Adar and Gray Set to Clash in Klippan Finals

Saturday, February 17, 2018 - 11:05 By Eric Olanowski

Wrestlers from ten different nations will be represented in tomorrow’s Klippan Lady Open finals. Japan leads the way with six finalists, followed by Ukraine with three. The trio of Turkey, Russia, and the United States each have a pair of finalists.

Without question, 76kg is the toughest weight class of the tournament, hosting three previous world champions and two Olympic medalists.

In round-one, Yasemin ADAR (TUR), returning world champion faced off against 2016 Olympic champion, Eric WIEBE (CAN). Adar used the entire six minutes, picking up the go-ahead takedown with seconds left to win the match, 6-5.

She’ll wrestle three-time world champion, Adeline GRAY (USA) in the finals tomorrow afternoon. When asked about competing against Adar in tomorrow’s finals, Gray said “I’m excited to have another shot at her…I’m looking forward to getting back on top. She’s looking strong, but I’m excited to wrestle her again.”

At 50kg, Yui SUSAKI (JPN) will try to capture back-to-back Klippan titles, but she’ll have to slow down Mariya STADNIK (AZE), the two-time world and Olympic silver medalist who was the most dominant wrestler during the first day of action.

Through Stadnik’s first three matches, she’s outscored her opponents 32-0, including a 12-0 win over Alina Emilia VUC (ROM), the 2017 world silver medalist.

The 53kg finals will host a duo of Japanese women in Nanami IRIE (JPN), junior world champion and 2017 Asian cadet champion, Umi IMAI (JPN). On their way to the finals, these two have outscored their opponents 37-5.

Bediha GUN (TUR) stopped an all-Russian final at 55kg when she defeated Nina MENKENOVA (RUS), the U23 world bronze medalist in the semifinals, 3-3. Gun will wrestle Stalvira ORSHUSH (RUS), the 2018 Yarygin runner-up for the gold medal.

Wrestling for the title at 57kg will be 2017 junior world champion Sae NANJO (JPN) and 2016 world silver medalist and 2017 European champion, Tetyana KIT (UKR). These two have only surrendered a total of three points on their way to the finals.

When Grace BULLEN (NOR), the 2017 European champion was asked about what she’s looking for in the 59kg finals, she said: “I have a silver and bronze, now I want a gold medal.” For Bullen to capture the gold medal, she’ll have to defeat Asian Indoor Games bronze medalist, Akie HANAI (JPN).

Yulia TKACH’s (UKR) quest to win her first Klippan Lady Open title since 2015 will have to go through Dave Schultz Memorial champion, Kayla MIRACLE (USA). Miracle’s final appearance at 62kg improves on her 2014 fifth place performance.

Wrestling in the 65kg finals will be Petra OLLI (FIN), 2015 world silver medalist and last year’s Klippan Lady Open fifth-place finisher, Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN).

Olympians Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR) and Danielle LAPPAGE (CAN) will compete for the 68kg crown. The 68kg finalists outscored their opponents 34-5 on their way to the gold medal bout.

Sweden’s lone finalist, Jenny FRANSSON (SWE), the Olympic bronze medalist will wrestle Russian runner-up, Tatiana KOLESNIKOVA MOROZOVA (RUS) in the finals at 72kg.

RESULTS: http://uww.io/sozMD

50kg
GOLD - Mariya STADNIK (AZE) vs. Yui SUSAKI (JPN)

BRONZE - Winner 133 vs. Patricia alejandra BERMUDEZ (ARG)
BRONZE - Winner 129 vs. Amy ann FEARNSIDE (USA)

53kg
GOLD - Nanami IRIE (JPN) vs. Umi IMAI (JPN)

BRONZE - Winner 117 vs. Natalia MALYSHEVA (RUS)
BRONZE - Aysun ERGE (TUR) vs. Sarah ann HILDEBRANDT (USA)

55kg
GOLD - Bediha GUN (TUR) vs. Stalvira ORSHUSH (RUS)

