PANAMA CITY, Panama – Max Nowry (Wheeling, Ill./New York AC) won a gold medal at 55 kg/121 lbs., the top U.S. performance at the Pan American Greco-Roman Championships on Friday.

Nowry defeated Cristian Novas Feliz of Dominican Republic, 6-0, 2-1 in the gold-medal match. He defeated Abner Elel Vasquez of Guatemalaand  Jairo Medina Garcia of Venezuela to reach the finals. Nowry was a 2012 University World champion at this weight class.

Nowry was one of six U.S. wrestlers to win a medal, leading Team USA to the team title with 57 points, ahead of runner-up Cuba with 50 points and third place Dominican Republic with 49 points.

“It feels good to get a pretty big win for the U.S. Greco-Roman program,” said National Greco-Roman Coach Steve Fraser. “Being Pan Am champions, including Max Nowry’s gold-medal performance, made for a great day in Panama City. We had a lot of great successes today. We learned what we still need to improve on. Overall, we pulled together as a team to finish the finals round strong, winning five of the seven matches we were in. There were a lot of competitive matches, which made for a great Pan American Championships.”

Claiming a silver medal was Robbie Smith (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. Smith was defeated in the finals by Ramon Garcia of the Dominican Republic by pin. His other victories were over Juan Camacaro of Venezuela and Antonio Dos Santos of Brazil.

The U.S. also won five of its six bronze-medal matches during the night session. Bronze medalists for the United States, with victories on Friday night, were: 
• Jamel Johnson, Greensboro, N.C. (YES Wrestling) at 60 kg/132 lbs.
• Jake Fisher, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) at 74 kg/163 lbs.
• Jordan Holm, Minneapolis, Minn.(Minnesota Storm) at 84 kg/185 lbs.
• Caylor Williams, Melbourne, Fla. (YES Wrestling) at 96 kg/211.5 lbs.

Placing fifth for the United States was Ben Sanchez (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs.

Results from the Pan American Championships can be found online at:
http://www.fila-official.com/sites/ultimate/

The competition continues on Saturday with the women’s freestyle action. The U.S. had seven athletes weigh and and receive their draws on Friday. The draws are listed below.

PAN AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Panama City, Panama, April 5

Greco-Roman results

55 kg/121 lbs.
Gold – Max Nowry (USA)
Silver - Cristian Novas Feliz (Dominican Republic)
Bronze - Jairo Medina Garcia (Venezuela)
Bronze – Ali Soto Macias (Mexico)
5th - Abner Elel Vasquez (Guatemala)
5th – Cristobal Torres Nunez (Chile)

60 kg/132 lbs.
Gold – Ismael Borrero Molina (Cuba)
Silver - Diogo Romanelli (Brazil)
Bronze - Jamel Johnson (USA)
Bronze – Francisco Encarnacion (Dominican Republic)
5th - Victor Mendez Hidalgo (Mexico)
5th – Dilbes Colmenarez Granado (Venezuela)

66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Gold - Alexander Casal Hinojosa (Cuba)
Silver – Alexander Torres (Venezuela)
Bronze - Alvaro Hubiera Robles (Dominican Republic)
Bronze – Jair Cuero Munoz (Colombia)
5th - Ben Sanchez (USA)
5th – Adan Monte (Argentina)

74 kg/163 lbs.
Gold – Alexei Bel Caballero (Cuba)
Silver – Juan Escobar (Mexico)
Bronze - Jake Fisher (USA)
Bronze – Carlos Wally Figuaro (Puerto Rico)
5th - Mazimilano Prudenzano (Argentina)
5th – Joan Gomez Jimenez (Dominican Republic)

84 kg/185 lbs.
Gold – Gilberto Piquet Herrera (Cuba)
Silver – Alexander Brazon Bravo (Venezuela)
Bronze – Jordan Holm (USA)
Bronze – Jose Arias Paredes (Dominican Republic)
5th - Hanssel Salavador Mejia (Mexico)
5th – Ronisson Brandao Santiago (Brazil)

96 kg/211.5 lbs.
Gold – Yosmany Lugo Cabrera (Cuba)
Silver – Kevin Mejia Castillo (Honduras)
Bronze – Caylor Williams (USA)
Bronze – Erwin Caraballo Cabrera (Venezuela)
5th – Davi Albino (Brazil)
5th – Ricardo Cardenas Esquen (Peru)

