By Zack Chavez
USA Wrestling

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil – The women’s freestyle competition concluded Friday at the 2026 U20 Pan American Championships inside the Physical Education Center Admiral Adalberto Nunes (CEFAN) in Rio de Janeiro. The U.S. finished the day with 10 medalists, the team title, and the Golden Boot award, presented to Molly Allen in the 57 kg weight class.

Allen, Kailey Benson, May Cuyler and Gretchen Donally are all winners of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame's Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award.

Allen was spectacular throughout the day, finishing 5-0 with three technical falls, one pin and a 12-4 decision. She outscored her opponents 47-4, with those four points coming against Brazil in the preliminary rounds. She needed less than two minutes to seal her title run, doing so with a takedown and a turn in the finals against Colombia’s Ana Vergara Gil.

Aubree Gutierrez was unstoppable in the 53 kg bracket, pinning each of her three opponents to claim gold. Her statement victory came in the championship match, when she flattened her Brazilian opponent in the opening moments of the second period, silencing the home crowd. With the tournament win, Gutierrez clinched her second Pan American Championship title of the year, following her U17 title in April.

Marlee Solomon (55 kg) wrapped up the day with four dominant wins—three by technical fall and one by pin. She began the tournament with a pin over Panama’s Milagros Salgado Rios within the first 30 seconds. Solomon then shut out her next three opponents, including a finals match against Peru’s Ariana Saenz Abanto, who finished fifth at the 2026 U23 Pan American Championships.

In addition to Allen, Gutierrez and Solomon, Sarissa Tucker (50 kg), Maddie Marsh (65 kg), Donally (72 kg), and Jael Miller (76 kg) also earned gold medals. Carley Ceshker and Cuyler finished the day with silver in the 62 kg and 68 kg divisions, respectively. Benson pinned Colombia’s Susana Sanchez Carvajal in the bronze-medal match, bringing the U.S. medal haul to 10.

The U.S. led the team standings with 230 points after finishing the day with a 34-3 individual match record. Brazil was second with 174 points, while Canada took third with 121 points. Mexico finished fourth with 95 points, followed by Colombia in fifth with 85 points.

Archived matches from the event are available to the U.S. audience through FloWrestling. Final brackets are hosted on UWW Arena.

2026 U20 Pan American Championships  

At Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, July 10 

Reference Links  

• Event website

• Live stream

• Brackets and results

• Photo Gallery

Women’s Freestyle Results  

Team Rankings  

1. United States

2. Brazil

3. Canada

4. Mexico

5. Colombia

6. Puerto Rico

7. Guatemala

8. Peru

9. Ecuador

10. Panama

Weight Class Rankings  

50 kg  

Gold – Sarissa Tucker (United States)

Silver – Kayla Batres (Guatemala)

Bronze – Victoria Stefanov (Canada)

4 – Heklanys Rivera Quiles (Puerto Rico)

5 – Gabriela Palacios Hernandez (Mexico)

6 – Giovanna Cincinato Pimenta (Brazil)

7 – Valeria Alvarea Agurto (Ecuador)

Gold – Sarissa Tucker (United States) dec. Kayla Batres (Guatemala), 9-2

Bronze – Victoria Stefanov (Canada) dec Heklanys Rivera Quiles (Puerto Rico), 6-6

53 kg  

Gold – Aubree Gutierrez (United States)

Silver – Evily Bernardino Wong (Brazil)

Bronze – Mariana Duarte Gomez (Colombia)

Bronze – Siria Gamboa Rodriguez (Guatemala)

5 – Mylie Baccari (Canada)

5 – Aneishka Santos Baez (Puerto Rico)

7 – Montserrat Hernandez Gomez (Mexico)

8 – Yenifer Camargo Saucedo (Panama)

Gold – Aubree Gutierrez (United States) fall Evily Bernardino Wong (Brazil), 3:35

Bronze – Mariana Duarte Gomez (Colombia) fall Mylie Baccari (Canada), 1:28

Bronze – Siria Gamboa Rodriguez (Guatemala) dec. Aneishka Santos Baez (Puerto Rico), 6-2

55 kg  

Gold – Marlee Solomon (United States)

