Olympians Dot Team Cuba Roster For Beat the Streets Benefit Wrestling Event May 17 In New York

NEW YORK - May 7, 2018 - PRLog -- The wrestling federation of Cuba has provided its lineup for the Beat the Streets Annual Benefit, dubbed the "Rumble on the River," set for May 17 at Pier 17/Seaport District in lower Manhattan.

A team of talented men's freestyle wrestlers from Cuba will face top U.S. wrestlers as part of the exciting card of international competition. Cuba brings a veteran team with past Olympic, World and Pan American medalists.

2012 Olympic bronze medalist Livan Lopez Azcuy will compete at 79 kg. He boasts three other World medals, including World silver medalist in 2011 and 2013 and a World bronze medal in 2014.

2013 and 2014 World silver medalist Reineris Salas Perez, who was also fifth at the 2016 Olympics, will compete at 97 kg/213 lbs. Salas was a 2015 Pan American Games champion.

2016 Olympian Alejandro Valdes Tobier, who won a 2017 World bronze medal, will compete at 70 kg. Valdes has won three Pan American Championships.

2015 Pan American champion Yurieski Torreblanca Queralta is on the team at 92 kg. 2017 U23 World champion Reineri Andreeu Ortega is competing at 57 kg. Two-time Pan American Championships silver medalist Yudenny Alapajon Estevez is the Cuban entry at 125 kg/275 lbs.

This is the second time a Cuban team has competed in a Beat the Streets Benefit. A team of men's freestyle, women's freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestlers were included in the 2015 Beat the Streets Benefit "Salsa in the Square," held in Times Square.

The U.S. men's freestyle roster for the Beat the Streets Benefit will be announced tomorrow.

The Beat the Streets Benefit is coming together nicely, with most pieces in place. The Team USA women, whose roster includes Helen Maroulis, Alli Ragan and Tamyra Mensah-Stock, will take on a highly-regarded squad from Nigeria. In addition, two Super Matches will take place, with 2012 Olympic Gold Medalist Jordan Burroughs battling Italian Frank Chamizo, and American standout Jordan Oliver challenging two-time Olympic Medalist Togrul Asgarov of Azerbaijan. In addition, a Super High School Match has been scheduled, featuring the nation's top scholastic 126-lb. star in Patrick Glory of Delbarton H.S. (N.J.) against third-ranked Gavin Teasdale of Jefferson Morgan H.S. (Pa.).

This year will mark the first time that Beat the Streets has held its annual event at Pier 17/South Street District. In 2013, the event dubbed "The Rumble on the Rails," was hosted in historic Grand Central Terminal and featured dual meets between Team USA, Russia and Iran. Playing an important role in the international Keep Olympic Wrestling effort, this historic wrestling event gained international media coverage and helped wrestling retain its status on the Olympic Games program.

Coverage will be available live and on-demand exclusively on FloWrestling.org. To access live and on-demand coverage of the Beat the Streets New York City Annual Benefit, visit FloWrestling.org and become a PRO subscriber. A subscription unlocks access to premium content across the entire FloSports network, as well as the matches from the Beat the Streets program starting at 2:30 p.m. ET on May 17. Watch the event across all screens by downloading the FloSports app on iOS, Roku or Apple TV 4.

This will be the ninth straight year in which a major international-style wrestling competition will be hosted as part of the Beat the Streets Benefit activities. In 2010, an all-star challenge featuring top U.S. wrestlers was held on the USS Intrepid, an aircraft carrier docked on the west side of Manhattan. Times Square has been the venue for the 2011, 2012 and 2014-2017 events.

This year, top Beat the Streets youth wrestlers will take the mat showcasing their skills in exhibition matches beginning at 2:30 p.m. to kick off the NYC Benefit. For the third straight year, the Benefit will feature the PSAL Girls Freestyle Dual Meet Championships finals, showcasing the two top New York City girl's freestyle wrestling high school teams from the spring girl's freestyle season. Then it's Team USA vs. an international squad at 6:00 p.m. and super matches between Burroughsand Chamizo, as well as Oliver and Asgarov, with video highlights and special guest appearances followed by the Beat the Streets Benefit Celebration.

Tickets are required for entry and can be purchased by visiting www.btsny.org, calling 212-777-5702 or emailing Joe DelConte at jdelconte@btsny.org.