By TENAJH SWEETING

Tribune Sports Reporter

tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

ONE week after earning The Bahamas’ first international medal for wrestling at the Pan American Wrestling Championships, Shannon Hanna II came up short of an Olympic qualification in the semifinals of the Pan-Am Olympic Qualifiers in Acapulco, Mexico.

Competing at just the second international competition of his career, Hanna bested familiar foe Albaro Rudecindo 4-2 in the quarterfinals of the 65kg freestyle category. The 22-year-old then matched against two-time Olympic and world medallist Alejandro Valdes in the 65 kg semifinals and lost 11-0 to finish fifth.

Despite not finishing in a position up to his standards, the Pan-Am bronze medallist found a silver lining in it all.

“That whole trip was just amazing around that environment. I was in Mexico for two weeks between the Olympic Qualifiers and regular Pan-Am Games. Being around that wrestling environment with people from different countries and some of the best wrestlers in the world was just amazing. I have a lot of gratitude and I am very grateful just to have that opportunity,” he said.

Although he was a bit disappointed with the outcome in Mexico, the two-time Southern Conference champion intends to come back even stronger.

“I didn’t win the tournament but I did learn a lot. It does suck because I am a competitor and I want to win all the time but I learned a lot and I am going back to the drawing board. I know what I gotta do to come out on top next time,” he said.

As for the matchups, Rudecindo and Hanna bat- tled one week prior at the Senior Pan-Am Championships and the result was the same.

The Campbell University graduate student narrowly took down his opponent 11-9 last week. He was aware that the older competitor would make some adjustments but was ready and confident in his abilities to advance.

“The first match I already wrestled the kid in the last tournament and I beat him in a close match. I was confident that I could beat him again and during the match I could tell he made a few adjustments because he wrestled a bit differently. He is 27-years-old and has been wrestling on the international scene for a while.

“I knew he was gonna make some changes but I also made some changes as well. I was just thinking I can do this and I reminded myself that God gave me this opportunity and there was no reason to be nervous and I got the job done,” he said.

Hanna would advance to face Cuba’s more experienced wrestler in the semis who he admittedly had some challenges against.

“I started getting into a groove and he put me in a hold squeezing my neck and I went unconscious. I was unconscious for the last 10 seconds of the match and was confused after the match. Once it hit me that I lost the match it wasn’t a good feeling but I am grateful for the

opportunity and I know my time is coming and I know one day I will be number one and that was not when it was supposed to happen,” the bronze medallist said.

After wrapping up both international competitions in Acapulco, Mexico with a 3-2 win/loss record, the graduate student is ranked 26th in the world in the 65kg freestyle division. His rank comes on the

heels of an historic bronze medal finish at the Pan-Am Championships.

Hanna defeated two out of three opponents en route to the third place finish. It was a moment from the last two weeks that he will never forget.

“It was a really cool feeling and special, just all the support I got from back home and everyone congratulating me. I think it’s huge because the ultimate

goal is to grow the sport. It is not the biggest sport in the world but it is going in the right direction. I think that making history for The Bahamas is something that could really help to grow the sport as well and kids can see me and think I can do this too,” he said.

Hanna now has his sights set on the 2024 World Qualification Tournament to be hosted in Istanbul, Turkey, May 9-12.