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Former Oklahoma State wrestling standout Chandler Rogers pinned Guzman Velazquez of Puerto Rico in under a minute to win freestyle gold at 79 kilograms (174 pounds) at the Pan American Championships on Saturday in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Chandler Rogers is taking the assassin around the globe. He's coming home with a Pan Am gold at 79 kilograms. pic.twitter.com/eDRGzACyEO
— Trackwrestling (@trackwrestling) April 20, 2019
Earlier in the day, Rogers recorded a 51-second 10-0 technical fall against Jasmit Phulka of Canada in his first senior-level match then posted a 8-6 decision over Santiago Martinez Restrepo of Colombia.
With the tournament win, Rogers qualifies for the World Team Trials in May in Raleigh, North Carolina. This weekend’s tournament is also a ranking tournament for this year’s Senior World Championships and Pan American Games in August.
It was Rogers’ first international tournament since taking eighth in Greco-Roman at the 2012 Cadet World Championships.
Rogers, a Stillwater High product, was a two-time NCAA All-American for the Cowboys and finished first at the Big 12 Championship during his junior season at OSU. His collegiate career ended in a wrestle-off against Joe Smith prior to this year’s postseason. Rogers went 94-25 at OSU and capped his career with a first-period fall against Iowa’s Mitch Bowman in Stillwater.