World champions Chun and Smith advance to women’s finals at Dave Schultz Memorial
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Iris Smith of the USA gets behind Canada’s Justina DiStasio of Canada in the 75 kg semifinals. Photo by Tony Rotundo, Wrestlers Are Warriors.
VIDEO: Dave Schultz Memorial International Interviews
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Past World champions Clarissa Chun of the Sunkist Kids and Iris Smith of the U.S. Army WCAP are among the 10 American women’s freestyle wrestlers to reach the finals on the final day of the Dave Schultz Memorial International on Saturday.
Chun, a 2008 World champion and 2012 Olympic bronze medalist, scored a 10-0 technical fall in the semifinals against Erin Golston of the New York AC. She will face two-time Junior World champion Victoria Anthony of the Titan Mercury WC in the gold-medal finals.
Chun has won the Dave Schultz Memorial just one previous time, back in 2000 when she was still a student at Missouri Valley College. One of the veterans on the U.S. scene, Chun is attempting to make her third Olympic team this year.
“I have just been trying to prepare mentally for my matches. I want to leave it all out there and have fun. I just want to get some competition in. It is hard to train every day and not have anything on the schedule in the short term,” said Chun.
Smith, a 2005 World champion, had a big win over 2015 Pan American Games silver medalist Justina DiStasio of Canada in the semifinals, 3-2. Smith has drawn 2015 World bronze medalist Epp Mae of Estonia in the finals.
Smith has won the Dave Schultz Memorial International in 2000 and 2001.
“In the second round she was kind of passive. I was able to score on a take down early in the second round. She got passive again later on and that's when I was able to capitalize and get the points to win,” said Smith.
There will be four all-USA finals out of the six Olympic weight classes being contested.
At 69 kg/152 lbs., 2015 Junior World Team member Forrest Molinari of the Titan Mercury WC was trailing in her semifinal match to Michelle Organ of Campbellsville University, then turned her to her back and secured a fall in 3:56. She will face Brittany Roberts of the Sunkist Kids in the finals, who won her semifinal by injury default over Julia Salata of the New York AC.
“My shots, they weren’t clean. I didn’t have good setups and that’s why she was getting those lifts. I wrestled through that second single, ended up getting on top and once I got the bar in I knew I had to go. It’s my favorite pin, so definitely had to go for it once it was sunk,” said Molinari.
Molinari, who competes for King University, has been testing herself on the Senior level as part of her development in the sport.
“I’ve never been to this tournament. It’s my first time getting to go to all the Senior stuff, so I’m trying to get as many matches as possible, wrestle as many girls in the weight as I can, so come Olympic Trials time I’ll be ready to go,” said Molinari.
The 53 kg/116.5 lbs. finals will feature Americans Sarah Hildebrandt and Katherine Fulp-Allen, both who compete for the New York AC. Hildebrandt scored a 12-1 technical fall in the finals over Canadian Jade Parsons, while Fulp-Allen stopped two-time World Team member Deanna Betterman of the Sunkist Kids, 5-3.
WCWA college national champion Kayla Miracle of the Sunkist Kids, who wrestles for Campbellsville University, will battle Randi Beltz of the Titan Mercury WC in the finals at 58 kg/128 lbs. Miracle scored a pin in 2:32 over Jenna Burkert of the U.S. Army WCAP in her semifinal, while Beltz earned a 10-0 technical fall over college wrestler Maya Nelson of the Sunkist Kids in the other semifinal.
2014 World bronze medalist Anastasija Grigorieva of Latvia earned a spot in the finals at 63 kg/138.75 lbs., after scoring a 12-0 technical fall over 2016 U.S. Open champion Amanda Hendey of the Titan Mercury WC. Grigorieva will face 2013 Junior World bronze medalist Jennifer Page of the Titan Mercury WC, who pinned Canadian Breanne Graham in her semifinal in 1:45.
The gold-medal and bronze-medal finals will be held at 2:30 p.m. MT. This is 90 minutes earlier than the finals on the previous two days of the tournament. The Dave Schultz Memorial is being broadcast live by Flowrestling.
The Dave Schultz Memorial International is included in the #Road2IowaCity series of events which serve as qualifiers for the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Wrestling in Iowa City, Iowa, April 9-10. The highest placing American wrestler in each weight class who wins a medal and has not yet qualified will earn a spot in the U.S. Olympic Team Trials. There will be as many as six women’s freestyle berths up for grabs in this competition.
