90KG Champion Earns Caribbean Respect
Bridgetown, Barbados– Jabari Irons of the United States pushed 3X Pan-American Champion Yurieski Torreblanca of Cuba to the brink in the Grand Championship semi-finals, but Torreblanca scored a late point that propelled him to victory, setting up a finals match with last year’s Barbados Open Grand Champion Charlie Bowing (80kg) of England.
In the end Torreblanca showed why he is one of the top wrestlers in the world, winning 3-0 over Bolwing to take home the Grand Championship for this year’s Open.
70KG was won by home crowd favorite Kwami Inniss of Barbados won a very tough 70kg bracket by virtue of a spectacular three pointer against Shiaeine Blake of Jamaica.
The tournament kicked off the 2023 Barbados Olympic Association Independence Games, which also includes beach volleyball, cycling, gymnastics and weightlifting.
Two other American athletes competed in the event. Gabe Rangel won a tough 1-0 over eventual 90+kg silver medalist Aiden McVeigh of Canada, but was forced to injury default his final pool match, handing the pool victory to McVeigh. In the other 90kg+ pool Akmet Azizov of the United State scored a 4-1 victory over Mathew Arindell of Barbados, but fell to eventual champion Torreblanca and 90kg+ bronze medalist Tyrece Thompson of Barbados to finish 3rd in his pool.
This was the 2nd annual Barbados Beach Wrestling Open Championships, and Iron’s was the first ever US champion in the event.
