Cuba claimed five men’s freestyle gold medals to cap off an outstanding performance at the Pan American Olympic Games wrestling qualifier in Frisco, Texas today ©UWW

Cuba claimed five men’s freestyle gold medals to cap off an outstanding performance at the Pan American Olympic Games wrestling qualifier in Frisco, Texas, today.

Yowlys Bonne Rodriguez, Alejandro Valdes Tobier, Livan Lopez Azcuy, Reineris Salas Perez and Javier Cortina Lacerra all triumphed at the Dr. Pepper Arena in their respective categories.

They had already earned berths at this year’s Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro by reaching the finals, with the top two finishers in each of the six men’s freestyle weight classes clinching spots.

Bonne Rodriguez, a 2014 world bronze medallist, powered to a 10-0 technical fall over the United States’ Tony Ramos in the 57 kilogram finals.

The Cuban has now beaten Ramos on three occasions in the last two years, each time on US soil.

Valdes Tobier opened up a close match in the second period to down 2011 world silver medallist Franklin Gomez Matos of Puerto Rico 8-3 in the finals at 65kg.

Lopez Azcuy, an London 2012 Olympic bronze medallist, won by medical forfeit over Colombia’s Carlos Izquierdo Mendez in the finals at 74 kg.

Cuba were a cut above the opposition today
Cuba were a cut above the opposition today ©UWW

Salas Perez, a two-time world silver medallist, rallied to down London 2012 Olympic silver medallist Jaime Espinal of Puerto Rico in the finals at 86 kg.

The 28-year-old trailed 4-1 at the break before turning up the pressure with a series of leg attacks to come back for a 6-4 win.

Cortina Lacerra used a strong second period to overcome Venezuela’s Jose Diaz Robertti 3-1 in the finals at 97kg.

In the day's only other final, London 2012 Olympian Tervel Dlagnev of the US, a two-time world bronze medallist, rolled to a 10-0 technical win over Canada’s Korey Jarvis in the finals at 125kg.

Dlagnev was wrestling close to home having grown up in nearby Arlington. 

Pan American countries landed just two Olympic berths in men’s freestyle during the 2015 World Championships in Las Vegas. 

Those came with Americans Jordan Burroughs and Kyle Snyder winning world titles at 74kg and 97kg respectively. 

There will be two more Olympic Games qualifiers after the Pan American Olympic qualifier; one in Mongolia in April and another in Turkey in May.

The Greco-Roman competition in Frisco is set for tomorrow.