Silver – Ariana Saenz Abanto (Peru)

Bronze – Elizabeth Chapman (Canada)

Bronze – Maria Dechico Satiro (Brazil)

5 – Alejandra Serrano Roa (Colombia)

5 – Sharon Mackepeace Merino (Guatemala)

7 – Ashley Diaz (Puerto Rico)

8 – Sofia Luna Ortega (Mexico)

9 – Milagros Salgado Rios (Panama)

Gold – Marlee Solomon (United States) tech. fall Ariana Saenz Abanto (Peru), 10-0

Bronze – Elizabeth Chapman (Canada) dec. Alejandra Serrano Roa (Colombia), 8-3

Bronze – Maria Dechico Satiro (Brazil) dec. Sharon Mackepeace Merino (Guatemala), 6-5

57 kg 

Gold – Molly Allen (United States)

Silver – Ana Vergara Gil (Colombia)

Bronze – Myla Blackshaw (Canada)

4 – Tilly Kakuk (Puerto Rico)

5 – Isabella Da Silva (Brazil)

6 – Ivanna Lopez Rodriguez (Mexico)

7 – Jeanice Maejia Hawes (Panama)

Gold – Molly Allen (United States) tech. fall Ana Vergara Gil (Colombia), 11-0

Bronze – Myla Blackshaw (Canada) dec. Tilly Kakuk (Puerto Rico), 10-7

59 kg 

Gold – Jania Dunigan (Puerto Rico)

Silver – Kai Pare (Canada)

Bronze – Cindell Casusol Casas (Peru)

Bronze – Kailey Benson (United States)

5 – Rayssa De Souza Alvez (Brazil)

5 – Susana Sanchez Carvajal (Colombia)

7 – Meissy Valdez Obando (Guatemala)

8 – Melany Ruiz Guerrero (Mexico)

Gold – Jania Dunigan (Puerto Rico) dec. Kai Pare (Canada), 8-3

Bronze – Cindell Casusol Casas (Peru) fall Rayssa De Souza Alvez (Brazil), 5:34

Bronze – Kailey Benson (United States) fall Susana Sanchez Carvajal (Colombia), 4:18

62 kg 

Gold – Evilly Jesus Costa (Brazil)

Silver – Carley Ceshker (United States)

Bronze – Leiddy Acuna Penaranda (Ecuador)

4 – Abril Urban Santos (Mexico)

5 – Allison Valdez Obando (Guatemala)

6 – Taylor Engelen (Canada)

Gold – Evilly Jesus Costa (Brazil) tech. fall Carley Ceshker (United States), 11-1

Bronze – Leiddy Acuna Penaranda (Ecuador) tech. fall Abril Urban Santos (Mexico), 12-2

65 kg 

Gold – Maddie Marsh (United States)

Silver – Beatriz Calasans Camargo (Brazil)

Bronze – Shantallee Barrios Bonalde (Colombia)

4th – Valeria Perez Pacheco (Mexico)

Round-robin bracket: Marsh (3-0), Calasans Camargo (2-1), Barrios Bonalde (1-2), Perez Pacheco (0-3)

68 kg 

Gold – Mayara Neper Oliveira Santos (Brazil)

Silver – May Cuyler (United States)

Bronze – Mackenzie Cayer (Canada)

4th – Leyla Mallqui Hinostroza (Peru)

5th – Elide Castanon Buendia (Mexico)

Round-robin bracket: Neper Oliveira Santos (4-0), Cuyler (3-1), Cayer (2-2), Mallqui Hinostroza (1-3), Castanon Buendia (0-4)

72 kg 

Gold – Gretchen Donally (United States)

Silver – Rayne Alves Da Silva (Brazil)

Bronze – Nicol Hurtado Castillo (Colombia)

4th – Jolina Healey (Canada)

5th – Jennifer Olmedo (Mexico)

Round-robin bracket: Donally (4-0), Alves Da Silva (3-1), Hurtado Castillo (2-2), Healey (1-3), Olmedo (0-4)

76 kg 

Gold – Jael Miller (United States)

Silver – Sophia Perez Bassino (Brazil)

