CORALVILLE, Iowa – The “Golden State” lived up to its name today as California natives Katie Gomez, Adaugo Nwachukwu, and Precious Wieser went a perfect 9-0 to capture Pan American Gold for the United States. The dominant performance at Xtream Arena cemented Team USA’s reputation as the powerhouse of Women’s Freestyle Wrestling in the Americas.

The Road to Gold

Each athlete took a unique path to the top of the podium, showcasing technical precision and grit:

Katie Gomez (50 kg): Gomez made history as the first U.S. woman (and California native) to secure gold at this weight class. In a tactical final, she edged out Ecuador’s Jacqueline Mollocana Eleno—a six-time Pan Am medalist—with a 5-3 victory. The turning point came in the second period, where Gomez’s explosive low single-leg takedown provided the winning margin.

Adaugo Nwachukwu (62 kg): Nwachukwu’s gold was defined by redemption. Facing Mexico’s Melanie Jimenez Villalba—who had previously defeated Nwachukwu at the 2023 U20 World Championships—Adaugo left no doubt this time around. She bested Villalba twice: an 8-1 victory in the round-robin prelims followed by a disciplined 3-1 win in the gold medal match.

Precious Wieser (72 kg): Wieser was a force of nature in her round-robin bracket. She opened the day with a lightning-fast 44-second pin against Mexico’s Michelle Olea and secured the gold with a dominant 10-0 technical superiority win over Canada’s Elise Daynes.

What’s Next?

The American momentum looks to continue tomorrow as two more stars take to the mats:

Christelle Rodriguez (53 kg)

Zahid Valencia (86 kg)

Tune In: Competition begins tomorrow at 10:00 AM CT / 8:00 AM PT.

Photo Courtesy of John Sachs – Tech-Fall