Women’s Wrestling Week: Kristie Stenglein Davis wins first U.S. Junior World women’s gold in 1998
Share:
by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Kristie Stenglein of the USA pins Mae Bente Erikson of Norway to win the 75 kg gold medal at the 1998 Junior World Championships in Fredrikstad, Norway. Photo by Doug Reese.
The first Junior World Championships which the USA entered with a women’s team was held in Fredrikstad, Norway, August 7-9, 1998.
The United States team was led by a young woman who had already won two World silver medals on the Senior level, Kristie Stenglein of New York. This was her first chance to compete on the World level against women who were her own age, as the tournament featured the best 16-20 year old wrestlers in the world.
We now know Kristie now by her married name, Kristie Davis. We will call her Stenglein in this story, because she was still unmarried and competing with her maiden name back then.
Stenglein, who had a judo background and had a family full of wrestlers, was known as a pinner. At her first Junior World Championships, she built upon that reputation. Kristie Stenglein had three matches at 75 kg/165.25 lbs., and when she was done in Norway, she had three pins.
She opened with pins over Edyta Witkowska of Poland in 2:25 and Nicole Hettich of Germany in 3:11. In the championship finals, she pinned May Bente Erikson of Norway in 1:50. Three pins in a combined 7:26. Quite impressive indeed.
Stenglein was the only American medalist on the seven-athlete U.S. team. The next highest finisher on the squad was Olivia Ocampo of California, who placed fourth at 101.25 pounds, falling to Marta Wojtanowski of Poland, 6-3 in the bronze medal match. Team USA finished fifth in the standings with 30 points, in a tournament won by Russia.
Stenglein would later compete under her married name Kristie Marano, and finished her career with her current married name Davis. She became the winningest women’s wrestler for the United States on the Senior level. She won nine career World medals, including World gold medals in 2000 and 2003. She is tied with the legendary men’s freestyle star Bruce Baumgartner for the most Senior World medals in history with nine.
Her family legacy is continuing with her daughter Kayla Marano, who won a Cadet World bronze medal for the United States this past summer at 65 kg in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzogovina.
Starting with Kristie Davis’ Junior World title in 1998, the USA has continued to compete well at the Junior World Championships. To date, the USA has won nine Junior World titles, won by seven women. Two-time Junior World champions include Ali Bernard (2003, 2005) and Victoria Anthony (2009, 2010).
Junior World Women’s champions (17-20 years)
2010 – Victoria Anthony (48 kg)
2009 – Victoria Anthony (44 kg)
2008 – Adeline Gray (67 kg)
2007 – Whitney Conder (51 kg)
2006 – Nicole Woody (44 kg)
2005 – Ali Bernard (72 kg)
2003 – Ali Bernard (67 kg)
2000 – Dominique Smalley (75 kg)
1998 – Kristie Stenglein (75 kg)
Each day for the rest of Women’s Wrestling Week, TheMat.com will post a story on women’s wrestling history in the United States.
ABOUT WOMEN’S WRESTLING WEEK
USA Wrestling has declared the week of March 5-13 as Women’s Wrestling Week in the United States. Any female athlete who is not a member of USA Wrestling is invited to come out and try the sport at a chartered club practice. USA Wrestling will provide a complimentary membership for March 5-13, the time covered by Women’s Wrestling Week.
USA Wrestling chartered clubs have been encouraged to allow females of all ages to attend their practice free of charge during World Wrestling Week. To find a club program in your area, visit the link below:
http://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Membership/Athletes/Find-a-Club
Additionally, female athletes with prior wrestling experience who would like to participate in a USA Wrestling sanctioned event may do so on both weekends of March 5-6 and March 12-13. USA Wrestling extended the week to cover two weekends in order to provide even more opportunity for young women to try the sport. Athletes who will attend practices or events with the complimentary membership are asked to confirm their attendance in advance with the club leader or event host before going to the activity.
