U.S. Kicks Off Pan-American Championships with Six Greco Golds

The United States secured six gold medals across eight Greco-Roman weight classes on May 8 at the 2026 Pan-American Wrestling Championships. Cuba won the remaining two gold medals.

At 130kg, Cohlton Schultz (USA) defeated Oscar Pino (CUB) with a 1-1 criteria win. Schultz scored the first passivity point. Both wrestlers attempted throws from the top position, with Schultz attempting a front headlock throw and Pino a gut-wrench. Neither wrestler completed their move. This marked Schultz's first Pan-American gold.

Beka Melelashvili (USA) defeated Daniel Gregorich (CUB) 8-6 in the 87kg final. Melelashvili established a 7-0 lead from a par terre position. Gregorich scored two points from a danger hold. In the second period, Gregorich executed a headlock throw for four points, but Melelashvili scored a reversal, leading 8-6 with 42 seconds remaining. Melelashvili maintained the lead. He had previously defeated Gregorich 1-1 on criteria in the Nelson bracket earlier in the day.

Joel Adams (USA) defeated Oscar Barrios (HON) 10-1 in the 77kg final. Adams scored a four-point throw and another four-point throw from par terre. A challenge by Honduras regarding the second throw resulted in it being changed to five points.

At 82kg, Kamal Bey (USA) defeated Diego Macias (MEX) 9-1. Bey scored four points by pushing Macias out of bounds. He led 5-1 at the break. In the second period, Bey executed a body throw, ending the bout 9-1.

Landon Drury (USA) won the 63kg gold medal, and Max Nowry (USA) won the 55kg gold medal. Both athletes won all their round-robin bouts. Drury defeated Jeremy Peralta (ECU) 9-3 in his first bout. Nowry, competing internationally after four years, secured his fourth Pan-American title. He won all three 55kg round-robin bouts via technical superiority.

Luis Orta (CUB) defeated Otto Black (USA) 5-3 in the 67kg final. Orta scored a stepout and a passivity call. He then scored two points with a high gut-wrench. A second turn was canceled due to an offensive leg foul. Black scored a two-point turn from par terre in the second period, reducing Orta's lead to 4-3. Orta was awarded one point for a stepout. Per United World Wrestling, this victory extended Orta's unbeaten streak at Pan-Ams to 16 wins. He has outscored opponents 99-15 in those matches.

Kevin De Armas (CUB) defeated Clisman Carracedo (ECU) 11-0 in the 60kg final. De Armas scored two front headlock turns for a 4-0 lead. From par terre, he secured two points with a high gut-wrench. He then executed a four-point throw, resulting in a technical superiority win.

Medal results for day one of the 2026 Pan-American Wrestling Championships: * 55kg: Gold: Max NOWRY (USA); Silver: Isaac MARIN MATA (MEX); Bronze: Moises PERALTA GONZALEZ (ECU) * 60kg: Gold: Kevin DE ARMAS (CUB) def. Clisman CARRACEDO (ECU), 11-0; Bronze: Pedro DE SOUZA (BRA) def. Carlos HERRERA (VEN), 5-3; Bronze: Yerony LIRIA (DOM) def. Abel SANCHEZ (PER), 10-1 * 63kg: Gold: Landon DRURY (USA); Silver: Jeremy PERALTA (ECU); Bronze: Angel SEGURA (MEX) * 67kg: Gold: Luis ORTA (CUB) def. Otto BLACK (USA), 5-3; Bronze: Nilton SOTO (PER) def. Irving SALAZAR (MEX), 5-5; Bronze: Julian HORTA (COL) def. Jose VARELA (GUA), 9-0 * 77kg: Gold: Joel ADAMS (USA) def. Oscar BARRIOS (HON), 10-1; Bronze: Eduardo BERNAL (CHI) def. Justin BOYCE (BAR), 8-0; Bronze: Joilson DE BRITO (BRA) def. David CHOC HUOC (GUA), 3-1 * 82kg: Gold: Kamal BEY (USA) def. Diego MACIAS (MEX), 9-1 * 87kg: Gold: Beka MELELASHVILI (USA) def. Daniel GREGORICH (CUB), 8-6; Bronze: Luis AVENDANO (VEN) def. Johan BATISTA (DOM), via inj. def. * 130kg: Gold: Cohlton SCHULTZ (USA) def. Oscar PINO (CUB), 1-1; Bronze: James FORD (PUR) def. Jose NUNEZ (DOM), via fall; Bronze: Guilherme EVANGELISTA (BRA) def. Tyrece THOMPSON (JAM), via fall