120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Gold – Ramon Garcia (Dominican Republic)
Silver – Robbie Smith (USA)
Bronze – Antonio Dos Santos (Brazil)
Bronze – Edgardo Lopez Morell (Puerto Rico)
5th – Juan Camacaro (Venezuela)
5th – Andres Ayub Valenzuela (Chile)

U.S. Greco-Roman performances

55 kg/121 lbs. – Max Nowry, Wheeling, Ill. (New York AC), gold medal
WIN Abner Elel Vasquez (Guatemala), 0-1, 3-1, 3-0
WIN Jairo Medina Garcia (Venezuela), 1-0, 2-0
WIN Cristian Novas Feliz (Dominican Republic), 6-0, 2-1

60 kg/132 lbs. – Jamel Johnson, Greensboro, N.C. (YES Wrestling), bronze medal
WIN Jorge Mallqui Peche (Peru), 2-0, 3-1
WIN Juan Lopez Asparilla (Colombia), 2-0, 0-1, 5-1
LOSS Diogo Romanelli (Brazil), 0-1, 0-3
WIN Victor Mendez Hidalgo (Mexico), 1-3, 2-0, 4-0

66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Ben Sanchez, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC), 5th 
WIN Manuel Lopez Salcero (Mexico), 0-1, 3-2, 1-0
LOSS Alexander Casal Hinojosa (Cuba), 1-0, 1-1, 0-1
LOSS Alvaro Hubiera Robles (Dominican Republic), 2-0, 1-3, 2-0

74 kg/163 lbs. – Jake Fisher, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm), bronze medal
LOSS Alexei Bel Caballero (Cuba), 0-2, 0-1
WIN Mazimilano Prudenzano (Argentina), 2-0, 1-0

84 kg/185 lbs. – Jordan Holm, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm), bronze medal
WIN Guillermo Romero (Argentina), 7-0, 4-0
LOSS Gilberto Piquet Herrera (Cuba), 0-7, 1-5
WIN Kempton Aparacio Rodriguez (Panama), 1-0, 3-0
WIN Hanssel Salavador Mejia (Mexico), 6-0, 6-0

96 kg/211.5 lbs. – Caylor Williams, Melbourne, Fla. (YES Wrestling), bronze medal
WIN Jose Rocha Barron (Mexico), 3-0, 2-2, pin in 3rd
LOSS Kevin Mejia Castillo (Honduras), 0-4, 0-4
WIN Davi Albino (Brazil), 2-0, 3-1

120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Robbie Smith, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC), silver medal
WIN Juan Camacaro (Venezuela), 6-0, 1-0
WIN Antonio Dos Santos (Brazil), pin
LOSS Ramon Garcia (Dominican Republic), pin

Greco-Roman Team Standings
1. United States, 57 pts.
2. Cuba, 50 pts.
3. Dominican Republic, 49 pts.
4. Venezuela, 48 pts.
5. Mexico, 35 pts.
6. Brazil, 34 pts.
7. Puerto Rico, 23 pts.
8. Colombia, 21 pts.
9. Panama, 17 pts.
10. Argentina, 16 pts.
11. (tie) Honduras, 14 pts.
11. (tie) Chile, 14 pts.
13. Peru, 12 pts.
14. Guatemala, 6 pts.

U.S. women’s freestyle draws

48 kg/105.5 lbs. – Emily Webster, Sedalia, Mo. (OKCU Gator RTC)
Vs. Dannia Figueroa Duque (Colombia)

51 kg/112.25 lbs. – Haley Augello, Lockport, Ill. (New York AC)
Vs. Jessica MacDonald (Canada)

55 kg/121 lbs. – Sarah Hildebrandt, Granger, Ind. (King College)
Vs. Nesmarie Rodriguez Tirado (Puerto Rico)

59 kg/130 lbs. – Shauna Isbell, Flagstaff, Ariz. (Lindenwood)
Vs. Braxton Stone (Canada)

63 kg/138.75 lbs. – Jennifer Page, Orangevale, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC)
Vs. Natalia Rodriguez Luvando (Puerto Rico)

67 kg/147.5 lbs. – Julia Salata, Canton, Mich. (New York AC/King College)
Vs. Diana Miranda Gonzales (Mexico)

72 kg/158.5 lbs. – Brittney Roberts, Santa Fe, Texas (OKCU Gator RTC)
Vs. Vanessa Torres Batista (Dominican Republic)