2002 World Champion Dremiel Byers is among the top stars competing at the Pan American Qualifying event in Florida this weekend. Photo by Tony Rotundo Several Olympians and World medalists from around the Western Hemisphere will be on hand in Kissimmee, Fla. for the Pan American Wrestling Olympic Qualifying Tournament, March 23-25 at the Silver Spur Arena. The event is the second stage of the Olympic Games qualifying event. The top two place winners in each of the 18 Olympic weight classes will qualify their nation for the 2012 Olympic Games in London, England. There will be no true second-place matches, so the two wrestlers that advance to the finals will qualify their countries for the Olympics. The Pan American countries can only enter athletes in weight classes where they have not qualified for the Olympics. There are currently at least 15 teams registered to compete in the Pan American Qualifying event. The Canadians are sending a strong men’s freestyle team featuring 2008 Olympian Haislan Garcia, looking to qualify the 66 kg/145.5 lbs. weight class. 2008 Olympian and former NCAA champion for Stanford, Matthew Gentry, will try and qualify Canada in the 74 kg/163 lbs., class. Jarlys Mosquera, also a 2008 Olympian will try to qualify the 84 kg/185 lbs., class for Columbia. Brazil will send 2004 Olympian Adrian Abou Jaoude to attempt to qualify the 84 kg/185 lbs. class for Brazil. Another 2008 Olympian competing will be Luis Vivenes, who will try and qualify Venezuela at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. The Greco-Roman field will see 2004 Olympian Jansel Ramirez from the Dominican Republic at 60 kg/132 lbs., and Peru’s Sixto Barrera, a 2008 Olympian at 74 kg/163 lbs. Cuba will send 2008 Olympian Yunior Estrada Falcon to qualify the 96 kg/211.5 weight class while Venezuela will send 2000 and 2004 Olympian Rafael Barreno at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. Venezuela’s Mayelis Caripa, a 2008 Olympian will look to qualify the 48 kg/105.5 lbs., class for her country. Three-time World Champion, Martine Dugrenier will look to qualify Canada in women’s freestyle at 63 kg/138.5 lbs. Brazil will look to Junior World Champion silver medalist Aline da Silva Ferreira to qualify the 72 kg/158.5 lbs. class. The United States lineups have recently been announced, and a number of international stars will compete, including past World champions and Olympians Dremiel Byers at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. in Greco-Roman and Clarissa Chun at 48 kg/105.5 lbs. in women’s freestyle. 2005 World bronze medalist Justin Ruiz will compete at 96 kg/211.25 lbs. in Greco-Roman, and 2008 Olympian Spenser Mango is slated for 55 kg/121 lbs. in Greco-Roman. Tickets for this event are $25 for all sessions and $15 per day for adults. Tickets for youth ages 6-18 are $15 for all sessions and $10 per day. Children five and under will be admitted for free. Two more Olympic Games qualifiers will be held after the Pan American qualifier. The first will be in Taiyuan, China on April 27-29 and the second in Helsinki, Finland on May 4-6. Pan American Olympic Qualifying Tournament International Team Rosters Argentina Men’s Freestyle 60 kg Sebastian Perez 96 kg Yuri Maier Greco-Roman 66 kg Francisco Barrio 74 kg Maximiliano Prudenzano Women’s Freestyle 48 kg Paticia Bermudez 55 kg Romina Gonzalez 63 kg Luz Clara Vazquez Brazil Men’s Freestyle 84 kg Adrian Antoine Abou Jaoude 120 kg Antoine Braga Abou Jaoude Greco-Roman 60 kg Diego Ribeiro Romanelli 66 kg Angelo Marques Moreira 74 kg Daniel Alverez 96 kg Davi Albino Women’s Freestyle 48 kg Susana dos Santos 55 kg Joice Gsouza da silva 63 kg Dailane Gomes dos Reis 72 kg Aline da Silva Ferreira Canada