The event is held in memory the late Dave Schultz, an Olympic and World champion for the United States who was an international ambassador of goodwill through sport.
DAVE SCHULTZ MEMORIAL INTERNATIONAL
At Colorado Springs, Colo., January 30
Women’s freestyle semifinal results
48 kg/105.5 lbs.
Clarissa Chun (USA) tech. Erin Golston (USA), 10-0
Victoria Anthony (USA) pin Cody Pfau (USA), 0:15
53 kg/116.5 lbs.
Sarah Hildebrandt (USA) tech. fall Jade Parsons (Canada), 12-1
Katherine Fulp-Allen (USA) dec. Deanna Betterman (USA), 5-2
58 kg/128 lbs.
Kayla Miracle (USA) pin Jenna Burkert (USA), 2:32
Randi Beltz (USA) tech. Maya Nelson (USA), 10-0
63 kg/138.75 lbs.
Anastasia Grigorjeva (Latvia) tech. Amanda Hendey (USA), 12-0
Jennifer Page (USA) pin Breanne Graham (Canada), 1:45
69 kg/152 lbs.
Forrest Molinari (USA) pin Michelle Organ (USA), 3:56
Brittany Roberts (USA) won by inj. dft over Julia Salata (USA)
75 kg/165 lbs.
Iris Smith (USA) dec. Justina DiStasio, 3-2
Epp Mae (Estonia) tech. fall Dayanara Rivera (Puerto Rico), 10-0
Gold-medal finals pairings
48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Clarissa Chun (USA/Sunkist Kids) vs. Victoria Anthony (USA/Titan Mercury WC)
53 kg/116.5 lbs. - Sarah Hildebrandt (USA/New York AC) vs. Katherine Fulp-Allen (USA/Sunkist Kids)
58 kg/128 lbs. - Kayla Miracle (USA/Sunkist Kids) vs. Randi Beltz (USA/Titan Mercury WC)
63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Anastasia Grigorjeva (Latvia) vs. Jennifer Page (USA/Titan Mercury WC)
69 kg/152 lbs. - Forrest Molinari (USA/Titan Mercury WC) vs. Brittany Roberts (USA/Sunkist Kids)
75 kg/165 lbs. - Iris Smith (USA/U.S. Army WCAP) vs. Epp Mae (Estonia)
VIDEO: Dave Schultz Memorial International Interviews
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Past World champions Clarissa Chun of the Sunkist Kids and Iris Smith of the U.S. Army WCAP are among the 10 American women’s freestyle wrestlers to reach the finals on the final day of the Dave Schultz Memorial International on Saturday.
Chun, a 2008 World champion and 2012 Olympic bronze medalist, scored a 10-0 technical fall in the semifinals against Erin Golston of the New York AC. She will face two-time Junior World champion Victoria Anthony of the Titan Mercury WC in the gold-medal finals.
Chun has won the Dave Schultz Memorial just one previous time, back in 2000 when she was still a student at Missouri Valley College. One of the veterans on the U.S. scene, Chun is attempting to make her third Olympic team this year.
“I have just been trying to prepare mentally for my matches. I want to leave it all out there and have fun. I just want to get some competition in. It is hard to train every day and not have anything on the schedule in the short term,” said Chun.
Smith, a 2005 World champion, had a big win over 2015 Pan American Games silver medalist Justina DiStasio of Canada in the semifinals, 3-2. Smith has drawn 2015 World bronze medalist Epp Mae of Estonia in the finals.
Smith has won the Dave Schultz Memorial International in 2000 and 2001.
“In the second round she was kind of passive. I was able to score on a take down early in the second round. She got passive again later on and that's when I was able to capitalize and get the points to win,” said Smith.
There will be four all-USA finals out of the six Olympic weight classes being contested.
At 69 kg/152 lbs., 2015 Junior World Team member Forrest Molinari of the Titan Mercury WC was trailing in her semifinal match to Michelle Organ of Campbellsville University, then turned her to her back and secured a fall in 3:56. She will face Brittany Roberts of the Sunkist Kids in the finals, who won her semifinal by injury default over Julia Salata of the New York AC.
“My shots, they weren’t clean. I didn’t have good setups and that’s why she was getting those lifts. I wrestled through that second single, ended up getting on top and once I got the bar in I knew I had to go. It’s my favorite pin, so definitely had to go for it once it was sunk,” said Molinari.
