Miranda, Jaynes qualify for 2007 Women’s World Team with wins at Special Wrestle-off in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Special Wrestle-off photos

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Two spots were determined on the 2007 U.S. Women's World Team during a Special Wrestle-offs in the women's non-Olympic weight classes - 51 kg/112.25 lbs. and 59 kg/130 lbs. - at the U.S. Olympic Training Center on Tuesday.

Qualifying for the 2007 U.S. World Team were Patricia Miranda of the Sunkist Kids at 51 kg/112.25 lbs. and Leigh Jaynes of the U.S. Army at 59 kg/130 lbs.

There was no Special Wrestle-off at another non-Olympic weight, 67 kg/147.5 lbs., as previously announced. World Team Trials champion Katie Downing (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) qualified for the World Team uncontested.

All three of the athletes who earned the spot on the U.S. team were champions at their divisions at the World Team Trials, held in Las Vegas, Nev. in June.

The silver and bronze medalists from the World Team Trials in the Olympic divisions - 48 kg/105.5 lbs., 55 kg/121 lbs., 63 kg/138.75 lbs. and 72 kg/158.5 lbs. - were allowed to challenge at one of the non-Olympic divisions for a spot on the 2007 U.S. World Team.

The winners of the World Team Trials in the non-Olympic weights had a "leg-up" in the Special Wrestle-off, meaning challengers had to win two straight bouts to make the team. The World Team Trials winners needed just one victory to make the World Team.

Miranda, a three-time World medalist and 2004 Olympic bronze medalist, defeated 2006 World Team member Mary Kelly (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) in the finals bout, 7-2, 7-0. Kelly placed second at the World Team Trials at 48 kg/105.5 lbs.

Although Kelly scored the first two points of the match, Miranda controlled the positions the rest of the way, scoring a number of takedowns and exposures for the victory.

"I feel fortunate to get a competition in July, and another one in August in Poland," said Miranda. "Some would view this as a hinderance. I look at it as a chance to work on things in my wrestling. The second period showed what I am working on much better than the first period did. I didn't have the right attitude in my wrestling in the first period. Against my opponent from Japan, I can't get the match started that way. It was a consolation prize for it to come out better in the second period. I'll take it."

"I have to treat this as my last shot at Hitomi Sakamoto (of Japan)," said Miranda of making the World team. "She has been the milestone that I measure my wrestling. She was my standard since my first year at the Worlds. She has great technical position and conditioning. She has discipline and good motion. She is beatable for me. If I have the right day, fight the right way, I can do it. It would mean the world to me to beat her in Azerbaijan. A lot of people are looking ahead to 2008. I'm not looking past 2007."

Jaynes qualified for her first World Team by defeating Alaina Berube (Escanaba, Mich./New York AC), 2-1, 3-3, in her finals match. Berube was third at the 2007 World Team Trials at 63 kg/138.75 lbs.

Jaynes won the first period with two counter takedowns off Berube shots. The key to win in the second period came during a scramble, where Jaynes was able to score a two-point exposure on Berube, allowing her to win the tiebreaking criteria.

Jaynes won titles at the U.S. Nationals in April, the World Team Trials in June and the Special Wrestle-off in July to convincingly prove that she is the best at this division.

"I was a little worried," said Jaynes. "I have come so far. To not come to the end I wanted to see would have been hard. This is so important and I took it very seriously. When you are here (in Colorado Springs), it is easy not to get prepared like when you travel. I wanted to make sure I kept my focus, just like as if it was a traveling meet. I love my country, so I joined the Army. To wrestle for the Army and for the United States means so much for me. This is what I fight for. I am so proud to represent the USA in wrestling."

"In the first period, I did a good job staying close. She likes to tie up. I wanted to show her I wanted to tie up with here. I also stopped her shots well. I didn't do such a good job on my offense. I am just not executing it. It is something I want to improve on before the Worlds. My next focus will be to open up and take more shots. In the second period, I created some space and didn't tie up with her like in the first. Fortunately, I am a scrambler. I'll grab a hold of something and make it happen," Jaynes said.

In the Challenge Tournament finals, Berube defeated Sharon Jacobson (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) in a competitive three period bout, 6-0, 0-5, 6-1. In the third and deciding period, Jacobson scored the first point. However, Berube scored a point during an ensuing scramble for a takedown, then executed an ankle lace turn for two points for a 3-1 lead, the key action in the match.

