Gray Stays on Track for 5th World Gold at 76kg as Wiebe Falls by Wayside; Kawai advances

Wednesday, September 18, 2019 - 09:52 By Ken Marantz

NUR-SULTAN, Kazakhstan (Sept. 18)---Defending champion Adeline GRAY (USA) remained on track for a fifth world gold overall by making the semifinals at women’s 76kg, but Rio 2016 Olympic champion Erica WIEBE (CAN) will not be around to challenge her following early action on Day 5 at the World Championships.

Gray racked up a pair of technical falls, the second a 10-0 thrashing of CHANG Hui Tsz (TPE), to advance to the semifinals to be held at the start of the night session at Barys Arena. She will face Aline ROTTER FOCKEN (GER), a European bronze medalist and the 2014 world champion at 69kg.

All wrestlers who advanced to the semifinals in the Olympic weight classes of 57kg and 76kg also secured a berth for their country at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

In a weight class stacked with current and former world medalists, Epp MAEE (EST) and Hiroe MINAGAWA (JPN) survived in the other 76kg bracket and will meet in the other semifinal.

Maee, a 2015 world bronze medalist looking to avoid a third straight fifth-place finish, scored a takedown in the final seconds for a stunning 4-3 win over Wiebe, a bronze medalist a year ago in Budapest.

Trailing 3-1, Maee had shot in on a tackle, but was stopped by Wiebe, who locked on from above. But Maee twisted under and pressing backwards, forced the Canadian over at the edge with :01 on the clock. An unsuccessful challenge made it 4-3.

Minagawa, who won her second world bronze a year ago in Budapest, scored a takedown with :33 left for a 3-1 win over ZHOU Qian (CHN), who had knocked off top seed and 2018 silver medalist Yasemin ADAR (TUR).

Olympic champion Risako KAWAI (JPN) will meet 2017 world finalist Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR) in the 57kg semifinals. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

At 57kg, Rio 2016 and two-time world champion Risako KAWAI (JPN) and reigning champion RONG Ningning (CHN) remained on a possible collision course.

Kawai, the 2018 gold medalist at 59kg who has dropped down to the Olympic weight, will face two-time world medalist Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR), while Rong is pitted against Jowita WRZESIEN (POL).

Adekuoroye earned her place in the final four with a 12-2 technical fall of JONG In Son (PRK), who finished second to Rong at the Asian Championships in April after stunning four-time Olympic champion Kaori ICHO (JPN) in the semifinals.

Kawai dealt a major blow to Icho’s bid for a fifth Olympic title by beating her for the place on the team to Nur-Sultan. She can clinch Japan’s berth at Tokyo 2020 by winning a medal in the Kazakh capital.

Pooja DHANDA (IND) uses a back trip to defeat Yuzuka INAGAKI (JPN), 11-8. (Photo: Tony Rotundo)

In the non-Olympic 59kg, Pooja DHANDA (IND) provided the highlight of the session with a slick backward trip for 4 points that gave her an 11-8 victory over newly crowned world junior champion Yuzuka INAGAKI (JPN).

Dhanda, the 2018 world bronze medalist at 57kg who failed to make the Indian team at that weight, was trailing 7-6 in the waning seconds when Inagaki looked to pad her lead by getting a single leg and lifting it into the air.

But Dhanda, going to her bag of tricks as a kid wrestler, used her other leg to trip Inagaki backwards for 4 points. Inagaki got behind for a point, but her efforts to turn the Dhanda were in vain, and an unsuccessful challenge resulted in the final score.

“When I was a child, we were training very hard for this [move],” said Dhanda, adding she had not used it for “a very long time.”

She will face 2017 European champion Luibov OVCHAROVA (RUS) for a place in the final. In the quarterfinals, Ocharova ended a close match with 2018 bronze medalist PEI Xingru with a victory by fall.

In the other semifinal, Shoovdor BAATARJAV (MGL), the other bronze medalist a year ago, will take on Linda MORAIS (CAN).

At 65kg, European champion Elis MANOLOVA (AZE) will face Inna TRAZHUKOVA (RUS) for a place in the final, while Forrest MOLINARI (USA) and Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) will meet in the other semifinal.

Following the semifinals, the night session will feature the medal matches at 50kg, 53kg, 55kg and 72kg.