Molinari, who competes for King University, has been testing herself on the Senior level as part of her development in the sport.
“I’ve never been to this tournament. It’s my first time getting to go to all the Senior stuff, so I’m trying to get as many matches as possible, wrestle as many girls in the weight as I can, so come Olympic Trials time I’ll be ready to go,” said Molinari.
The 53 kg/116.5 lbs. finals will feature Americans Sarah Hildebrandt and Katherine Fulp-Allen, both who compete for the New York AC. Hildebrandt scored a 12-1 technical fall in the finals over Canadian Jade Parsons, while Fulp-Allen stopped two-time World Team member Deanna Betterman of the Sunkist Kids, 5-3.
WCWA college national champion Kayla Miracle of the Sunkist Kids, who wrestles for Campbellsville University, will battle Randi Beltz of the Titan Mercury WC in the finals at 58 kg/128 lbs. Miracle scored a pin in 2:32 over Jenna Burkert of the U.S. Army WCAP in her semifinal, while Beltz earned a 10-0 technical fall over college wrestler Maya Nelson of the Sunkist Kids in the other semifinal.
2014 World bronze medalist Anastasija Grigorieva of Latvia earned a spot in the finals at 63 kg/138.75 lbs., after scoring a 12-0 technical fall over 2016 U.S. Open champion Amanda Hendey of the Titan Mercury WC. Grigorieva will face 2013 Junior World bronze medalist Jennifer Page of the Titan Mercury WC, who pinned Canadian Breanne Graham in her semifinal in 1:45.
The gold-medal and bronze-medal finals will be held at 2:30 p.m. MT. This is 90 minutes earlier than the finals on the previous two days of the tournament. The Dave Schultz Memorial is being broadcast live by Flowrestling.
The Dave Schultz Memorial International is included in the #Road2IowaCity series of events which serve as qualifiers for the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Wrestling in Iowa City, Iowa, April 9-10. The highest placing American wrestler in each weight class who wins a medal and has not yet qualified will earn a spot in the U.S. Olympic Team Trials. There will be as many as six women’s freestyle berths up for grabs in this competition.
The event is held in memory the late Dave Schultz, an Olympic and World champion for the United States who was an international ambassador of goodwill through sport.
DAVE SCHULTZ MEMORIAL INTERNATIONAL
At Colorado Springs, Colo., January 30
Women’s freestyle semifinal results
48 kg/105.5 lbs.
Clarissa Chun (USA) tech. Erin Golston (USA), 10-0
Victoria Anthony (USA) pin Cody Pfau (USA), 0:15
53 kg/116.5 lbs.
Sarah Hildebrandt (USA) tech. fall Jade Parsons (Canada), 12-1
Katherine Fulp-Allen (USA) dec. Deanna Betterman (USA), 5-2
58 kg/128 lbs.
Kayla Miracle (USA) pin Jenna Burkert (USA), 2:32
Randi Beltz (USA) tech. Maya Nelson (USA), 10-0
63 kg/138.75 lbs.
Anastasia Grigorjeva (Latvia) tech. Amanda Hendey (USA), 12-0
Jennifer Page (USA) pin Breanne Graham (Canada), 1:45
69 kg/152 lbs.
Forrest Molinari (USA) pin Michelle Organ (USA), 3:56
Brittany Roberts (USA) won by inj. dft over Julia Salata (USA)
75 kg/165 lbs.
Iris Smith (USA) dec. Justina DiStasio, 3-2
Epp Mae (Estonia) tech. fall Dayanara Rivera (Puerto Rico), 10-0
Gold-medal finals pairings
48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Clarissa Chun (USA/Sunkist Kids) vs. Victoria Anthony (USA/Titan Mercury WC)
53 kg/116.5 lbs. - Sarah Hildebrandt (USA/New York AC) vs. Katherine Fulp-Allen (USA/Sunkist Kids)
58 kg/128 lbs. - Kayla Miracle (USA/Sunkist Kids) vs. Randi Beltz (USA/Titan Mercury WC)
63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Anastasia Grigorjeva (Latvia) vs. Jennifer Page (USA/Titan Mercury WC)
69 kg/152 lbs. - Forrest Molinari (USA/Titan Mercury WC) vs. Brittany Roberts (USA/Sunkist Kids)
75 kg/165 lbs. - Iris Smith (USA/U.S. Army WCAP) vs. Epp Mae (Estonia)
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