PAN AMERICAN GAMES : El Cajon Wrestler Earns Silver Medal

A surprisingly strong United States wrestling team took 10 medals in Greco-Roman wrestling on Thursday, including four gold.

“This is the strongest team we’ve ever had,” said silver medalist David Butler of El Cajon. “We expected to come here and do well and we did.”

The U.S. team also took three silver and three bronze medals.

Cuba, which won six gold medals and four silver, went against the United States in seven of the 10 finals.

The event was held at an outdoor stadium where the heat and humidity left wrestlers quickly soaked. Naturally, the crowd chanted for Cuba through most of the matches, frequently led by the Cuban coaches.

Butler, a gold medalist in the 1987 Pan Am Games, member of the 1988 Olympic team and a five-time U.S. champion, lost 3-0 to Cuban Abel Sarmiento in the 163-pound match.

“I felt great going in,” Butler said. “I gave up a point early and that hurt me. He’s tough and he was ready for me.”