Leathers wins bronze and three other U.S. women take fifth at UWW Junior Worlds
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Becka Leathers poses with her UWW World bronze medal in Salvador, Brazil.
SALVADOR, Brazil - Becka Leathers (Choctaw, Okla./Gator OKCU RTC) won a bronze medal at 55 kg/121 lbs. and three other Americans placed fifth on the final day of women’s freestyle at the UWW Junior World Championships on Friday.
Leathers pinned 2015 European Junior champion Patrizia Liuzzi of Italy in the bronze-medal bout in the first period. Leathers took a 2-0 lead on a counter takedown. While countering another takedown attempt by Liuzzi, Leathers drove her to her back and secured the fall in 2:12.
Leathers, who competed in the 2014 Junior Worlds but did not place, had a strong day. She dominated her first two bouts, getting a technical fall over Janika Vakkila (Finland), 11-0 and beating Nade Dragunova of Belarus, 13-4. She lost a hard-fought semifinal to Nanami Irie of Japan, 0-6. Irie went on to win the gold medal and score a pin in the finals.
“I wrestled her before. I had a game plan. I really wanted that bronze medal. I knew she was going to come in and take lots of shots. My game plan was to snap her down and spin behind. I hipped in, she went over and I finished it,” said Leathers.
Leathers starts her college career at Oklahoma City University in a few weeks. She was also a past U.S. Cadet World Team member.
“Becka stayed with her game plan. The plan was to beat the head down, make her take short shots, and score, score, score. Every opportunity to score that was there, she would take it. And she did that. Because she continues to wrestle and work the plan, she got the opportunity for the fall,” said U.S. coach Archie Randall, who will coach Leathers in college as well.
Cody Pfau (Brush, Colo./Gator OKCU RTC) was pinned by Milena Dadasheva of Russia in her bronze-medal bout. at 48 kg/105.5 lbs., Dadasheva hit a hip toss and secured the fall in 23 seconds of the first period.
It was the second straight year that Dadasheva won a Junior World bronze. Last year, Dadasheva pinned Pfau in the opening round at the 2014 Junior World Championships.
For Pfau, it was her second Junior World fifth-place finish after also placing fifth in 2013. Pfau did not place in the 2014 Junior Worlds. She is a WCWA Women’s college national champion for Oklahoma City.
Mallory Velte (Sacramento, Calif./Simon Fraser) fell in her bronze medal bout at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. to Canada’s Braxton Stone-Papadopoulos, 2-4.
In the first period, the Canadian got two points, one on the shot clock against Velte and one on a pushout. In the last 10 seconds in the period, Velte scored a double leg takedown to tie it up at 2-2. In the second period, referees put Velte on the shot clock again, and Stone scored a counter-takedown on a spin behind for the final 4-2 margin. Stone-Papodopoulos is now a two-time Junior World medalist, with a silver in 2013 and a bronze in 2015.
Velte, who competes for Simon Fraser University, missed last season with an injury but has wrestled well all spring and summer.
Rachel Watters (Ankeny, Iowa/Gator OKCU RTC) was pinned in the first period by Iselin Maria Moen of Norway in her bronze-medal bout at 72 kg/158.5 lbs. Moen secured a headlock and completed the fall. Watters enters her senior year in high school in the fall.
“They were all upset about not realizing their goal of getting a medal. Little errors, little mistakes were made. We were caught in a couple of them. It happens. It’s wrestling. You never know who is going to win the match until it is over. They are young. They all have goals and aspirations of making the Olympic team for the USA. They will all keep working to get better,” said Randall.
Japan won the team title, with Azerbaijan in second and Russia in third. The United States placed sixth in the team standings.
