UPDATED: Padilla, Rix will wrestle for Bronze Medal; Pirozhkova eliminated
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by Craig Sesker
Tatiana Padilla gets advice from National Women's Coach Terry Steiner during Thursday's World Championships. Tony Rotundo photo
HERNING, Denmark - It was a crazy session for the U.S. women's freestyle team, and in the end the Americans still have two more chances to win medals.
Tatiana Padilla (55 kg/121 lbs.) and Deanna Rix (59 kg/130 lbs.) will wrestle for bronze medals at the World Championships on Thursday night at the MesseCenter Herning.
Teammate Elena Pirozhkova (63 kg/138.75 lbs.) fell one win short of wrestling in the bronze-medal match.
Padilla will face Alena Filipava of Belarus in the bronze-medal match. Rix will face Marianna Sastin of Hungary in the bronze-medal match.
Padilla won her first two matches before falling in the semifinals. In the international bracket system, semifinal losers qualify for one of the two bronze medal bouts.
Padilla lost a controversial semifinal match to Azerbaijan's Sona Ahmedli. Padilla lost the first period before a few bizarre calls went against her in the second period. Ahmedi tried to headlock Padilla and had her arm locked tight around Padilla's head each time. Padilla pulled her head free each time to go behind Ahmedi for what looked like a sure takedown.
On two occasions, including with five seconds left, the referees ruled it a slip throw and did not give Padilla a one-point takedown. The period ended 1-1 and Ahmedli won by virtue of scoring last.
"The first one, we forced a situation where she had to throw it. It wasn't a slip, it was a point and we didn't get it," U.S. National Coach Terry Steiner said. "I'm not going to get caught in that situation where we are talking about calls, but I know one of those definitely should have been a point for us. Aside from that, we can't put ourselves in position where it's a close match where a call like that can get you in trouble. We need to build on leads and be up 3-0 and 4-0."
Padilla's first win came against four-time World champion Gudrun Hoie of Norway, who is 39 years old. Padilla was not born yet when Hoie won her first World title in 1989. Padilla won the bout, 3-0, 6-0.
Rix won her first match, but was defeated in the quarterfinals by Yulia Ratkevich of Azerbaijan. When Ratkevich earned a spot in the finals, Rix was pulled back into the repechage round. Rix defeated Joice Silva of Brazil in her repechage bout, putting her in the bronze-medal match. Padilla, just 18 years old, was a 2008 World bronze medalist.
Rix placed fifth at the 2008 World Championships The medal round matches will be broadcast as a live video stream on UniversalSports.com (www.UniversalSports.com) starting at 1:30 p.m. Eastern time.
Pirozhkova was defeated in the repechage round, falling one match short of competing for a bronze. Pirozhkova won her first two matches, then lost to Lubov Volossova of Russia. In the repechage match, she was defeated by Justine Bouchard of Canada and eliminated. Pirozhkova was eighth in the 2008 World Championships, but was competing at 67 kg/147.5 lbs. last year.
"I think I came in a little better mentally prepared," Pirozhkova said. "This time, I got headlocked how many times? I think I came out more prepared and knowing what to expect, but there were a couple of quick arm throws and headlocks that I didn't expect because nobody in the U.S. really does that.
"We will try to wrestle as many foreign girls as we can. We just need more international experience. I will be back next year."
The final two U.S. women's wrestlers - Adeline Gray (67 kg/147.5 lbs.) and Ali Bernard (72 kg/158.5 lbs.) - weighed in and received their draws for Friday's competition. The Greco-Roman competition will kick off will Spenser Mango (55 kg/121 lbs.) taking the mat on Friday.
The seven-day competition runs through Sunday.
U.S. WOMEN'S FREESTYLE RESULTS FROM WEDNESDAY'S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
55 kg/121 lbs. - Tatiana Padilla, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
WIN Gudrun Hoie (Norway), 3-0, 6-0
WIN Geeta Geeta (India), 3-0, 1-4, fall 1:51
LOSS Sona Ahmedli (Azerbaijan), 1-0, 2-1
59 kg/130 lbs. - Deanna Rix, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
WIN Taybe Usein (Bulgaria), 4-0, 1-0
LOSS Yulija Ratkevich (Azerbaijan), 1-0, 3-3
WIN Joice Silva (Brazil), 1-0, 2-1
63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Elena Pirozhkova, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC)
WIN Aysel Can (Turkey), 7-0, 3-2
WIN Jin-Young Hang (South Korea), 0-7, 2-0, fall
LOSS Lubov Volosova (Russia), 5-2, 2-0
LOSS Justine Bouchard (Canada), 5-1, 3-0
HERNING, Denmark - It was a crazy session for the U.S. women's freestyle team, and in the end the Americans still have two more chances to win medals.