BRONZE - Jacarra gwenisha WINCHESTER (USA) vs. Nina MENKENOVA (RUS)
BRONZE - Winner 143 vs. Sena NAGAMOTO (JPN)

57kg
GOLD - Sae NANJO (JPN) vs. Tetyana KIT (UKR)

BRONZE - Winner 131 vs. Laura MERTENS (GER)
BRONZE - Irina OLOGONOVA (RUS) vs. Simona PRICOB (ROU)

59kg
GOLD - Grace jacob BULLEN (NOR) vs. Akie HANAI (JPN)

BRONZE - Winner 144 vs. Elif jale YESILIRMAK (TUR)
BRONZE - Lauren nora LOUIVE (USA) vs. Kateryna ZHYDACHEVSKA (ROU)

62kg
GOLD - Yuliia TKACH OSTAPCHUK (UKR) vs. Kayla colleen kiyoko MIRACLE (USA)

BRONZE - Winner 132 vs. Olivia louise HENNINGSSON (SWE)
BRONZE - Winner 119 vs. Luisa helga gerda NIEMESCH (GER)

65kg
GOLD - Petra maarit OLLI (FIN) vs. Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN)

BRONZE - Winner 120 vs. Henna katarina JOHANSSON (SWE)
BRONZE - Winner 145 vs. Yulia PRONTSEVITCH (RUS)

68kg
GOLD - Danielle suzanne LAPPAGE (CAN) vs. Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR)

BRONZE - Winner 146 vs. Olivia grace DI BACCO (CAN)
BRONZE - Tamyra mariama MENSAH (USA) vs. Laura SKUJINA (LAT)

72kg
GOLD - Anna jenny eva maria FRANSSON (SWE) vs. Tatiana KOLESNIKOVA MOROZOVA (RUS

BRONZE - Alexandra nicoleta ANGHEL (ROU) vs. Victoria christine FRANCIS (USA)
BRONZE - Winner 121 vs. Burcu UGDULER ORSKAYA (TUR)

76kg
GOLD - Yasemin ADAR (TUR) vs. Adeline maria GRAY (USA)

BRONZE - Winner 147 vs. Epp MAE (EST)
BRONZE - Winner 135 vs. Francy RAEDELT (GER)

START OF KLIPPAN OPEN LIVE NOTEBOOK
12:10 PM - The first whistle for the senior-level competition is a little over an hour away.
12:15 PM: Three matches to pay attention to in round-one
Star-Studded Round-One Match-Ups
50kg - Two-time world silver medalist M. STADNIK (AZE) df. 2017 world silver medalist E. VUC (ROU), 10-0.

57kg - 2017 junior world champion S. NANJO df. 2016 world silver medalist I. OLOGONOVA (RUS), 6-0.

76kg - World champion Y. ADAR (TUR) df. 2016 Olympic Champion Erica WIEBE (CAN), 6-5

1:16 PM - 2017 world champion Yui SUSAKI (JPN) is up now on Mat A.
1:18 PM - Susaki picks up the 10-0 technical superiority victory early in the first period.

1:30 PM - U23 world runner-up Braxton STONE (CAN) is up 8-1 over B. GRAHAM (CAN) on Mat A. Stone picks up a four-point throw to take the 12-1 win.

1:34 PM Two-time Yarygin champion Tamyra MENSAH-STOCK (USA) is making her way to Mat A. Mensah-Stock takes the 4-0 lead after a right side swing single to a leg lace. Mensah-Stock finished with another takedown, giving her the 6-3 victory.

1:45 PM - Adar and Wiebe are up in two matches over on Mat C.

1:49 PM - T. SJOEBERG (SWE) picks up the first FIVE of the day over on Mat B.

