONEGRO, Colombia – Justin Ruiz won his fourth Pan American Championships gold medal in the past five years to highlight the U.S. Greco-Roman performance on Friday.

Ruiz, a past World bronze medalist who placed fifth in the 2010 World Championships, downed Cuba’s Yasmany Lugo 1-0, 4-0 in the finals at 96 kg/211.5 lbs.

Ruiz (Boise, Idaho/New York AC) repeated as a champion at the Pan American Championships. He also won this event in 2007 and 2008. He also won the Pan American Games title in 2007.

“Justin was in great form on this day,” U.S. National Coach Steve Fraser said. “He wrestled with huge confidence and he destroyed the Cuban in the finals.”

Americans C.P. Schlatter (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm), Kendrick Sanders (Homestead, Fla./New York AC) and Robbie Smith (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) each won silver medals. Jordan Holm (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm) won a bronze medal.

Schlatter fell to Cuba’s Alexander Casal 1-0, 2-0 in the finals at 66 kg/145.5 lbs.

“C.P. had a nice tournament,” Fraser said. “He wrestled well.”

Sanders dropped a 2-0, 1-0 decision to Cuba’s Raul Consuegra in the finals at 74 kg/163 lbs.

“Sanders had some spectacular five-point reverse lifts in the tournament,” Fraser said. “He brought the crowd to their feet.”

Smith bumped up a weight class to 120 kg/264.5 lbs. as a late replacement for Steve Andrus, who had to pull out with an injury. Smith fell to Cuba’s Yasmani Acosta 3-0, 2-0 in the finals.

“Robbie wrestled like a true champion,” Fraser said. “He was giving up 15 kilograms every match. He turned in an outstanding performance.”

Holm lost to 2010 World silver medalist Pablo Shorey of Cuba 1-0, 1-0 in the semifinals at 84 kg/185 lbs. He came back to beat Colombia’s Ariel Mosquera in the bronze-medal bout.

“Jordan wrestled very tough,” Fraser said.

American Matt Holt (Colorado Springs, Colo.) placed eighth at 60 kg/132 lbs. Teammate Paul Tellgren (Anoka, Minn./USOEC/Minnesota Storm) lost in the first round at 55 kg/121 lbs.

PAN AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS
Greco-Roman, May 6, Rionegro, Columbia

Team standings
Cuba 69
United States 49
Venezuela 48
Dominican Republic 48
Colombia 44
Mexico 28
Canada 20
Puerto Rico 20
Peru 17
Ecuador 17

55 kg/121 lbs.
Gold – Yagniel Hernandez (Cuba)
Silver – Jorge Cardozo (Venezuela)
Bronze – Cristian Paravecino (Peru)
Bronze – Francisco Encarnacion (Dominican Republic)
Fifth – Francisco Godina (Mexico)
Fifth – Juan Lopez (Colombia)

60 kg/132 lbs.
Gold – Maikel Anache (Cuba)
Silver – Luis Liendo (Venezuela)
Bronze – Yesid Meneses (Colombia)
Bronze – Jansel Ramirez (Dominican Republic)
Fifth – German Diaz (Puerto Rico)
Fifth – Victor Mendez (Mexico)

66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Gold – Alexander Casal (Cuba)
Silver – C.P. Schlatter (USA)
Bronze – Vicente Huacon (Ecuador)
Bronze – Ivan Duque (Colombia)
Fifth – Shawn Daye (Canada)
Fifth – Anyelo Mota (Dominican Republic)

74 kg/163 lbs.
Gold – Raul Consuegra (Cuba)
Silver – Kendrick Sanders (USA) 
Bronze – Sixto Barrera (Peru)
Bronze – Juan Escobar (Mexico)
Fifth – Otoniel Perez (Puerto Rico)
Fifth – Jansel Mercedes (Dominican Republic)

84 kg/185 lbs.
Gold – Pablo Shorey (Cuba)
Silver – Jose Arias (Dominican Republic)
Bronze – Yorge Cova (Venezuela)
Bronze – Jordan Holm (USA)
Fifth – Jeremy Latour (Canada)
Fifth – Ariel Mosquera (Colombia)

96 kg/211.5 lbs.
Gold – Justin Ruiz (USA)
Silver – Yasmany Lugo (Cuba)
Bronze – Korey Jarvis (Canada)
Bronze – Erwin Caraballo (Venezuela)
Fifth – Yuri Maier (Argentina)
Fifth – Raul Angulo (Colombia)

120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Gold – Yasmani Acosta (Cuba)
Silver – Robbie Smith (USA)
Bronze – Ramon Garcia (Dominican Republic)
Bronze – Rafael Barreno (Venezuela)
Fifth – Orlando Ramirez (Mexico)
Fifth – Victor Asprilla (Colombia)

U.S. Greco-Roman results

55 kg/121 lbs. – Paul Tellgren, Anoka, Minn. (USOEC/Minnesota Storm) – 10th
LOSS Alberto Mendieta (Nicaragua), 0-4, 0-3

60 kg/132 lbs. – Matt Holt, Colorado Springs, Colo. – 8th
WIN Vincent Cormier (Canada), 1-0, 3-0
LOSS Yesid Meneses (Colombia), 0-3, 1-1, 0-1

66 kg/145.5 lbs. – C.P. Schlatter, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) – 2nd
WIN Vicente Huacon (Ecuador), 0-1, 3-2, 6-0
WIN Manuel Torrez (Venezuela), 4-1, 7-0
WIN Shawn Daye (Canada), 3-0, 5-0
LOSS Alexander Casal (Cuba), 0-1, 0-2

74 kg/163 lbs. – Kendrick Sanders, Homestead, Fla. (New York AC) – 2nd
WIN Maximiliano Prudenzano (Argentina), 1-0, 3-0
WIN Sixto Barrera (Peru), 1-0, 5-0
WIN Otoniel Perez (Puerto Rico), 6-0, 7-0
LOSS Raul Consuegra (Cuba), 0-1, 0-2

84 kg/185 lbs. – Jordan Holm, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm), 3rd
WIN Kevin Mejia (Honduras), 4-0, 0-2, 3-0
WIN Dimas Parraga (Ecuador), 7-0, 6-0
LOSS Pablo Shorey (Cuba), 0-1, 0-1
WIN Ariel Mosquera (Colombia), 1-0, 2-0

96 kg/211.5 lbs. – Justin Ruiz, Boise, Idaho (New York AC), 1st
WIN Christian Ortiz (Puerto Rico), 7-0, fall 1:50
WIN Ricardo Cardenas (Peru), 2-2, 3-0
WIN Erwin Caraballo (Venezuela), 1-0, 4-0
WIN Yasmany Lugo (Cuba), 1-0, 4-0

120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Robbie Smith, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) – 2nd
WIN Gurdeep Beesla (Canada), 6-0, fall 1:53
WIN Ramon Garcia (Dominican Republic), 1-0, 7-0
WIN Orlando Ramirez (Mexico), 1-0, 1-0
LOSS Yasmani Acosta (Cuba), 0-3, 0-2