Men’s Freestyle 55 kg David Tremblay 60 kg John Pineda 66 kg Haislan Garcia 74 kg Matthew Gentry 84 kg Jeff Adamson 96 kg Khetag Pliev 120 kg Arjan Bhullar Greco-Roman 66 kg Jack Bond 74 kg Shawn Daye-Finley 84 kg Eric Fuenekes 96 kg Korey Jarvis 120 kg Sunny Dhinsa Women’s Freestyle 63 kg Martine Dugrenier 72 kg Leah Callahan Chile Men’s Freestyle 55 kg Andre Quispe 66 kg Marcelo Castro 74 kg Eduardo Gajardo Greco-Roman 55 kg Cristobal Torres 120 kg Andres Ayub Columbia Men’s Freestyle 84 kg Jarlys Mosquera 96 kg Juan Esteban Martinez Greco-Roman 55 kg Juan Carlos Lopez 66 kg Ivan de Jesus Arango Duque 84 kg Cristian Mosquera 120 kg Victor Asprilla Women’s Freestyle 55 kg Leidy Cifuentes 72 kg Ana Talia Betancourt Cuba Men’s Freestyle 55 kg Luis Ibanez Rojas 60 kg Yowlys Bonne Rodriguez 74 kg Yunierky Blanco Mora 84 kg Humberto Martinez 96 kg Javier Cortina Lacerra 120 kg Disney Rodriguez Greco-Roman 55 kg Gustavo Balart Marin 60 kg Hanzel Meoque Lugones 74 kg Jorgisbel Alvarez Hernandez 84 kg Pablo Enrique Shorey Hernandez 96 kg Yunior Estrada Falcon Women’s Freestyle 55 kg Yamilka Del Valle Alvarez 63 kg Katerina Videuz Lopez 72 kg Lisset Echavarria Medina Dominican Republic Men’s Freestyle 60 kg Gabriel Garcia Sanchez 66 kg Angelo Mota Brea Greco-Roman 60 kg Jansel Ramirez 84 kg Jose Antonio Arias Paredes 120 kg Ramon Antonio Garcia Ecuador Men’s Freestyle 66 kg Yoan Blanco Reinoso Greco-Roman 55 kg Andres Roberto Montano Arroyo 60 kg Jefferson Walter Mayea Figueroa 66 kg Vincente Orlando Huacon Alvarado Women’s Freestyle 48 kg Katiuska Toaza Avelino 55 kg Lissette Alexandra Antes Castillo Guatemala Men’s Freestyle 55 kg Luis Orantes Carrascosa Honduras Greco-Roman 96 kg Kevin Mejia Mexico Men’ Freestyle 60 kg Guillermo Torres 74 kg Juan Chaparro 84 kg Alejandro Gallardo 96 kg Israel Silva Rios 120 kg Jesse Ruiz Greco-Roman 60 kg Manuel Lopez 66 kg Ulises Barragan 74 kg Juan Angel Escobar Women’s Freestyle 48 kg Guadalupe Perez 55 kg Alma Jane Valencia 63 kg Wendy Garcia 72 kg Diana Miranda Gonazalez Panama Men’s Freestyle 60 kg Moises Soto 66 kg Fernando Mendosa Greco-Roman 66 kg Albis Albino Almendra Jimenez Peru Men’s Freestyle 60 kg Abel Gerald Herrera Pastor 74 kg Pool Ambrocus Greifo Greco-Roman 60 kg Paul Sobrado 74 kg Sixto Barrera Women’s Freestyle 55 kg Jenny Vanesa Mallqui Suazo 63 kg Yanet Ursula Sollero Puerto Rico Men’s Freestyle 66 kg Pedro Soto 84 kg Jaime Espinal 120 kg Edgardo Lopez Greco-Roman 66 kg Daniel Soto 74 kg Otoniel Perez United States Men’s Freestyle 60 kg Shawn Bunch 66 kg Brent Metcalf Greco-Roman 55 kg Spenser Mango 60 kg Ellis Coleman 74 kg Andrew Bisek 84 kg Chas Betts 96 kg Justin Ruiz 120 kg Dremiel Byers Women’s freestyle 48 kg Clarissa Chun Venezuela Men’s Freestyle 60 kg Wilfredo Henriquez 66 kg Elvis Fuentes 74 kg Luillys Perez 84 kg Jose Diaz Robertti 96 kg Luis Vivenez 120 kg Luis Olivares Greco-Roman 55 kg Fernando Padres 66 kg Wuleixis Rivas 84 kg Yorgen Cova 96 kg Erwin Caraballo 120 kg Rafael Barreno Women’s Freestyle 48 kg Mayelis Caripa 55 kg Marcias Andrades 63 kg Gloria Zavala 72 kg Jaresmit Weffer Pan American Olympic Qualifying Tournament Event Schedule Kissimmee, Fla. Friday, March 23 1:00-5:00 PM - Qualification rounds and repechage GR - 55, 60, 66, 74, 84, 96 KG 5:30-6:00 PM - Opening Ceremony 6:00-8:00 PM - Finals GR - 55, 60, 66, 74, 84, 96 KG & Award Ceremonies Saturday, March 24 1:00-5:00 PM - Qualification rounds and repechage GR - 120; WM 48, 55, 63, 72; LL - 55 KG 6:00-8:00 PM - Finals GR - 120; WM 48, 55, 63, 72; FS - 55 KG & Award Ceremonies Sunday, March 25 1:00-5:00 PM - Qualification rounds and repechage FS-60, 66, 74, 84, 96, 120 KG 6:00-8:00 PM - Finals FS-60, 66, 74, 84, 96, 120 KG & Award Ceremonies