Jacobson, who was second at the World Team Trials at 55 kg/121 lbs., won a Challenge Tournament semifinal match over Tori Adams (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids), 1-0, 1-0. Jacobson won a leg clinch for the winning point in the first period and scored the only second period point. Adams was second at the 2005 World Team Trials at 63 kg/138.75 lbs.

Downing earned her spot when Stephany Lee (Marshall, Mo./Sunkist Kids) did not enter the Wrestle-Off as announced at 67 kg/147.5 pounds. Lee placed second at 72 kg/158.5 lbs at the World Team Trials.

Downing has now made her third straight U.S. World Team. She was a World bronze medalist in 2005 at this weight class.

"I am incredibly pumped to have earned another shot at a World medal," said Downing. "I am excited again. This is the fun time of our training. I can wrestle wide open and all out in practice."

USA Wrestling had a similar system of Special Wrestle-Offs at the non-Olympic weights in 2002 and 2003.

The four champions from the World Team Trials at the Olympic weights in women's freestyle had already qualified for the World Championships. They include Stephanie Murata of the Sunkist Kids at 48 kg/105.5 lbs., Marcie Van Dusen of the Sunkist Kids at 55 kg/121 lbs., Sara McMann of the Sunkist Kids at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. and Kristie Marano of the New York AC at 72 kg/158.5 lbs.

"It is good to have the team finalized," said National Women's Coach Terry Steiner. "These three women will get a little break to ease their minds. They will come back in a camp on July 25, when we are at the Pan Am Games with those from the Olympic weights. I feel good about the team. We have some veterans and some people like Leigh Jaynes that nobody knows. Leigh won three tournaments in a row by not making mistakes. All of the challengers today gave a hell of a fight and made these women prove they were the best. I believe we have the best team we can. I feel good about where we are with this team."

WOMEN'S SPECIAL WRESTLE-OFFS
At Colorado Springs, Colo., July 10, 2007

Championship Series

51 kg/112.25 lbs.
Patricia Miranda, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) dec. Mary Kelly, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC), 7-2, 7-0

59 kg/130 lbs.
Leigh Jaynes, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) dec. Alaina Berube, Escanaba, Mich. (New York AC), 2-1, 3-3

67 kg/147.5 lbs.
Katie Downing, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) qualified for the U.S. World Team uncontested.

(Note: World Team Trials champions had a "leg up," meaning they had to win just one match to make the World Team. The challenger was required to win two straight matches in order to qualify for the team).

Challenge Tournament

59 kg/130 lbs. Finals
Alaina Berube, Escanaba, Mich. (New York AC) dec. Sharon Jacobson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC), 6-0, 0-5, 6-1

59 kg/130 lbs. Semifinals
Sharon Jacobson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC) dec. Tori Adams, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids), 1-0, 1-0

BOUT SUMMARIES FROM THE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

51 kg/112.25 lbs.
Patricia Miranda, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) dec. Mary Kelly, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC), 7-2, 7-0

First period
Kelly scored two points on a counter crotch lift, to lead 2-0 with 1:14 left. Miranda was able to get a reversal from a scramble with 38 seconds left to close it to 2-1. Miranda immediately turned Kelly for two points exposure with 35 seconds left to make it 4-2, then scored another exposure, with an additional point, making it 7-2 at the end of the period.

Second period
Miranda scored a double leg takedown with exposure with 1:07 left for a 2-0 lead. After going back to the feet, Miranda hit another double leg and held Kelly on her back for exposure to lead 5-0. With just seven seconds to go in the period, a Miranda takedown with exposure made the score 7-0, giving her a technical fall for the period.

59 kg/130 lbs.
Leigh Jaynes, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) dec. Alaina Berube, Escanaba, Mich. (New York AC), 2-1, 3-3

First period
After a Berube leg shot, Jaynes countered and forced Berube to step out of bounds with 1:40 to go to lead 2-0. On another Berube leg attack, Jaynes countered and spun behind for a takedown to lead 2-0 with 29 seconds left. Berube scored a leg attack takedown with 14 seconds left to close it to 2-1, but could not turn Jaynes as time ran out.

Second period
A Berube leg attack was countered by Jaynes, who stepped over and won a scramble for a 1-0 lead with 1:40 to go. Berube tied the score at 1-1 with a leg attack takedown with 56 seconds left. During a scramble, Jaynes scored a two-point exposure with 39 seconds left for a 3-1 lead, followed by a Berube reversal at 32 seconds to make it 3-2. Officials reviewed the video from the scramble. With 23 seconds left Berube's leg attack takedown made it 3-3. Jaynes won the period by having the highest-scoring move, her two point exposure, to take the criteria.