Tatiana Padilla (55 kg/121 lbs.) and Deanna Rix (59 kg/130 lbs.) will wrestle for bronze medals at the World Championships on Thursday night at the MesseCenter Herning.
Teammate Elena Pirozhkova (63 kg/138.75 lbs.) fell one win short of wrestling in the bronze-medal match.
Padilla will face Alena Filipava of Belarus in the bronze-medal match. Rix will face Marianna Sastin of Hungary in the bronze-medal match.
Padilla won her first two matches before falling in the semifinals. In the international bracket system, semifinal losers qualify for one of the two bronze medal bouts.
Padilla lost a controversial semifinal match to Azerbaijan's Sona Ahmedli. Padilla lost the first period before a few bizarre calls went against her in the second period. Ahmedi tried to headlock Padilla and had her arm locked tight around Padilla's head each time. Padilla pulled her head free each time to go behind Ahmedi for what looked like a sure takedown.
On two occasions, including with five seconds left, the referees ruled it a slip throw and did not give Padilla a one-point takedown. The period ended 1-1 and Ahmedli won by virtue of scoring last.
"The first one, we forced a situation where she had to throw it. It wasn't a slip, it was a point and we didn't get it," U.S. National Coach Terry Steiner said. "I'm not going to get caught in that situation where we are talking about calls, but I know one of those definitely should have been a point for us. Aside from that, we can't put ourselves in position where it's a close match where a call like that can get you in trouble. We need to build on leads and be up 3-0 and 4-0."
Padilla's first win came against four-time World champion Gudrun Hoie of Norway, who is 39 years old. Padilla was not born yet when Hoie won her first World title in 1989. Padilla won the bout, 3-0, 6-0.
Rix won her first match, but was defeated in the quarterfinals by Yulia Ratkevich of Azerbaijan. When Ratkevich earned a spot in the finals, Rix was pulled back into the repechage round. Rix defeated Joice Silva of Brazil in her repechage bout, putting her in the bronze-medal match. Padilla, just 18 years old, was a 2008 World bronze medalist.
Rix placed fifth at the 2008 World Championships The medal round matches will be broadcast as a live video stream on UniversalSports.com (www.UniversalSports.com) starting at 1:30 p.m. Eastern time.
Pirozhkova was defeated in the repechage round, falling one match short of competing for a bronze. Pirozhkova won her first two matches, then lost to Lubov Volossova of Russia. In the repechage match, she was defeated by Justine Bouchard of Canada and eliminated. Pirozhkova was eighth in the 2008 World Championships, but was competing at 67 kg/147.5 lbs. last year.
"I think I came in a little better mentally prepared," Pirozhkova said. "This time, I got headlocked how many times? I think I came out more prepared and knowing what to expect, but there were a couple of quick arm throws and headlocks that I didn't expect because nobody in the U.S. really does that.
"We will try to wrestle as many foreign girls as we can. We just need more international experience. I will be back next year."
The final two U.S. women's wrestlers - Adeline Gray (67 kg/147.5 lbs.) and Ali Bernard (72 kg/158.5 lbs.) - weighed in and received their draws for Friday's competition. The Greco-Roman competition will kick off will Spenser Mango (55 kg/121 lbs.) taking the mat on Friday.
The seven-day competition runs through Sunday.
U.S. WOMEN'S FREESTYLE RESULTS FROM WEDNESDAY'S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
55 kg/121 lbs. - Tatiana Padilla, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
WIN Gudrun Hoie (Norway), 3-0, 6-0
WIN Geeta Geeta (India), 3-0, 1-4, fall 1:51
LOSS Sona Ahmedli (Azerbaijan), 1-0, 2-1
59 kg/130 lbs. - Deanna Rix, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
WIN Taybe Usein (Bulgaria), 4-0, 1-0
LOSS Yulija Ratkevich (Azerbaijan), 1-0, 3-3
WIN Joice Silva (Brazil), 1-0, 2-1
63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Elena Pirozhkova, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC)
WIN Aysel Can (Turkey), 7-0, 3-2
WIN Jin-Young Hang (South Korea), 0-7, 2-0, fall
LOSS Lubov Volosova (Russia), 5-2, 2-0
LOSS Justine Bouchard (Canada), 5-1, 3-0
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