Canadian Coles drops quarterfinal at wrestling qualifier without spectators

OTTAWA — Canada’s Daniel Coles fell 10-2 to Manuel Alejandro Lopez Salcedo of Mexico on Friday in quarterfinal action at an Olympic wrestling qualifier closed to spectators.

The Pan-American Olympic Qualification Tournament is going on without fans in the stands due to the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

United World Wrestling and Wrestling Canada Lutte announced in a release earlier Friday that the Pan-American Olympic qualification tournament at Ottawa’s Shaw Centre will still run through Sunday with only essential staff and limited family members in attendance.

An opening ceremony planned for 4 p.m. ET Friday was cancelled.

The event is one of the few still being held after the spread of COVID-19 led to mass cancellations of other tournaments and the suspension of major sports leagues worldwide.

Coles, of Bragg Creek, Alta., won his 67-kilogram qualifying round 7-1 over Nilton Gonzalo Marcos Soto Garcia of Peru.

Wrestlers need to finish in the top two in their weight-class to qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Five other Canadians competed Friday but were unable to win their opening matches.

Adam MacFadyen competed at 60 kg, John Yeats at 77 kg, Ioannis Narlidis at 87 kg, Thomas Barreiro at 97 kg, and Brad Hildenbrandt wrestled at 130 kg.

Erica Wiebe, an Ottawa native, is the reigning Olympic champion in the women’s 76 kg weight-class. She’s scheduled to fight for an Olympic berth on Saturday.

The men’s freestyle will go Sunday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 13, 2020.

The Canadian Press