1:56 PM - Adar and Wiebe are up now on Mat C.
Wiebe is pushing the pace of the match midway through the first period. Adar hit with passivity and is placed on the shot clock. Wiebe takes the 1-1 lead into the second period as Adar failed to score while she was on the shot clock. Adar goes for an arm spin and Wiebe counters, extending her lead to 3-1, but the call is under review. The call is reversed and the score remains 1-1 in favor of Wiebe. Adar picks up a takedown with one minute remaining to take the 3-1 lead. Wiebe scores four off a snatch single to a leg lace and takes the 5-3 lead with 12-seconds remaining. Adar steals the match with a last-second effort to take the 6-5 win!

2:47 PM - The last time S. NANJO (JPN) lost at an international competition was back in 2015! I. OLOGONOVA (RUS) will look to knock off the junior world champ in two matches on Mat A.

2:50 PM - World finalist Yulia TKACH (UKR) picks up a quick fall after being up 8-0 over on Mat C.

3:00 PM - E. VUC (ROM) and M. STADNIK (AZE) are making their way to Mat A. Stadnik is back! She uses two takedowns, and three gut wrenches to defeat Vuc, 10-0.

3:07 PM - Susaki is wrestling on Mat A! She is taking on A. VETOSHKINA (RUS).

3:18 PM - Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) leads U23 world runner-up Braxton STONE (CAN), 8-1 heading into the second period.

3:36 PM - Adeline GRAY (USA), the three-time world champion is coming up next on Mat A.

3:43 PM - The crowd erupts as Henna JOHANSSON (SWE) scores late in the second period to beat Mallory VELTE (USA), 1-1.

3:53 PM - Three-time world champion Adeline GRAY (USA) is wrestling on Mat A and 2017 world champion Y. Adar is wrestling on Mat B.

3:59 PM - Y. ADAR (TUR) picks up the fall and moves into the semifinals. She'll take on the winner of Francy RAEDELT (GER) v. Catalina AXENTE (ROU).

3:59 PM - Gray also picks up the fall and moves into the 76kg semifinals.

4:14 PM - Nanjo strikes first and heads into the second period with a 2-0 lead.She would pick up two additional takedowns, winning the match 6-0.

4:40 PM - The #Klippan2018 semifinals will start at 5:30 PM (local time).

4: 42 PM - Jenny FRANSSON (SWE), Olympic bronze medalist has made her way to Mat A! Fransson uses three takedowns to defeat Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU), 6-0.

5:03 PM - 50kg 1/4 finalists - Jessica MACDONALD (CAN) and Mariya STADNIK (AZE) are making their way to Mat B.
Stadnik takes the 9-0 lead into the second period. Stadnik picks up another takedown, giving her the 11-0 technical superiority victory.

5:12 PM - Coming up on Mat B, Victoria ANTHONY (USA) and Yui SUSAKI (JPN) in a 50kg quarterfinal bout.
No action from Susaki and she's put on the shot clock and immediately get to a right side high crotch to take the 2-0 lead. She heads into the second period 4-0. Susaki picked up three additional points in the second period, giving her the 7-0 victory.

5:20 PM - That does it for the quarterfinals! We'll take a quick 10-minute break and be back for the semifinals!

SEMIFINALS

50kg - Stadnik continues her dominance, picking up a technical superiority victory in the first period to seal her spot in tomorrows finals.

50kg - Susaki erased an early 2-0 deficit by scoring 12 unanswered points to make the 50kg finals.

53kg - Nanami IRIE (JPN) extends her lead over Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) to 6-0 after a takedown and two leg laces.

57kg - Junior world champion S. Nanjo will wrestle S. PRICOB (ROU) for a spot in tomorrows finals.

59kg SEMIFINAL - Grace BULLEN (NOR) leads Kateryna ZHYDACHEVSKA (ROU), 6-0 on Mat C.

59kg SEMIFINAL - Akie HANAI (JPN) df. Elif jale YESILIRMAK (TUR), 3-0.

#WrestleMonterrey

Blades, Godinez sisters cruise to Pan-Am golds

Saturday, May 10, 2025 - 07:02 By Vinay Siwach

MONTERREY, Mexico (May 9) -- Olympic silver medalist Kennedy BLADES (USA) made a golden debut at Pan-American Championships, winning gold medal at 68kg in Monterrey, Mexico.

