Team Guam wrestlers all medal at Oceania Championships – Pacific Daily News

Jiane Castro, rcastro@guampdn.com 6:30 p.m. ChT March 14, 2017

The nine members sent to represent Guam are pictured with their coaches Tony Aquino (far-right) and Mariano Aquino (far-left) after competing in the 2017 Oceania Wrestling Championships this March in Tahiti. All members medaled in their respective divisions. (Photo: Courtesy of Guam Amateur Wrestli)

Nine wrestlers sent, nine medals won.

It was a heavy haul for Guam's wrestlers at the 2017 Oceania Wrestling Championships held over the weekend in Pirae, Tahiti.

"Congratulations to Team Guam," said Tony I. Aquino, president of the Guam Amateur Wrestling Federation. "Five women, four men, and all medaled."

The contest was held at the Institute of Youth and Sports of French Polynesia in Pirae, Tahiti. Nine Pacific nations sent 111 wrestlers to the competition, including teams from Palau, Australia, New Zealand and American Samoa.

The team's coaches, brothers Tony and Mariano Aquino, come from a family of longtime champions in judo and wrestling. In 1988, Mariano Aquino was Guam's youngest team member at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, South Korea.

Tony Aquino,who grew up doing judo on Guam and Japan, isthe president of the Guam Amateur Wrestling Federation, and has been head coachof the Simon Sanchez wrestling team for the last six years. He has coached both freestyleand Greco-Roman for men and women

Among the gold medalists for Guam are Tony Aquino's daughtersMia Lahnee and RckaelaAquino,also members of the Simon Sanchez girls wrestling team, which has won four straight Independent Interscholastic Athletic Association of Guamchampionships. Mia-Lahnee Aquino, and others on the team, are Olympic hopefuls.

Women:

Freestyle Cadet Division: 43kg - Tatiana Ananich (gold),49kg - Samantha Torres (gold),52kg - Adhara Balansay (gold)

Freestyle Junior Division: 48kg - Samantha Torres (silver),51kg - Adhara Balansay (gold),55kg - Mia Lahnee Aquino (gold),59kg - Rckaela Aquino (gold)

Freestyle Senior Division: 55kg - Mia Lahnee Aquino (gold), 58kg - Rckaela Aquino (silver)

Men:

Freestyle Cadet Division:69kg - Paul Aguon (silver)

Freestyle Junior Division: 66kg - Paul Aguon (gold)

Freestyle Senior Division:61kg - Drake Torres (bronze), 65kg - Ethan Aguigui (bronze),74kg - John Rojas (bronze)

Read more:

Team Guam wrestlers all medal at Oceania Championships - Pacific Daily News