UWW JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Salvador, Brazil
U.S. Women’s performances on Friday
48 kg/105.5 lbs. – Cody Pfau, Brush, Colo. (Gator OKCU RTC), 5th place
WIN Dominika Szynkowska (Poland), 3-2
WIN Ganbar Otgonjakgal (Mongolia), 8-7
LOSS Migo Igarashi (Japan), pin 3:29
LOSS Milena Dadasheva (Russia), pin 0:23
55 kg/121 lbs. – Becka Leathers, Choctaw, Okla. (Gator OKCU RTC), bronze medal
WIN Janika Vakkila (Finland), tech. fall 11-0
WIN Nade Dragunova (Belarus), 13-4
LOSS Nanami Irie (Japan), 0-6
WIN Patrizia Liuzzi (Italy), 2:12
63 kg/138.75 lbs. – Mallory Velte, Sacramento, Calif. (Simon Fraser), 5th place
LOSS Lyubov Ovcharova (Russia), 7-10
Bronze-medal bout - Vs. Braxton Stone-Papadopoulos (Canada)
72 kg/158.5 lbs. – Rachel Watters, Ankeny, Iowa (Gator OKCU RTC), 5th place
WIN Pooja (India), pin 2:14
LOSS Rino Abe (Japan), tech fall 1-13
LOSS Iselin Maria Moen (Norway), pin
Medalists
48 kg/105.5 lbs.
Gold – Miho Igarishi (Japan)
Silver – Irina Borissova (Kazakhstan)
Bronze – Oksana Livach (Ukraine)
Bronze – Milena Dadasheva (Russia)
55 kg/121 lbs.
Gold – Nanami Irie (Japan)
Silver – Ramona Galambos (Hungary)
Bronze – Becka Leathers (USA)
Bronze – Maria Sedneva (Kazakhstan)
63 kg/138.75 lbs.
Gold – Liubov Ovcharova (Russia)
Silver – Ragneta Gurbanzade (Azerbaijan)
Bronze – Braxton Stone-Papodopoulos (Canada)
Bronze – Theresa Persson (Sweden)
72 kg/158.5 lbs.
Gold – Rino Abe (Japan)
Silver – Sabira Aliyeva (Azerbaijan)
Bronze –Gulmaral Yerkebayeva (Kazakhstan)
Bronze – Iselin Maria Moen (Norway)
Team Standings, top 10
1. Japan, 66
2. Azerbaijan, 47
3. Russia, 47
4. Kazakhstan, 37
5. Ukraine, 37
6. USA, 36
7. Sweden, 27
8. Canada, 26
9. Turkey, 20
10. Hungary, 16
SALVADOR, Brazil - Becka Leathers (Choctaw, Okla./Gator OKCU RTC) won a bronze medal at 55 kg/121 lbs. and three other Americans placed fifth on the final day of women’s freestyle at the UWW Junior World Championships on Friday.
Leathers pinned 2015 European Junior champion Patrizia Liuzzi of Italy in the bronze-medal bout in the first period. Leathers took a 2-0 lead on a counter takedown. While countering another takedown attempt by Liuzzi, Leathers drove her to her back and secured the fall in 2:12.
Leathers, who competed in the 2014 Junior Worlds but did not place, had a strong day. She dominated her first two bouts, getting a technical fall over Janika Vakkila (Finland), 11-0 and beating Nade Dragunova of Belarus, 13-4. She lost a hard-fought semifinal to Nanami Irie of Japan, 0-6. Irie went on to win the gold medal and score a pin in the finals.
“I wrestled her before. I had a game plan. I really wanted that bronze medal. I knew she was going to come in and take lots of shots. My game plan was to snap her down and spin behind. I hipped in, she went over and I finished it,” said Leathers.
Leathers starts her college career at Oklahoma City University in a few weeks. She was also a past U.S. Cadet World Team member.
“Becka stayed with her game plan. The plan was to beat the head down, make her take short shots, and score, score, score. Every opportunity to score that was there, she would take it. And she did that. Because she continues to wrestle and work the plan, she got the opportunity for the fall,” said U.S. coach Archie Randall, who will coach Leathers in college as well.
Cody Pfau (Brush, Colo./Gator OKCU RTC) was pinned by Milena Dadasheva of Russia in her bronze-medal bout. at 48 kg/105.5 lbs., Dadasheva hit a hip toss and secured the fall in 23 seconds of the first period.
It was the second straight year that Dadasheva won a Junior World bronze. Last year, Dadasheva pinned Pfau in the opening round at the 2014 Junior World Championships.