The first Junior World Championships which the USA entered with a women’s team was held in Fredrikstad, Norway, August 7-9, 1998.
The United States team was led by a young woman who had already won two World silver medals on the Senior level, Kristie Stenglein of New York. This was her first chance to compete on the World level against women who were her own age, as the tournament featured the best 16-20 year old wrestlers in the world.
We now know Kristie now by her married name, Kristie Davis. We will call her Stenglein in this story, because she was still unmarried and competing with her maiden name back then.
Stenglein, who had a judo background and had a family full of wrestlers, was known as a pinner. At her first Junior World Championships, she built upon that reputation. Kristie Stenglein had three matches at 75 kg/165.25 lbs., and when she was done in Norway, she had three pins.
She opened with pins over Edyta Witkowska of Poland in 2:25 and Nicole Hettich of Germany in 3:11. In the championship finals, she pinned May Bente Erikson of Norway in 1:50. Three pins in a combined 7:26. Quite impressive indeed.
Stenglein was the only American medalist on the seven-athlete U.S. team. The next highest finisher on the squad was Olivia Ocampo of California, who placed fourth at 101.25 pounds, falling to Marta Wojtanowski of Poland, 6-3 in the bronze medal match. Team USA finished fifth in the standings with 30 points, in a tournament won by Russia.
Stenglein would later compete under her married name Kristie Marano, and finished her career with her current married name Davis. She became the winningest women’s wrestler for the United States on the Senior level. She won nine career World medals, including World gold medals in 2000 and 2003. She is tied with the legendary men’s freestyle star Bruce Baumgartner for the most Senior World medals in history with nine.
Her family legacy is continuing with her daughter Kayla Marano, who won a Cadet World bronze medal for the United States this past summer at 65 kg in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzogovina.
Starting with Kristie Davis’ Junior World title in 1998, the USA has continued to compete well at the Junior World Championships. To date, the USA has won nine Junior World titles, won by seven women. Two-time Junior World champions include Ali Bernard (2003, 2005) and Victoria Anthony (2009, 2010).
Junior World Women’s champions (17-20 years)
2010 – Victoria Anthony (48 kg)
2009 – Victoria Anthony (44 kg)
2008 – Adeline Gray (67 kg)
2007 – Whitney Conder (51 kg)
2006 – Nicole Woody (44 kg)
2005 – Ali Bernard (72 kg)
2003 – Ali Bernard (67 kg)
2000 – Dominique Smalley (75 kg)
1998 – Kristie Stenglein (75 kg)
Each day for the rest of Women’s Wrestling Week, TheMat.com will post a story on women’s wrestling history in the United States.
ABOUT WOMEN’S WRESTLING WEEK
USA Wrestling has declared the week of March 5-13 as Women’s Wrestling Week in the United States. Any female athlete who is not a member of USA Wrestling is invited to come out and try the sport at a chartered club practice. USA Wrestling will provide a complimentary membership for March 5-13, the time covered by Women’s Wrestling Week.
USA Wrestling chartered clubs have been encouraged to allow females of all ages to attend their practice free of charge during World Wrestling Week. To find a club program in your area, visit the link below:
http://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Membership/Athletes/Find-a-Club
Additionally, female athletes with prior wrestling experience who would like to participate in a USA Wrestling sanctioned event may do so on both weekends of March 5-6 and March 12-13. USA Wrestling extended the week to cover two weekends in order to provide even more opportunity for young women to try the sport. Athletes who will attend practices or events with the complimentary membership are asked to confirm their attendance in advance with the club leader or event host before going to the activity.
Read More#
WIN’s February High School Postseason/NCAA Qualifier Preview Issue now available
U.S. women place second in U17 World Championships; Bouzakis, Jaffe and Robinson add bronzes on last day
Bouzakis, Jaffe, Robinson advance to semifinals at U17 Worlds in women’s freestyle in Istanbul
USA WRESTLING JOB OPPORTUNITY: Senior Manager of Communications