Bronze – Paola Rodriguez Guzman (Puerto Rico)

4th – Edna Jimenez Villalba (Mexico)

5th – Clara Smithanik (Canada)

Round-robin bracket records: Miller (4-0), Perez Bassino (2-2), Rodriguez Guzman (2-2), Jimenez Villalba (1-3), Smithanik (1-3)

U.S. Women’s Freestyle Results  

50 kg – Sarissa Tucker (Midland, Va./Legacy Dragons Wrestling), gold medal

WIN Giovanna Cincinato Pimenta (Brazil), fall, 1:24

WIN Kayla Batres (Guatemala), dec., 9-2

WIN Heklanys Rivera Quiles (Puerto Rico), fall, 1:29

WIN Kayla Batres (Guatemala), dec., 9-2

53 kg – Aubree Gutierrez (Norwalk, Calif./Surfside X Wrestling), gold medal

WIN Siria Gamboa Rodriguez (Guatemala), fall, 2:52

WIN Aneishka Santos Baez (Puerto Rico), fall, 1:29

WIN Evily Bernardino Wong (Brazil), fall, 3:35

55 kg – Marlee Solomon (McDonald, Penn./Team Pennsylvania), gold medal

WIN Milagros Salgado Rios (Panama), fall, 0:25

WIN Alejandra Serrano Roa (Colombia), tech. fall, 10-0

WIN Elizabeth Chapman (Canada), tech. fall, 11-0

WIN Ariana Saenz Abanto (Peru), tech. fall, 10-0

57 kg – Molly Allen (Council Bluffs, Iowa/Cowgirls WC), gold medal

WIN Ivanna Lopez Rodriguez (Mexico), tech. fall, 10-0

WIN Myla Blackshaw (Canada), fall, 1:58

WIN Isabella Da Silva (Brazil), dec. 12-4

WIN Tilly Kakuk (Puerto Rico), tech. fall, 10-0

WIN Ana Vergara Gil (Colombia), tech. fall, 11-0

59 kg – Kailey Benson (Cottleville, Mo./Cowgirls WC), bronze medal

LOSS Jania Dunigan (Puerto Rico), dec. 4-3

WIN Susana Sanchez Carvajal (Colombia), fall, 4:18

62 kg – Carley Ceshker (Lake Geneva, Wis./B.A.M. Training Center), silver medal

WIN Allison Valdez Obando (Guatemala), fall 1:31

WIN Leiddy Acuna Penaranda (Ecuador), fall, 4:15

WIN Abril Urban Santos (Mexico), tech. fall, 11-0

LOSS Evilly Jesus Costa (Brazil), tech. fall, 11-1

65 kg – Maddie Marsh (Markleville, Ind./Red Cobra Wrestling Academy), gold medal

WIN Beatriz Calasans Camargo (Brazil), dec. 3-2

WIN Valeria Perez Pacheco (Mexico), fall, 1:11

WIN Shantallee Barrios Bonalde, Colombia, tech. fall, 10-0

68 kg – May Cuyler (Bristow, Va./Vision Wrestling), silver medal

WIN Mackenzie Cayer (Canada), tech. fall, 10-0

WIN Elide Castanon Buendia (Mexico), tech. fall, 10-0

WIN Leyla Mallqui Hinostroza (Peru), tech. fall, 10-0

LOSS Mayara Neper Oliveira Santos (Brazil), dec. 7-4

72 kg – Gretchen Donally (Ballantine, Mont./Colorado Mesa WC), gold medal

WIN Jolina Healey (Canada), tech. fall, 10-0

WIN Nicol Hurtado Castillo (Colombia), fall, 4:42

WIN Jennifer Olmedo (Mexico), fall, 2:24

WIN Rayne Alves da Silva (Brazil), dec. 5-3

76 kg – Jael Miller (Smicksburg, Pa./Cardinal WC), gold medal

WIN Sophia Perez Bassino (Brazil), tech. fall, 12-2

WIN Edna Jimenez Villalba (Mexico), med. forfeit

WIN Paola Mia Rodriguez Guzman (Puerto Rico), dec. 2-0

WIN Clara Smithanik (Canada), fall, 1:46