GUADALAJARA, Mexico – The final three U.S. Greco-Roman wrestlers have weighed in and received their draws for the second day of wrestling at the Pan American Games on Friday.

Two-time U.S. World Team member Joe Betterman (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) opens up at 60 kg/132 lbs. against Manuel Lopez of Mexico.

Betterman was third at the 2008 Pan American Championships, while Lopez was second in the 2010 Pan American Championships and 10th in the 2011 World Championships.

Two of the top favorites are on the opposite side of the bracket from Betterman, Luis Liendo of Venezuela and Hanser Meoque of Cuba. Liendo defeated Betterman in the first round of the 2011 World Championships and went on to place fifth. Meoque was a 2009 Pan American Championships champion.

2011 U.S. Open champion Ben Provisor (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) is entered at 74 kg/163 lbs. Provisor faces Elton Brown of Panama in his opening bout.

Neither Brown nor Provisor have won a past Pan American Championships medal on the Senior level. Provisor won the Pan Am Junior Championships in both styles in 2009.

Provisor is on the opposite side of the bracket from Cuba’s Jorgisbell Alvarez, a 2009 Pan American Championships champion.

Competing at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. is Pete Gounaridis (Leominster, Mass./Sunkist Kids), who drew Joel Lopez of Mexico in his opening match. Neither wrestler has won a Senior level Pan American Championships medal in the past.

Should Gounaridis win, he could draw Cuba’s Yunior Estrada in the semifinals, a 2008 Pan American Championships champion.

None of the U.S. entries have competed in a previous Pan American Games.

Friday concludes the Greco-Roman competition in Guadalajara. Women’s freestyle will compete Saturday.

PAN AMERICAN GAMES
At Guadalajara, Mexico

U.S. Greco-Roman draws for Friday

60 kg/132 lbs. – Joe Betterman, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
Vs. Manuel Lopez (Mexico)

74 kg/163 lbs. – Ben Provisor, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
Vs. Elton Brown (Panama)

96 kg/211.5 lbs. – Pete Gounaridis, Leominster, Mass. (Sunkist Kids)
Vs. Joel Lopez (Mexico)

Bio shorts for U.S. first round pairings

60 kg/132 lbs.

United States - Joe Betterman – Third in 2008 Pan Am Champs… Fifth in 2007 Pan Am Champs… Two-time U.S. World Team member… Second in 2010 Ivan Podubbny (Russia)… Age: 27

México - Manuel Alejandro Lopez – Tenth in 2011 World Championships… Second in 2010 Pan Am Champs… Fifth in 2009 Pan Am Champs… Age: 25

74 kg/163 lbs.

United States – Ben Provisor – 2011 U.S. Open champion… Three-time U.S. Junior World Team member… 2009 Junior Pan Am Champs champion in both styles… Age: 21

Panamá - Elton Brown – 13th in 2011 Pan Am Champs… 2006 and 2010 Central American & Carribean Games champion… Age: 28

96 kg/211.5 lbs.

United States – Pete Gounaridis – Second in 2010 Sunkist International… Second in 2010 NYAC International… Second in 2009 U.S. World Team Trials… Age: 24

México - Joel Mauricio Lopez – 12th in 2011 Pan Am Champs… Second in 2010 Central American & Carribean Games… Age: 20