1999 Pan American Games Freestyle Wrestling Preview 
 International wrestling powers from the United States and Cuba are expected to battle for top honors at the freestyle wrestling competition at the 1999 Pan American Games in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, scheduled for July 27-28. 
 The United States team has dominated past Pan American Games freestyle wrestling events, and the 1999 squad is expected to continue the tradition. 
 The only U.S. team member with Pan American Games experience is Terry Brands at 58 kg/127.75 pounds, who won a gold medal at the 1995 Pan Am Games in Mar del Plata, Argentina. Brands is a two-time World Champion, with gold medals in 1993 and 1995. He was a two-time NCAA champion for the Univ. of Iowa. 
 Another top star on the squad is 1997 World Champion Les Gutches at 85 kg/187.25 pounds. Gutches was seventh in the 1996 Olympic Games, and has won four straight U.S. Nationals titles. Gutches was a two-time NCAA champion for Oregon State Univ. 
 Two other World medalists will be featured on the U.S. team: Cary Kolat  at 63 kg/138.75 pounds and Lincoln McIlravy at 152 pounds. 
 Kolat was a 1997 World silver medalist and 1998 World bronze medalist. He has won two World Cup gold medals, and was a 1998 Goodwill Games champion. He was a two-time NCAA champion for Lock Haven Univ. 
 McIlravy was a 1998 World bronze medalist. McIlravy, who has won three straight U.S. Nationals freestyle titles, also boasts two World Cup gold medals and a Goodwill Games title. He was a three-time NCAA champion at the Univ. of Iowa. 
 Four of the Pan American Games team members have captured the No. 1 position in the United States at their weight classes for the first time. They include Eric Akin at 119 pounds, Joe Williams at 167.5 pounds, Dominic Black at 213.75 pounds and Stephen Neal at 286 pounds. 
 Cuba has been the top challenger among the nations in the Western Hemisphere, and boasts an experienced team with tremendous talent. Although many of the team members have not competed in previous Pan American Games, most have earned medals at other major international events. 
 Leading the Cuban team will be 1998 World Champion Alexis Rodriguez at 130 kg/286 pounds and 1997 World Champion Wilfredo Garcia at 54 kg/119 pounds. Rodriguez was also second in the 1997 World Championships. Both wrestlers were Junior World Champions earlier in their careers. 
 1998 World bronze medalist Yoel Romero will be a top medal hopeful at 85 kg/187.25 pounds. Romero boasts two straight wins over U.S. rival Les Gutches, including a 1998 World Cup title. 
 Veteran Cuba stars with previous Pan American Games experience include Carlos Ortiz at 63 kg/138.75 pounds and Wilfredo Morales at 97 kg/213.75 pounds. Ortiz was third at the 1995 Pan American Games, while Morales was a 1995 Pan American Games champion.  
 Host Canada is expected to have a good showing in the freestyle competition, led by stars Giuvi Sissaouri at 58 kg/127.75 pounds and Daniel Igali at 69 kg/152 pounds. Sissauori has won World level medals for four straight years, including silver medals at the 1996 Olympics and 1995 World Championships and bronze medals at the 1997 and 1998 World Championships. Igali placed fourth in the 1998 World Championships. Both emigrated from other nations, with Sissauori coming from Georgia and Igali from Nigeria. 
 1995 Pan American Games silver medalist Paul Ragusa will compete for Canada at 54 kg/119 pounds, and 1987 Pan American Games silver medalist Gary Holmes will participate at 85 kg/187.25 pounds. 
 Puerto Rico will be led by two-time Pan American Games silver medalist Anibal Nieves at 63 kg/138.75 pounds. Nieves was an NCAA All-American at East Stroudsburg Univ. in Pennsylvania. Peru also boasts a former Pan American Games medalist in Lucio Vasquez at 97 kg/213.75 pounds, who won a bronze medal in Greco-Roman in 1995.  
 Colombia, Mexico and Venezuela have had solid performances in recent Pan American competitions and are expected to challenge for individual medals in Winnipeg.