Tervel Dlagnev of the USA takes down Sunny Dhinsa of Canada in 120 kg freestyle finals at Pan American Games. Robbert Wijtman photo

GUADALAJARA, Mexico – Two U.S. wrestlers won gold-medals and the team had four total medals in men’s freestyle at the Pan American Games competition on Sunday at the CODE II Gymnasium.

Capturing gold medals were 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. 

Herbert, defeated Humberto Arencibia of Cuba in the finals, 1-0, 4-3. 

The first period went to the clinch with Arencibia getting Herbert’s leg. Officials gave Arencibia one point while Herbert defended, but the U.S. protested and it was upheld. They restarted the clinch and Herbert held on again to score the point. In the second period, a three-point move by Herbert was key to the victory.

“It was huge. I had to defend hard in the clinch to win the first period. It was great to be a little stronger, drive through him and force him on his back on the edge for a 3-0 lead in the second period,” said Herbert.

Herbert was a 2009 World silver medalist, while 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.

Dlagnev defeated Sunny Dhinsa of Canada in the finals, 2-0, 6-0, controlling the action the entire way. In the second period, Dlagnev scored a quick takedown and turned Dhinsa for a fast technical fall. 

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.

“It was good. The Cuban in the semis wrestled for a medal twice at Worlds and the Olympics. He’s a good wrestler. Cuba comes here to win, so it was a good win for me. The Canadian is a young kid but he’s tough. This is a good tournament to get a gold,” said Dlagnev.

Dlagnev was a 2009 World bronze medalist and placed fifth in the 2011 World Championships. He was a champion at the 2010 Pan American Championships.

Winning a silver medal was Obe Blanc (Stillwater, Okla./Gator WC) at 55 kg/121 lbs. He was defeated in the gold-medal match by Juan Ramirez of the Dominican Republic, 1-0, 2-1. Ramirez won the first period on a clinch. In the second period, Blanc led 1-0 and officials gave Ramirez a pushout with one second left to win. The U.S. protested but the call was upheld, and Ramirez got an additional point.

“I didn’t see (the point). I down know. The video didn’t show anything. I started out a little too late. His style is very defensive, blocking all the time. In the second period, I opened him up, but it was still too late. Lesson learned,” said Blanc.

Blanc was a 2010 U.S. World Team member. Ramirez was fifth in the 2011 Pan American Championships.

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

Capturing a bronze medal was Teyon Ware (State College, Pa./Nittany Lion WC) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. He won his bronze-medal match against Edison Hurtado of Colombia, 1-1, 4-1, 6-0. After losing the first period, Ware wore Hurtado down, winning a tight second period. He dominated the third period for a technical fall.

“I give myself a C for my wrestling. It let’s me know I have a long way to go. I told myself I had to fight back hard in the bronze match. He’s a strong guy, but strong guys get tired,” said Ware.

Ware opened by defeating 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.

U.S. coach Zeke Jones assessed the day for Team USA.

“It was good. We could have done a little better, but we are improving. Obe’s loss was a little hard, but the overall effort was good,” said Jones.

Two U.S. wrestlers will compete on Monday, the final day of the Pan American Games wrestling competition, 2011 World champion Jordan Burroughs (Lincoln, Neb./Sunkist Kids) at 74 kg/163 lbs. and 2011 World bronze medalist Jake Varner (State College, Pa./Nittany Lion WC) at 96 kg/211.5 lbs.

PAN AMERICAN GAMES
At Guadalajara, Mexico, Oct. 23

Men’s freestyle results

55 kg/121 lbs.
Gold – Juan Ramirez Beltre (Dominican Republic)
Silver – Obe Blanc (USA)
Bronze – Steven Takahashi (Canada)
Bronze – Juan Valverde Carreno (Ecuador)
5th – Luis Orantes (Guatemala)
6th – Andre Quispe Fajardo (Chile)
7th – Fernando Paredes Rojas (Venezuela)

66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Gold – Livan Lopez Azcuy (Cuba)
Silver – Pedro Soto Cordero (Puerto Rico)
Bronze – Teyon Ware (USA)
Bronze – Yoan Blanco Reinoso (Ecuador)
5th – Edison Hurtado Lerma (Colombia)
5th – Elvis Fuentes Blanco (Venezuela)
7th – Ryan Lue (Canada)
8th – Leon Marquez (Mexico)
9th – Fernando Carranza (Argentina) 

84 kg/185 lbs.
Gold – Jake Herbert (USA)
Silver – Humberto Arencibia Martinez (Cuba)
Bronze – Jeff Adamson (Canada)
Bronze – Jose Diaz Robertti (Venezuela)
5th – Adrian Jaoude (Brazil)
5th – Jaime Espinal (Puerto Rico)
7th – Roberto Espinosa Rivera (Panama)
8th – Alejandro Gallardo Ocampo (Mexico)

120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Gold - Tervel Dlagnev (USA)
Silver - Sunny Dhinsa (Canada)
Bronze - Disney Rodriguez (Cuba)
Bronze - Carlos Felix (Dominican Republic)
5th - Carlos Delgado (Ecuador)
5th - Edgardo Lopez (Puerto Rico)
7th - Antoine Jaoude (Brazil)
8th - Jesse Ruiz (Mexico)

U.S. men’s freestyle performances

55 kg/121 lbs. – Obe Blanc, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator WC), 2nd
WIN Steven Takahashi (Canada), 2-0, 6-0
LOSS. Juan Ramirez (Dominican Republic), 1-0, 2-1

66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Teyon Ware, State College, Pa. (Nittany Lion WC), 3rd
WIN Ryan Lue (Canada), 0-2, 1-0, 1-0
LOSS Livan Lopez (Cuba), 0-5, 1-4
WIN Edison Hurtado (Colombia), 1-1, 4-1, 6-0

84 kg/185 lbs. – Jake Herbert, Ann Arbor, Mich. (New York AC), 1st
WIN Jaime Espinal (Puerto Rico), 3-2, 2-0
WIN Jose Diaz (Venezuela), 1-0, 2-1
WIN Humberto Arencibia (Cuba), 1-0, 4-3

120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Tervel Dlagnev, Columbus, Ohio (Sunkist Kids), 1st
WIN Carlos Delgado (Ecuador), 6-0, 7-0
WIN Disney Rodriguez (Cuba), 1-0, 5-0
WIN Sunny Dhinsa (Canada), 2-0, 6-0