 Mexico City, Mexico — Derek Guanajuato delivered a dominant performance to claim the 61kg men’s freestyle title at the 2026 Mexican National Wrestling Championship, solidifying his position among the nation’s elite.
Held in Mexico City, the championship serves as a premier selection event for Mexico’s national team, featuring the country’s top freestyle, Greco-Roman, and women’s wrestlers. Guanajuato secured the title in emphatic fashion, sweeping his best-of-three finals series over De La Cruz, 2-0 (11-0, FFT). His performance further strengthens his standing within Mexico’s national team picture and builds momentum as he continues to emerge on the international freestyle stage. Representing the Tar Heel Wrestling Club, Guanajuato continues to compete at a high level for both club and country, adding another significant milestone to an already impressive resume.
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Derek Guanajuato to Compete at 61kg Men’s Freestyle at 2026 Mexican National Wrestling Championship4/13/2026  Mexico City, Mexico — Derek Guanajuato is set to compete in the 61kg Freestyle division at the 2026 Mexican National Wrestling Championship.
The national championship, organized under the Mexican Wrestling Federation, will take place April 18th, in Mexico City. The event brings together top wrestlers from across the nation in both Freestyle, Greco-Roman, and Women’s Wrestling, serving as a key event for national ranking and selection process for the Mexican national team Event Details: Dates: April 18th, 2026 Location: Mexico City, Mexico Division: Men’s Freestyle – 61 kg TAR HEEL WRESTLING CLUB SENDING A CONTINGENT TO THE USAW LAS VEGAS U.S. OPEN and u20 nationals3/31/2026  April 2026 — The Tar Heel Wrestling Club is preparing to compete at the 2026 USAW Las Vegas U.S. Open, featuring Senior Greco, Freestyle, and U20 competition. With national team implications on the line, these athletes will take the mat against the best in the country in pursuit of international opportunities.
Competition kicks off April 23rd and 24th, when Omaury Alvarez and Tyler Eischens will compete in the Senior Greco-Roman World Team Trials at 77kg. Alvarez enters the tournament with a chance to secure his place on the U.S. World Team, as the winner of this division earns a spot on the Greco Roman USA world team. On April 24th and 25th, Nolan O’Boyle, will compete in the Senior Freestyle U.S. Open at 86kg and Justin Benjamin, competing at 70kg. For O'Boyle and Benjamin, a championship performance would earn a spot at Final X, where he would compete for a position on the U.S. World Team. The focus then shifts to on April 25th and 26th, as the U20 Freestyle Nationals start: Matthew Botello (61kg FR) Nate Askew (70kg FR) Ben Ziola (74KG) Mick Moylan (92kg FR) Lincoln Jipp (97kg GR/92kg FR) Robert Platt (97kg FR) Jacob Levy (125kg FR) At the U20 level, the stakes remain high. The Champion will represent the USA at the U20 Pan Am Championships in Brazil later this year. They also will earn the right to sit out in the best of 3 series at the World Team Trials in May slated for Geneva, OH.  Tar Heel WC saw successes at the Central American and Caribbean Games Qualifier. Chris Foca brought home a silver medal at 86KG representing Domincan Republic. Ethan Ramos also saw success at 86kg earning a bronze medal for Puerto Rico. And Shannon Hanna saw a bronze medal finish at 65KG for Bahamas.
 The Tar Heel Wrestling Club announced that Brian Tucker will join as Director of Kid's Club, Camps, and Clinics.
"I am excited for this opportunity. The Tar Heel brand is second to none and I am honored to be part of a program with such a strong tradition. " Tucker was previously a former Head Coach for NCAA Division 2 Seton Hill University. He brings a wealth of experience in athlete development, program building, and leadership to the Tar Heel Wrestling Club. During his tenure at Seton Hill University, Tucker led the program with a strong emphasis on technical excellence, discipline, and character development, helping shape student - athletes both on and off the mat. Tucker's teams saw success as they amassed 81 dual meet victories, National Dual runner -up finish, two conference runner - up finishes, a NCAA National runner - up, three NCAA All - Americans, and 24 NCAA National Qualifiers. In this role Tucker will oversee the Kid's Wrestling Club while also leading the organization's camps and clinics. His focus will be on creating a clear developmental pathway for young wrestlers, emphasizing the fundamentals and safe training practices that build confidence and long - term success in the sport. His leadership will look to elevate the kid's program and expand opportunities for wrestlers across the region. |
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THWC is a USA Wrestling chartered club and an official U.S. Olympic Regional Training Center site that operates in accordance with all NCAA, USA Wrestling, and U.W.W rules and regulations.