Washington grad and incoming Illini wins gold for Team USA at international wrestling event
Kannon Webster has now won internationally.
The recent Washington grad and three-time Journal Star Wrestler of the Year took home gold at the U20 Pan American Championships in Santiago, Chile, this past Saturday. He cruised to the 65-kilogram (143.3 pounds) title with three tech falls, becoming one of nine Team USA members to secure gold.
"This was my first time like going and competing for Team USA," Webster told the USA Wrestling YouTube channel, "so I was super excited when I got the phone call and I immediately said, 'Yes. I'm like, yes, yes, yes. I want to go.'
"It's just a neat experience to go to a different country and represent Team USA ... I loved it. Hopefully, I get to come back and do this again."
This was the first appearance in the Pan Am championships for a Washington wrestler, said Panthers coach Nick Miller. From what Miller could surmise, Webster's performance was the same he's seen from the three-time state champion, who went 162-2 in his four-year prep career.
"... He was like he's been for four years at Washington," Miller said. "He was dominant."
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In the gold medal match, the incoming University of Illinois freshman beat Canada's Nathan Hunyady, 10-0. Webster had beaten Peru's Jose Benites, 10-0 in the semifinals and Esteban Alfaro of Chile in the quarterfinals.
When asked what worked for Webster in those matches, he credited those who had taught him wrestling.
"Same thing my coaches have always told me, 'Moving my feet. Moving my hands,' Webster told USA Wrestling YouTube channel. "Just kind of pushing my pace in matches and then get on top and get gut wrenches and so that's what's always worked for me and that's what I did."
Now, Webster heads to Fargo, North Dakota, and will participate in the Junior National Wrestling Championships. He plans to compete in both freestyle and Greco where he is the second-ranked wrestler in both styles.
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One of Webster's biggest takeaways from the Pan Am games was becoming more flexible.
"I actually think this trip was like pretty good for me," Webster told the USA Wrestling YouTube channel, "because I kind of like to have everything kind of in control and like everything thought through ... there's some things you can control and some things you can't, so I think this trip has really like opened my eyes."
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: U20 Pan Am Games wrestling: Washington, Illini recruit wins gold for Team USA
