Half of Pan Am Qualification Team Named

The first four members of the U.S. Pan American Games Qualification Team were determined on Friday during the 2011 Pan Am Games Team Trials at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Qualifying for the team were Deireanne Morales (Lynwood, Calif.) in the female fin/flyweight division, Paige McPherson (Sturgis, S.D.) in the female light/welterweight division, Olie Burton (Accokeek, Md.) in the male fin/flyweight division and T.J. Curry (El Sobrante, Calif.) in the male light/welterweight division.

All four winners were the top seeds entering the finals. Morales defeated 2008 Olympian Charlotte Craig (Murrietta, Calif.), McPherson beat Sanaz Shahbazi (Sacramento, Calif.), Burton defeated James Howe (San Ramon, Calif.) and Curry won over Jayson Grant (Worcester, Mass.).

The other half of the U.S. Pan American Games Qualification Team will be selected following Saturday's trials at the Olympic Training Center. Weight divisions in action on Saturday are the bantam/featherweight and middle/heavyweight classes. The final eight-member team will compete at the 2011 Pan American Games Qualification event early next year at a time and location yet to be determined.