Cowboy Regional Training Center wrestlers Wyatt Hendrickson and Zahid Valencia won gold medals at the Pan American Championships, according to a May 11 announcement. Both athletes successfully defended their titles over the weekend in Coralville, Iowa.
The event highlights continued success for Oklahoma State wrestling alumni on the international stage. These victories add to the growing list of achievements for Cowboy RTC competitors.
Hendrickson, a former Oklahoma State NCAA champion and Hodge Trophy winner, dominated the 125-kilogram division. He pinned Mexico’s Brandon Anguiano Flores in just 30 seconds during the quarterfinals before earning a technical fall victory over Brazil’s Gabriel De Sousa Silva in under a minute. In the finals, Hendrickson pinned Canada’s Jorawar Dhinsa in less than two minutes to secure his title. Earlier this spring, he also claimed a U.S. Open championship.
Valencia defended his gold medal by defeating Christopher Foca Mejia of the Dominican Republic with a technical fall in three minutes and twenty-eight seconds. On his way to the final match, Valencia also beat Nestor Barrios and Pedro Goncalves Da Silva.
Both Hendrickson and Valencia are now preparing for Final X 2026 on June 19 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
For ongoing updates about Oklahoma State wrestling, fans can visit okstate.com or follow @CowboyWrestling on Instagram and X.