For Pfau, it was her second Junior World fifth-place finish after also placing fifth in 2013. Pfau did not place in the 2014 Junior Worlds. She is a WCWA Women’s college national champion for Oklahoma City.
Mallory Velte (Sacramento, Calif./Simon Fraser) fell in her bronze medal bout at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. to Canada’s Braxton Stone-Papadopoulos, 2-4.
In the first period, the Canadian got two points, one on the shot clock against Velte and one on a pushout. In the last 10 seconds in the period, Velte scored a double leg takedown to tie it up at 2-2. In the second period, referees put Velte on the shot clock again, and Stone scored a counter-takedown on a spin behind for the final 4-2 margin. Stone-Papodopoulos is now a two-time Junior World medalist, with a silver in 2013 and a bronze in 2015.
Velte, who competes for Simon Fraser University, missed last season with an injury but has wrestled well all spring and summer.
Rachel Watters (Ankeny, Iowa/Gator OKCU RTC) was pinned in the first period by Iselin Maria Moen of Norway in her bronze-medal bout at 72 kg/158.5 lbs. Moen secured a headlock and completed the fall. Watters enters her senior year in high school in the fall.
“They were all upset about not realizing their goal of getting a medal. Little errors, little mistakes were made. We were caught in a couple of them. It happens. It’s wrestling. You never know who is going to win the match until it is over. They are young. They all have goals and aspirations of making the Olympic team for the USA. They will all keep working to get better,” said Randall.
Japan won the team title, with Azerbaijan in second and Russia in third. The United States placed sixth in the team standings.
UWW JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Salvador, Brazil
U.S. Women’s performances on Friday
48 kg/105.5 lbs. – Cody Pfau, Brush, Colo. (Gator OKCU RTC), 5th place
WIN Dominika Szynkowska (Poland), 3-2
WIN Ganbar Otgonjakgal (Mongolia), 8-7
LOSS Migo Igarashi (Japan), pin 3:29
LOSS Milena Dadasheva (Russia), pin 0:23
55 kg/121 lbs. – Becka Leathers, Choctaw, Okla. (Gator OKCU RTC), bronze medal
WIN Janika Vakkila (Finland), tech. fall 11-0
WIN Nade Dragunova (Belarus), 13-4
LOSS Nanami Irie (Japan), 0-6
WIN Patrizia Liuzzi (Italy), 2:12
63 kg/138.75 lbs. – Mallory Velte, Sacramento, Calif. (Simon Fraser), 5th place
LOSS Lyubov Ovcharova (Russia), 7-10
Bronze-medal bout - Vs. Braxton Stone-Papadopoulos (Canada)
72 kg/158.5 lbs. – Rachel Watters, Ankeny, Iowa (Gator OKCU RTC), 5th place
WIN Pooja (India), pin 2:14
LOSS Rino Abe (Japan), tech fall 1-13
LOSS Iselin Maria Moen (Norway), pin
Medalists
48 kg/105.5 lbs.
Gold – Miho Igarishi (Japan)
Silver – Irina Borissova (Kazakhstan)
Bronze – Oksana Livach (Ukraine)
Bronze – Milena Dadasheva (Russia)
55 kg/121 lbs.
Gold – Nanami Irie (Japan)
Silver – Ramona Galambos (Hungary)
Bronze – Becka Leathers (USA)
Bronze – Maria Sedneva (Kazakhstan)
63 kg/138.75 lbs.
Gold – Liubov Ovcharova (Russia)
Silver – Ragneta Gurbanzade (Azerbaijan)
Bronze – Braxton Stone-Papodopoulos (Canada)
Bronze – Theresa Persson (Sweden)
72 kg/158.5 lbs.
Gold – Rino Abe (Japan)
Silver – Sabira Aliyeva (Azerbaijan)
Bronze –Gulmaral Yerkebayeva (Kazakhstan)
Bronze – Iselin Maria Moen (Norway)
Team Standings, top 10
1. Japan, 66
2. Azerbaijan, 47
3. Russia, 47
4. Kazakhstan, 37
5. Ukraine, 37
6. USA, 36
7. Sweden, 27
8. Canada, 26
9. Turkey, 20
10. Hungary, 16
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