
By Jay Leon Guerrero
The Youth Olympic Games (YOG) is scheduled to start next week in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and the Guam contingent is composed of four athletes all in the sport of Wrestling. The YOG opening ceremonies is scheduled for October 6th at the Obelisco de Buenos Aires.
Four wrestlers qualified for the Games, winning their respective weight divisions during the Oceania Championships in either free style or Greco Roman wrestling styles. Paulina Duenas, Kaetlyn Quintanilla, Lynch Santos and Gavin Whitt each qualified to wrestle in the Games which is for athletes 18-years of age or younger.
Tiare Ikei, who lives in Hawaii but her mom is from Maina, will be representing the USA at the same competition.
Duenas, Quintanilla and Whitt will be wrestling in the freestyle division in their respective weight classes while Santos will wrestle in the Greco Roman style.
The two female and two male athletes will be coached by Mariano Aquino and the chef de mission is Dr. Arania Alophson.
“I’m very excited but also very nervous. This is a lot different from high school wrestling but I know with the help of my coach and teammates I’ll be able to meet my goal for YOG,” said Quintanilla.
Quintanilla, 15, was also thankful to the Guam Amateur Wrestling Federation, GNOC and Fudoshin Fitness for the opportunity. Quintanilla will wrestle in the female 49KG freestyle division.
Santos, an all-island champion, will wrestle in the male Greco roman style event in the 71 KG division.
“I expect a lot of experienced athletes. I will take what I learned from my coaches and apply that to my future wrestling matches,” said Santos.
Whitt will wrestle in the male 55 KG freestyle division.
“I’m grateful to have a chance to represent the Island,” said Whitt. “I’m thankful to my teammates and Fudoshin Fitness for all the support,” said Whitt.
“This is such a great opportunity that I’m extremely proud of, “said Duenas.
Duenas will wrestle in the female 57 KG division.
“I just wanted to say thank you to GAWF and GNOC for giving me this opportunity to represent my Island. I still feel really nervous because there’s a lot of things I need to work on but with the guidance of my coaches; I know I will be okay,” said Duenas earlier this year after qualifying for the YOG.
After over 30 hours of traveling, Team Guam arrived to the athlete’s village and will have a few days to acclimate while preparing for weigh-ins. All wrestlers will take the mats on October 12th and their competition ends on October 14th.
All four wrestlers train in the same gym and each athlete also wrestles for Simon Sanchez High School under head coach Tony Aquino. GSPN will be following their matches during the games and updates will be posted on social media.
Just missing the qualification standards was 3×3 Basketball. In 2014, Dyonii Quitugua (GW), Felicia Borja (Okkodo), Kali Benavente (Academy) and Destiny Castro (Notre Dame) represented Guam in the girls’ 3×3 Basketball competition in Nanjing, China. Also representing Guam in China was Van Castro (Judo), Devin Hua (Golf), Nalathai Vongjalorn (Golf) and Mia Aquino (Wrestling).
Mia Aquino passed down her experience to the four athletes going to the YOG. Mia Aquino also trains at Fudoshin Fitness and is a prospect for the Summer Olympic Games next year in Tokyo.


GPS Sports Calendar
February 2023
- SU
- MO
- TU
- WE
- TH
- FR
- SA
Events for January
1st
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
2nd
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
Events for February
3rd
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
TRITONS BASEBALL INVITATIONAL PLAYOFFS
Events for February
4th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
Events for February
6th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
7th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
8th
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
9th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
Events for February
10th
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
TRITONS BASEBALL INVITATIONAL FINALS
Events for February
12th
MONSTER ENERGY MOTOCROSS ROUND 2
Events for February
13th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
14th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
15th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
Events for February
16th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
Events for February
17th
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
Events for February
18th
BLACK HISTORY MONTH 2K/5K
World Athletics Cross Country Championships
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
Events for February
20th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
21st
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
22nd
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
23rd
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
Events for February
24th
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL QUARTERFINALS
Events for February
24th
Events for February
25th
Events for February
27th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL SEMIFINALS
ISA GIRLS SOCCER SEMIFINALS
Events for February
28th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL FINALS
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE SEMIFINALS
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL SEMIFINALS

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