LIMA, PERU • Will Denny, a product of Chicago Marist, traveled to Peru for the 2025 U20 Freestyle Pan-Am Championships last week and, by the time he left, his suitcase was one 74kg gold medal heavier.
The North Carolina State incoming freshman dominated his weight as he secured his gold via two technical superiorities and one fall.
Denny, who opened his Pan-Am tournament with a fall over Victor Soto of Puerto Rico; his fall came after already leading the bout, 7-0. In his semifinal bout, Denny would face and defeat Canada’s Nicholas Hooper, 12-2, before securing his second technical superiority in the finals, 11-0, over E; Salvador’s Kevin Aleman.
Overall, Team USA’s U20 squad came out of Peru with seven gold and two bronze medals and the team championship.
• TC LIFONTI / LEAD WRITER FOR ILLINOIS MATMEN / tclifonti.com