Day 5 Results

Women’s Wrestling Pairings

50kg (29 entries)
Gold – Alina VUC (ROU) vs Mariya STADNIK (AZE)
Bronze – Oksana LIVACH (UKR) vs Valentina ISLAMOVA BRIK (KAZ)
Bronze – Ekaterina POLESHCHUK (RUS) vs SUN Yanan (CHN)

53kg (30 entries)
Gold – Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN) vs PAK Yong Mi (PRK)
Bronze –Vinesh PHOGAT (IND) vs Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE)
Bronze – Roksana ZASINA (POL) vs PANG Qianyu (CHN)

55kg (18 entries)
Gold – Nanami IRIE (JPN) vs Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA)
Bronze –Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (RUS) vs Marina SEDNEVA (KAZ)
Bronze – Bolortuya BAT OCHIR (MGL) vs Bediha GUN (TUR)

57kg (31 entries)
Semifinal – RONG Ningning (CHN) vs Jowita WRZESIEN (POL)
Semifinal – Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR) vs Risako KAWAI (JPN)

59kg (18 entries)
Semifinal – Pooja DHANDA (IND) vs Luibov OVCHAROVA (RUS)
Semifinal – Shoovdor BAATARJAV (MGL) vs Linda MORAIS (CAN)

65kg (17 entries)
Semifinal – Forrest MOLINARI (USA) vs Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR)
Semifinal – Elis MANOLOVA (AZE) vs Inna TRAZHUKOVA (RUS)

72kg (12 entries)
Gold – Natalia VOROBEVA (RUS) vs Alina MAKHYNIA (UKR)
Bronze –Masako FURUICHI (JPN) vs Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ)
Bronze – Victoria FRANCIS (USA) vs Paliha PALIHA (CHN)

76kg (31 entries)
Semifinal – Hiroe MINAGAWA (JPN) vs Epp MAEE (EST)
Semifinal – Aline ROTTER FOCKEN (GER) vs Adeline GRAY (USA)

#WrestleAcapulco

Gray falls as Ecuador wins 2 golds; Dake dominant at Pan-Ams

Saturday, February 24, 2024 - 04:28 By Gaurav Bhatt

ACAPULCO, Mexico (February 23) -- Day three of the Pan-American Championships saw two wrestling phenoms take the mat in Acapulco. But while four-time world champion Kyle DAKE (USA) rag-dolled his opponents to win his fourth straight 74kg title at the event, six-time world champion Adeline GRAY (USA) stumbled against eventual 76kg champion Genesis REASCO (ECU) and had to settle for a bronze.

Nick SURIANO (61kg) and Chance MARSTELLER (86kg) also struck gold to make it three for Team USA, while Macey KILTY (USA) grabbed the 65kg gold.

Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) blanked her 53kg opponents to take Ecuador's second gold of the day.

Kyle DAKE (USA) dominated his way to the 74kg gold. (Photo: UWW / William Bains)

Dake stayed levels apart in the 74kg field as the Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist earned victories via fall over Angel CORTES (PAN) and Anthony MONTERO (VEN).

The 32-year-old, who won his first two world titles at 79kg, is not only strong for the 74kg division but also dazzles the field with his explosiveness. He had Bonilla squirming against a pin attempt in less than 5 seconds. Bonilla's desperation only delayed the inevitable, as Dake flattened him inside the first period.

Montero, a former South American champion, made it a scrappy affair but couldn't stop Dake from racking up points. Up against the clock, the Venezuelan went for a last-gasp shot, only for the American to counter into a four-point throw to complete the victory.

Marsteller defeated Jorge LLANO (ARG) in the quarterfinal but didn't get a chance to test his mettle against four-time champion Yurieski TORREBLANCA (CUB). The 34-year-old withdrew from the competition, paving the way for Marsteller to take home the 86kg gold. He also received a forfeit win from Pedro CEBALLOS (VEN).

The title continues the remarkable life turnaround for the 28-year-old, whose childhood dreams of dominating the wrestling world were derailed by substance addiction. Addicted to alcohol and opioids — Marsteller, who amassed a 166-0 record in his Pennsylvania high school — went into rehab in 2016. He went back to rehab in 2020 after an under-the-influencer bender saw him wreck his and his wife’s cars in one night. The 28-year-old has been clean since July 2020 and the gold in Acapulco would serve to boost both his morale and profile.

