Luis Avendaño

Luis Eduardo Avendaño Rojas (born 29 November 1992) is a Venezuelan Greco-Roman wrestler. He won the gold medal in the men's 87kg event at the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru and the 2022 South American Games in Asunción, Paraguay. He is also a two-time gold medalist at the Pan American Wrestling Championships.

Career

Avendaño won the silver medal at the 2018 Central American and Caribbean Games held in Barranquilla, Colombia in the men's 77kg event.

At the 2019 Pan American Wrestling Championships held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, he won the gold medal in the men's 87kg event. In 2018, he won the gold medal in the men's 82 kg event at the Pan American Wrestling Championships held in Lima, Peru.

At the 2019 Pan American Games held in Lima, Peru, he won the gold medal in the men's 87kg event. In the final, he defeated Alfonso Leyva of Mexico.

In March 2020, Avendaño competed at the Pan American Olympic Qualification Tournament in Ottawa, Canada, without qualifying for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. In May 2021, he also failed to qualify for the Olympics at the World Olympic Qualification Tournament held in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Avendaño won the silver medal in his event at the 2022 Bolivarian Games held in Valledupar, Colombia. He won the gold medal in his event at the 2022 South American Games held in Asunción, Paraguay.

Avendaño won the silver medal in his event at the 2024 Pan American Wrestling Championships held in Acapulco, Mexico. A few days later, he competed at the 2024 Pan American Wrestling Olympic Qualification Tournament held in Acapulco, Mexico hoping to qualify for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France. He was eliminated in his second match.

Achievements