RIONEGRO, Colombia – Two U.S. men’s freestyle wrestlers claimed gold medals on the final day of the Pan American Championships on Sunday.

Winning titles were Nick Marable (Columbia, Mo./Sunkist Kids) at 74 kg/163 lbs. and Steve Mocco, Bethlehem, Pa. (Lehigh Valley AC) at 120 kg/264.5 lbs.

Marable defeated 2010 World Cup champion Yunieski Blanco of Cuba in the championship finals, 1-1, 1-0, 1-0. The bout went into a third-period clinch, which Marable was able to defend from the defensive position and win the bout.

Marable, who was second at the 2011 U.S. Open, won three bouts on the way to the title.

Mocco dominated his competition on the way to four victories. He defeated 2008 Junior World silver medalist Elier Romero in the finals, 1-0, 2-0.

Mocco, a 2008 U.S. Olympian, had three straight pins to earn his spot in the finals. It was his third career Pan American Championship title, to go with victories in 2006 and 2009.

Three U.S. wrestlers won silver medals: Sam Hazewinkel (Norman, Okla./Sunkist Kids) at 55 kg/121 lbs., Teyon Ware (State College, Pa./Nittany Lion WC) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. and Keith Gavin (Bethlehem, Pa./Lehigh Valley AC) at 84 kg/185 lbs.

Hazewinkel lost to Luis Ibanez of Cuba in the finals. Ware was defeated in the finals by Lilven Lopez of Cuba. Gavin fell to Jose Diaz of Venezuela in the championship bout.

"Overall, we wrestled good. Putting five of seven in the finals was good and showed we're improving. Marable fell asleep a couple of times in his finals bout but was spectacular from the defensive position in the third-period clinch for the win. He showed heart and has darn good hips. Mocco dominated and there's not much more to say. The rest of our men looked good,” said National Freestyle Coach Zeke Jones.

Placing fifth at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. was Dan Erekson (Boise, Idaho/Bronco WC). Erekson was injured in the bronze-medal bout and lost by injury default.

At 60 kg/132 lbs., Mike Zadick (Solon, Iowa/Gator WC) lost in his opening bout to Alejandro Valdes of Cuba. When Valdez lost in the semifinals to Franklin Gomez of Puerto Rico, the NCAA champion from Michigan State, Zadick was not eligible for the repechage and did not place in the top 10 of the division. 

The United States qualified athletes for the 2011 Pan American Games in six of the seven weight classes. Athletes in the top eight of each weight qualified their nations to compete in the Pan Am Games.

The United States placed third in the final team standings with 52 points, behind champion Cuba with 64 points and Canada with 54 points.

PAN AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Rionegro, Colombia, May 8

55 kg/121 lbs.
Gold - Luis Ibanez (Cuba)
Silver- Sam Hazewinkel (USA)
Bronze - Luis Orantes (Guatemala)
Bronze – Fernando Parades (Venezuela)
5th – Juan Ramirez (Dominican Republic)
5th – Promise Mwenga (Canada)

60 kg/132 lbs.
Gold – Franklin Gomez (Puerto Rico)
Silver – Ryley Walker (Canada)
Bronze – Gabriel Garcia (Dominican Republic)
Bronze – Alejandro Valdez (Cuba)
5th – Fernando Iglesias (Argentina)
5th – Wilfrido Henriquez (Venezuela)
 
66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Gold – Livan Lopez (Cuba)
Silver – Teyon Ware (USA)
Bronze – Elvin Fuentes (Venezuela)
Bronze – Haislan Veranes (Canada)
5th – Fernando Carranza (Argentina)
5th – Edison Hurtado (Colombia)

74 kg/163 lbs.
Gold – Nick Marable (USA)
Silver – Yunierki Blanco (Cuba)
Bronze – Edizon Ambrosio (Peru)
Bronze – Ricardo Robertty (Venezuela)
5th – Jose Mercado (Ecuador)
5th – Matt Gentry (Canada)

84 kg/185 lbs.
Gold – Jose Diaz (Venezuela)
Silver – Keith Gavin (USA)
Bronze – Jeff Adamson (Canada)
Bronze – Humberto Arencibia (Colombia)
5th – Alejandro Gallardo (Mexico)
5th – Jaime Espinal (Puerto Rico)

96 kg/211.5 lbs.
Gold – Eduardo Mesa (Cuba)
Silver – Khetag Pliev (Canada) 
Bronze – Israel Silva (Mexico)
Bronze – Luis Vivenes (Venezuela) 
5th – Steban Martinez (Colombia)
5th -  Dan Erekson (USA)

120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Gold – Steve Mocco (USA)
Silver – Elier Romero (Cuba)
Bronze – Antoine Braga (Brazil)
Bronze – Korey Jarvis (Canada)
5th – Edgar Lopez (Puerto Rico)
5th – Carlos Felix (Dominican Republic)

U.S. men’s freestyle results

55 kg/121 lbs. – Sam Hazewinkel, Norman, Okla. (Sunkist Kids), 2nd
WIN Carlos Juarez (Mexico), 8-2, 6-0
WIN Luis Orantes (Guatemala), 6-3, 7-0
WIN Juan Ramirez (Dominican Republic), 13-7, 7-0
LOSS Luis Ibanez (Cuba), 1-6, 3-4

60 kg/132 lbs. - Mike Zadick, Solon, Iowa (Gator WC)
LOSS Alejandro Valdes (Cuba), 0-3, 0-2

66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Teyon Ware, State College, Pa. (Nittany Lion WC), 2nd
WIN Kelvin Escorcia (Nicaragua), pin 2nd period
WIN Elvis Fuentes (Venezuela), 0-1, 4-0, 3-0
WIN Fernando Carranza (Argentina), 6-1, pin
LOSS Lilven Lopez (Cuba), 0-1, 0-5

74 kg/163 lbs. – Nick Marable, Columbia, Mo. (Sunkist Kids), 1st
WIN Edizon Ambrosia (Peru), 0-6, 2-0, 1-0
WIN Jose Mercado (Ecuador), 5-0, 7-0
WIN Yunieski Blanco (Cuba), 1-1, 1-0, 1-0

84 kg/185 lbs. – Keith Gavin, Bethlehem, Pa. (Lehigh Valley AC), 2nd
WIN Daniel Roca (Peru), 2-0, 6-0
WIN Alejandro Gallardo (Mexico), 6-0, 6-0
WIN Jeff Adamson (Canada), 4-2, 4-0
LOSS Jose Diaz (Venezuela), 0-1, 6-3, 1-1

96 kg/211.5 lbs. – Dan Erekson, Boise, Idaho (Bronco WC), 5th
WIN Rene Silva (Nicaragua), pin
LOSS Hetag Pliev (Canada), 1-3, 0-2,
WIN L. Nascimento (Brazil), pin 0:11
LOSS Luis Vivenes (Venezuela), inj. dft.

120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Steve Mocco, Bethlehem, Pa. (Lehigh Valley AC), 1st 
WIN Sandro Lopez (Argentina), pin
WIN Antoine Braga (Brazil), pin
WIN Edgar Lopez (Puerto Rico), pin
WIN Elier Romero (Cuba), 1-0, 2-0