Suriano defeated two-time silver medallist Joseph SILVA (PUR) on his way to the 61kg gold. The 26-year-old, who was one of the main contenders to make the American Olympic team in 2021 before testing positive for COVID-19, also beat Jose VASQUEZ (PER) 12-2, Edwin SEGURA (GUA) via forfeit, and Juan LAVAT (MEX) with a fall (10-2).

Genesis REASCO (ECU) blanked Adeline GRAY (USA) 10-0 at 76kg. (Photo: UWW / William Bain)

Gray was outpowered by Reasco in their meeting which saw the Ecuadorian secure two tremendous double-leg takedowns within the opening few seconds. The explosive 25-year-old, a four-time medallist at the event, completed the superiority victory over the Tokyo Olympics silver medallist in little over a minute.

Joining Reasco on top of the podium for Ecuador was Yepez, who continues her meteoric rise with a successful title defense in the 53kg category.

The stage was set for a rematch from last year's final against Betzabeth ARGUELLO (VEN), before the five-time medallist pulled out from the gold-medal clash.

Yepez, who also struck gold at the Pan-American Games last November, was the first Ecuadorian woman to win a wrestling world title at the 2021 U23 Worlds, and medalled at last year's senior World Championships.

Laurence BEAUREGARD (CAN) won the 59kg women's gold. Beauregard — a four-time medallist at the event, including 2019 and 2022 champion — ran roughshod on Friday. The 26-year-old didn't give up a single point over four bouts.

Kilty grabbed the 65kg gold with two dominant wins. Kilty set the tone with a one-sided rout of 2022 silver medallist Miki ROWBOTTOM (CAN).

After a tight opening minute, Kilty set up the Canadian with quick feints before securing a single-leg takedown. After netting five points from the sequence, Kilty wasted little time in getting another takedown, this time attacking Rowbottom's left leg, and completed the fall victory shortly thereafter.

Against Andrea LOPEZ (MEX), Kilty showed both speed and strength. After earning a 7-0 lead in the first period, the 22-year-old overwhelmed the hometown favorite and earned the fall win with more than 2 minutes left on the board.

RESULTS

Women's Wrestling

53kg
GOLD: Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) df. Arguello BETZABETH (VEN), via inj. def.

BRONZE: Gonzalez MARIA (DOM) df. Samantha STEWART (CAN), via fall
BRONZE: Katie GOMEZ (USA) df. Laura HERIN (CUB), 10-0

59kg
GOLD: Laurence BEAUREGARD (CAN)
SILVER: Michaela BECK (USA)
BRONZE: Ana PEREIRA (BRA)

65kg
GOLD: Macey KILTY (USA)
SILVER: Andrea LOPEZ (MEX)
BRONZE: Miki ROWBOTTOM (CAN)

76kg
GOLD: Genesis REASCO VALDEZ (ECU) df. Renteria TATIANA (COL), 9-0

BRONZE: Adeline GRAY (USA) df. Shauna KUEBECK (CAN), via inj. def.
BRONZE: Linda MACHUCA (ARG) df. Bautista EMELYN (DOM), 11-0

Freestyle

61kg
GOLD: Nicholas SURIANO (USA)
SILVER: Joseph SILVA (PUR)
BRONZE: Juan LAVAT (MEX)

74kg
GOLD: Kyle DAKE (USA) df. Julio RODRIGUEZ ROMERO (DOM), via inj. def.

BRONZE: Jones SHANE (PUR) df. Thomson ADAM (CAN), 16-5
BRONZE: Anthony MONTERO (VEN) df. Angel CORTES (PAN), 11-0

86kg
GOLD: Chandler MARSTELLER (USA) df. Ceballos PEDRO (VEN), via fall

BRONZE: Carlos IZQUIERDO (COL) df. Pool AMBROCIO GREIFO (PER), 3-1
BRONZE: Jorge LLANO (ARG) df. Yurieski TORREBLANCA (CUB), via inj. def.

Gray Stays on Track for 5th World Gold at 76kg as Wiebe Falls by Wayside; Kawai advances

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Gray falls as Ecuador wins 2 golds; Dake dominant at Pan-Ams