Jake Herbert of the USA scores a takedown against Jaime Espinal of Puerto Rico at 84 kg/185 lbs. in the Pan American Games in Mexico. Robbert Wijtman photo

GUADALAJARA, Mexico – Three U.S. men’s freestyle wrestlers have qualified for gold-medal matches at the Pan American Games competition on Sunday at the CODE II Gymnasium.

Seeking gold tonight will be Obe Blanc (Stillwater, Okla./Gator WC) at 55 kg/121 lbs., Jake Herbert (Ann Arbor, Mich./New York AC) at 84 kg/185 lbs. and Tervel Dlagnev (Columbus, Ohio/Sunkist Kids) at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. 

The finals will be held at 6:00 p.m. local time, which is the same as the U.S. Central time zone.

Blanc, a 2010 World Team member, will face Juan Ramirez of the Dominican Republic in the finals. Ramirez was fifth in the 2011 Pan American Championships and a 2007 Cadet Pan Am champion.

Blanc won his only match of the morning session, shutting out Canada’s Junior World Team member Steven Takahashi, 2-0, 6-0.

Herbert, a 2009 World silver medalist, will face Humberto Arencibia of Cuba in the finals. Arencibia was third at the 2011 Pan American Championships.

In his first match, Herbert beat Jaime Espinal of Puerto Rico, 3-2, 2-0. Espinal lives in State College, Pa. and trains with the Nittany Lion WC. In the semifinals, Herbert beat Jose Diaz of Venezuela, 1-0, 2-1, in a bout where Diaz was penalized for punching Herbert in the face.

Dlagnev, a 2009 World bronze medalist, will face Sunny Dhinsa of Canada in the finals. Dhinsa was a 2011 Commonwealth Games champion and 2008 Cadet Pan American champion.

Dlagnev opened with a dominant technical fall win over Carlos Delgado of Ecuador), 6-0, 7-0. In the semifinals, he beat Disney Rodriguez of Cuba, 1-0, 5-0. Rodriguez was fifth in the 2008 Olympic Games.

Dlagnev placed fifth in the 2011 World Championships. He was a champion at the 2010 Pan American Championships.

2011 World Team member Teyon Ware (State College, Pa./Nittany Lion WC) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. will compete in a bronze-medal match against Edison Hurtado of Colombia. Hurtado has won two Pan American Games silver medals, in 2003 and 2007.

Ware opened with a comeback win over Ryan Lue of Canada, 0-2, 1-0, 1-0. In the semifinals, he was beaten by 2011 World bronze medalist Livan Lopez of Cuba, 0-5, 1-4. It was a rematch of the 2011 Pan American Championships finals, also won by Lopez.

PAN AMERICAN GAMES
At Guadalajara, Mexico

U.S. men’s freestyle performances

55 kg/121 lbs. – Obe Blanc, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator WC)
WIN Steven Takahashi (Canada), 2-0, 6-0
Gold Medal Match - Vs. Juan Ramirez (Dominican Republic)

66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Teyon Ware, State College, Pa. (Nittany Lion WC)
WIN Ryan Lue (Canada), 0-2, 1-0, 1-0
LOSS Livan Lopez (Cuba), 0-5, 1-4
Bronze Medal Match - Vs. Edison Hurtado (Colombia)

84 kg/185 lbs. – Jake Herbert, Ann Arbor, Mich. (New York AC)
WIN Jaime Espinal (Puerto Rico), 3-2, 2-0
WIN Jose Diaz (Venezuela), 1-0, 2-1
Gold Medal Match – Vs. Humberto Arencibia (Cuba)

120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Tervel Dlagnev, Columbus, Ohio (Sunkist Kids)
WIN Carlos Delgado (Ecuador), 6-0, 7-0
WIN Disney Rodriguez (Cuba), 1-0, 5-0
Gold Medal Match - Vs. Sunny Dhinsa (Canada)

U.S. medal match biographies

55 kg/121 lbs. gold medal match

United States – Obe Blanc – Ninth in 2011 World Championships… Second in 2009 and 2010 Pan Am Champs… 2010 U.S. Open champion… Age: 26

Dominican Republic - Juan Rubelin Ramirez Beltre – Fifth in 2011 Pan Am Champs… 2007 Cadet Pan Am champion… Age: 21

66 kg/145.5 lbs. bronze medal match

United States – Teyon Ware – 2011 U.S. World Team member… Second in 2011 Pan Am Champs… 2011 U.S. Open champion… Two-time NCAA champion for Oklahoma… Age: 28

Colombia - Edison Hurtado – Fifth in 2008 and 2011 Pan Am Champs… Third in 1997, 1998 and 2009 Pan Am Champs… Second in 2003 and 2007 Pan Am Games… Second in 2001, 2002 and 2005 Pan Am Champs… Fourth in 1999 Pan Am Games… Age: 39

84 kg/185 lbs. gold medal match

United States – Jake Herbert – Second in 2009 World Championships… Competed in 2010 World Championships… Second in 2010 World Cup… Third in 2006 and 2008 University World Championships… Two-time NCAA champion for Northwestern… Age: 26

Cuba - Humberto Daniel Arencibia – Third in 2011 Pan Am Champs… Fifth in 2009 Junior World Championships for Cuba… Age: 21

120 kg/264.5 lbs. gold medal match

United States – Tervel Dlagnev – Third in 2009 World Championships… Fifth in 2011 World Championships… 2010 Pan Am Champs champion… 2008 University World champion… Two-time NCAA Div. II champion for Nebraska-Kearney… Age: 25

Canadá - Sunny Dhinsa – 2011 Commonwealth Games champion in freestyle and third in Greco-Roman… Two-time Junior World Team member… 2008 Cadet Pan Am Champs champion… Age: 18