Blades, who won silver medal in Paris at 76kg, led a spirited performance from the United States which claimed three gold medals out of the six Women's Wrestling weight classes in action on Friday.

Apart from Blades, Audrey JIMINEZ (USA) and Tiffani BAUBLITZ (USA) won gold medals at 50kg and 72kg respectively. Canada won two other gold medals through the Godinez sister -- Karla and Ana -- at 55kg and 62kg, respectively. Cuba won the remaining gold at 57kg through Yaynelis SANZ (CUB).

Blades wrestled in a Nelson bracket and after dominating her way to the final, she faced Nathali GRIMAN (VEN) for the gold medal. It was Griman who opened the scoring with a stepout but Blades blasted a double-leg attack for a takedown to take a 2-1 lead. On restart, Griman was on her heels and Blades hit another double-leg, this time for four points.

The big moves continued as Blades used her strength for another double-leg takedown for four points and lead 10-1. Griman countered a Blades move and flung her for four points on the edge to cut the lead to 10-5.

In the second period, Blades got a two-point takedown and moved closer to victory with a 12-5 lead. Griman gave her the perfect opportunity when she missed a deep shot and Blades scored a go-behind for a 14-5 victory.

Jiminez downed Paris Olympic silver medalist Yusneylis GUZMAN (CUB), 18-8, in the 50kg semifinal before pinning Madison PARKS (CAN) in the final.

Parks got a point as Jimiez was put on the 30-second activity clock. But she answered with a two-pointer to lead 2-1 at the break. Parks scored a stepout in the second period before Jiminez launched a cradle and kept Parks' back on the mat to secure the fall with two minutes remaining in the match.

In the semifinal, Guzman led with a takedown before a clumsy ankle-pick and throw made it 6-0. Jiminez got on the board with a takedown but the joy was short-lived as Guzman countered a low attack and scored two more points to lead 8-2 at the break.

The second period was all about Jiminez as she snapped Guzman and scored a go-behind. She transitioned into a leg-lace and turned Guzman four times to pull off an unprecedented, 18-8, win and enter the final.

The third gold medal came through Tiffani BAUBLITZ (USA) who won both her bouts in round-robin system. Baublitz faced off Nyla BURGESS (CAN) in the second round and the winner would win gold.

Baublitz scored takedown in the opening 10 seconds to lead 2-0. Burgess got a stepout to cut the lead to 2-1 but Baubtiz got a stepout to make it 3-1 at the break.

Burgess turned the tide in her favour with two clutch takedowns in the second period to lead 5-3. Baubtiz managed to get a single-leg attack to exposure for two points but a reversal added one point to Burgess' score and she led 6-5.

Baubtiz never gave up to get the lead back. As the two wrestlers engaged, she flung Burgess and got a stepout to take a 6-6 criteria lead with 57 seconds remaining. She defended her lead and clinched the gold at 72kg.

Godinez Sisters Golden

Karla and Ana GODINEZ (CAN) claimed gold medals to give Canada two champions in Women's Wrestling. Karla, wrestling at 55kg, outscored her opponents 31-0 in three bouts. She was in a four-wrestler round-robin bracket and won her matches 10-0, 11-0 and 10-0 for the gold medal.

The elder Godinez, Ana, returning to competition for the first time since finishing a heartbreaking fifth at the Paris Olympics, secured a fall in the 62kg final against Astrid MONTERO (VEN) to win gold medal.

She won her first two bouts via technical superiority and the semifinal via fall before Montero challenged her in the final. Montero built a 3-0 lead at the break and Godinez needed something special in the second period.

After giving up another stepout, Godinez got a takedown and then cradled Montero for the fall with 1:50 remaining on the clock to win the gold medal.

Cuba won the gold medal at 57kg as Yaynelis SANZ (CUB) denied home favorite Bertha ROJAS (MEX), 6-0, in the final.

