SIX U.S. GRECO-ROMAN WRESTLERS QUALIFY FOR FINALS IN PAN AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS IN SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICOSix U.S. Greco-Roman wrestlers qualified for the gold-medal finals at the 1997 Pan American Wrestling Championships at the Pedrin Zorrilla Coliseum in San Juan, Puerto Rico, May 22.
The U.S. finalists will be Broderick Lee (Portland, Ore./Peninsula WC) at 119 pounds, James Gruenwald (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 127.75 pounds, Kevin Bracken (Dekalb, Ill./New York AC) at 138.75 pounds, Chris Saba (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 152 pounds, Matt Lindland (Lincoln, Neb./Sunkist Kids) at 167.5 pounds and Rulon Gardner (Phoenix, Ariz./Sunkist Kids) at 275.5 pounds.
All will face opponents from Cuba in gold-medal matches on Friday, May 23.
The tournament features the top wrestling athletes from nations in North, South and Central America. This event is held three out of every four years, and is not held the year that the Pan American Games are hosted.
Lee won two bouts, including a 6-1 decision over David Ochoa of Venezuela in the semifinals. He will face Lazaro Rivas of Cuba in the gold-medal finals.
Gruenwald edged Armando Fernandez of Mexico, 3-2 in the opening bout, then stopped Luis Cortes of Colombia, 10-1 in the semifinals. He will face Luis Sarmiento of Cuba in the finals.
Bracken scored impressive technical falls in both of his bouts, stopping Sebastian Manito of Uruguay, 12-0 and Tomiaki Castillo of Panama, 11-1. His opponent in the finals will be Juan Maren of Cuba.
Saba won twice, including an 11-0 technical fall over Yarli Patino of Venezuela in the semifinals. He will battle Liubal Colas of Cuba in the finals.
Lindland scored a pair of technical falls, beating Ruben Cedres of Uruguay, 12-1 and Elias Marcano of Venezuela, 11-1. He will battle 1996 Olympic Champion Filiberto Azcuy of Cuba in the finals. Lindland beat Azcuy in the finals of the 1996 World Cup event in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Gardner won his only bout, by disqualification over Edwin Millet of Puerto Rico, in 4:01. He will face 1992 Olympic Champion Hector Millian of Cuba in the gold-medal match. Gardner beat Millian in the finals of the 1996 World Cup, but Millian defeated Gardner in an international event in Cuba in February.
The other two U.S. team members dropped a match, but have qualified for the bronze medal match: Tod Giles (Nanuet, N.Y./New York AC) at 187.25 pounds. and Randy Couture (Corvallis, Ore./Sunkist Kids) at 213.75 pounds. Both were defeated by Cuban opponents in the semifinals.
Cuba won all of their matches on Thursday, placing all eight team members in the gold medal finals.
The U.S. Greco-Roman team is coached by Jim Hall of Syracuse, N.Y. and Dan Mello of Quantico, Va.
The Pan American Championships Women's Championships will be held Friday, May 23. The Pan American Freestyle Championships are set for Saturday, May 24 and Sunday, May 25.
1997 PAN AMERICAN GRECO-ROMAN CHAMPIONSHIPS at San Juan, Puerto Rico, May 22
U.S. performances
119 - Broderick Lee, Portland, Ore. - won by tech. fall over Julio Maldonado, 10-0; dec. David Ochoa, Venezuela, 6-1
127.75 - James Gruenwald, Colorado Springs, Colo. - dec. Armando Fernandez, Mexico, 3-2; dec. Luis Cortes, Columbia, 10-1
138.75 - Kevin Bracken, Dekalb, Ill. - won by tech. fall over Sebastian Manito, Uruguay, 12-0; won by tech. fall over Tomiaki Castillo, Panama, 11-1
152 - Chris Saba, Colorado Springs, Colo. - dec. Manuel Rodriguez, Puerto Rico, 3-0; won by tech. fall over Yarli Patino, Venezuela, 11-0
167.5 - Matt Lindland, Lincoln, Neb. - won by tech. fall over Ruben Cedres, Uruguay, 12-1; won by tech. fall over Elias Marcano, Venezuela, 11-1
187.25 - Tod Giles, Nanuet, N.Y. - won by tech. fall over Eduardo Ortiz, Puerto Rico, 10-0; lost by pin to Luis Mendez, Cuba, 3:40
213.75 - Randy Couture, Corvallis, Ore. - pin Daniel Iglesias, Argentina, 0:40; lost dec. to Reynaldo Pena, Cuba, 3-2, ot
275.5 - Rulon Gardner, Phoenix, Ariz. - won by disq. over Edwin Millet, Puerto Rico, 4:01