Sanz was put on the activity clock in the first period but she used a duckunder to get behind Rojas. She elevated Rojas's leg and the Mexican tried to hit a cut-back which Sanz defended and fell forward with Rojas on the mat for two points. It became 4-0 when Sanz scored a takedown before the break.

In the second period, Rojas missed an attack and Sanz was quick to go behind but Rojas defended for a while before the scramble resulted in Sanz getting the takedown and a 6-0 lead. Sanz defended that lead and won gold.

U.S. claims Greco title

The United States claimed the Greco-Roman team title with 209 points. After winning five gold medals on Thursday, it added one more as two Greco weight classes were in action on Friday. Mexico finished second with 143 points and Venezuela was third with 90 points. Cuba, which only had three wrestlers entered, finished fourth with 75 points as all three of them won gold medals.

Alejandro SANCHO (USA), who won the gold at 67kg last year, won the gold medal with ease at 72kg this year after beating Nilton SOTO (PER) 8-0 in the final.

Sancho was clearly the aggressor from the word go and scored a stepout. When he got the par terre advantage, he scored two points from a correct throw to lead 4-0.

He kept the pressure in the second period as well and scored a stepout before adding two more stepout and a point for caution against Soto helped him win 8-0, his fourth technical superiority win of the day.

At 97kg, world champion and Paris Olympics bronze medalist Gabriel ROSILLO (CUB) defeated Paris Olympian Kevin MEJIA (HON), 5-1, in the final.

Mejia got the par terre but as he tried a turn, Rosillo slipped out and tried a reverse lift. He failed to execute it and Mejia landed with no exposure. Mejia quickly scored a go-behind for a 3-0 lead. However, Cuba challenged the decision and won on review, reverting the lead to 1-0.

In the second period, Rosillo got the par terre and after a little battle as Mejia defended the position, Rosillo scored a body slam and got four points to lead 5-1 which he defended till the end.

The gold medal was Rosillo's only second at the Pan-Am Championships, the first coming back in 2019.

RESULTS

Women's Wrestling

50kg
GOLD: Audrey JIMENEZ (USA) df. Madison PARKS (CAN), via fall (4-2)

BRONZE: Nohalis LOYO (VEN) df. Kamila BARBOSA (BRA), 4-1
BRONZE: Yusneylis GUZMAN (CUB) df. Yorlenis MORAN (PAN), 12-2

55kg
GOLD: Karla GODINEZ (CAN)
SILVER: Louisa SCHWAB (USA)
BRONZE: Andrea AVELINO (MEX)

57kg
GOLD: Yaynelis SANZ (CUB) df. Bertha ROJAS (MEX), 6-0

BRONZE: Luisa VALVERDE (ECU) df. Ana PEREIRA (BRA), 10-0
BRONZE: Amanda MARTINEZ (USA) df. Mia FRIESEN (CAN), 12-2

62kg
GOLD: Ana GODINEZ (CAN) df. Astrid MONTERO (VEN), via fall (4-4)

BRONZE: Melanie JIMENEZ (MEX) df. Savannah COSME (USA), 3-0

68kg
GOLD: Kennedy BLADES (USA) df. Nathali GRIMAN (VEN), 14-5

BRONZE: Virginia JIMENEZ (CHI) df. Debanhi TAPIA (MEX), 4-4

72kg
GOLD: Tiffani BAUBLITZ (USA)
SILVER: Nyla BURGESS (CAN)
BRONZE: Michelle OLEA (MEX)

Greco-Roman

72kg
GOLD: Alejandro SANCHO (USA) df. Nilton SOTO (PER), 8-0

SILVER: Irving SALAZAR (MEX) df. Cristian MEJIA (GUA), 9-0

97kg
GOLD: Gabriel ROSILLO (CUB) df. Kevin MEJIA (HON), 5-1

BRONZE: Michial FOY (USA) df. Dorian TREJO (MEX), 9-0

Adar and Gray Set to Clash in Klippan Finals

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Blades, Godinez sisters cruise to Pan-Am golds