UPDATE: Campbell, Mensah fall in quarterfinals, going for bronze at 2nd World Olympic Qualifier in Turkey
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Kelsey Campbell of the USA pins Thi Ly Kieu of Vietnam at 58 kg at the Last Chance Olympic Qualifier in Turkey. Campbell and her teammate Tamyra Mensah are in bronze-medal bouts later today. Photo by Dr. Fred Roberto
ISTANBUL, Turkey – Both U.S. women’s freestyle entries at the 2nd World Olympic Games Qualifier were defeated in the quarterfinals, dashing their hopes of qualifying for the Olympic Games on Saturday at the Bagcilar Sports Complex.
2012 Olympian Kelsey Campbell (Tempe, Ariz./Sunkist Kids) at 58 kg/128 lbs. and young Tamyra Mensah (Katy, Texas/Titan Mercury WC/OTC) at 69 kg/152 lbs. were unable to advance to the finals in their weight classes.
This was the last opportunity for nations to qualify for the Rio Olympic Games. The top two placewinners in each weight classes in Istanbul qualify their nations to compete at the Olympic Games.
Both Americans will compete in bronze medal matches in the second session after coming back through the repechage rounds. Campbell will battle Tetyana Kit of Ukraine for a bronze medal, while Mensah will face Adina Popescu of Romania in a bronze-medal match.
In her first match, Campbell opened up with a strong offense, before pinning 2016 Asian bronze medalist Thi Ly Kieu of Vietnam in the second period. Campbell scored three takedowns on high single leg attacks, and was able to turn Kieu to her back after the third takedown to secure the fall.
Campbell stopped 2016 Pan American Championships silver medalist Yanet Sovero Nino of Peru in the second round, 4-2. Campbell led 3-0 on a point from the shot clock and a takedown. Sovero got her only takedown on the buzzer in the final period.
Her run was halted in the quarterfinals, when Campbell was defeated by 2014 World silver medalist and 2013 World bronze medalist Valeria Koblova-Zholobova of Russia, 4-1. Koblova-Zholobova scored the only takedowns of the match.
When Koblova-Zholobova reached the finals, Campbell was pulled back into repechage. She won a 1-1 decision over Aiym Abdildina of Kazakhstan, with both athletes scoring when the opponent could not score while on the shot clock. Campbell won by virtue of scoring the last point.
Campbell was a member of the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team and competed in the 2010 and 2011 World Championships. Campbell was a women’s college national champion at Arizona State.
Mensah had a solid opening win over 2014 Asian Games bronze medalist Geetika Jakhar of India, 5-0, scoring a takedown in each period and also getting a point from Jakhar failing to score on the shot clock.
In the quarterfinals, Mensah was leading 2013 World champion Alina Makhynia of Ukraine in the first period 6-0, but was headlocked and pinned at the 1:55 mark. Mensah scored a quick takedown and gut wrench to lead 4-0, then added a spin behind takedown to make it 6-0. During a scramble, Makhynia nailed a headlock, taking Mensah to her back for the fall.
When Makhynia won her semifinals bout, Mensah was pulled back into repechage, where she dominated Yauheniya Andreichykava of Belarus, who was fifth in the 2016 European U23 Championships, with a 10-0 technical fall. Mensah had two takedowns and three turns in the first period to put her away.
Mensah qualified for her first Senior U.S. World-level team this year. She was a WCWA women’s college champion at Wayland Baptist and is on an Olympic redshirt year training at the U.S. Olympic Training Center. She competed in three of the four qualifying phases, the Pan American Olympic Qualifier and both World Olympic Games Qualifiers.
Both Campbell and Mensah were champions at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Iowa City, Iowa in April and earned the right to go to the World Olympic Qualifiers to attempt to qualify their weight classes.x
The medal match round will be held at 6:00 p.m. Istanbul time, which is 11:00 a.m. U.S. Eastern time.
The U.S. will have four women on its 2016 U.S. Olympic Team – Haley Augello (48 kg), Helen Maroulis (53 kg), Elena Pirozhkova (63 kg) and Adeline Gray (75 kg).
Currently the USA has 13 athletes qualified for the Olympics, five in men’s freestyle, four in Greco-Roman and four in women’s freestyle. One U.S. men’s freestyle wrestler, Frank Molinaro (65 kg) goes for an Olympic berth on Sunday.
2nd WORLD OLYMPIC GAMES QUALIFYING TOURNAMENT
At Istanbul, Turkey
U.S. Women’s freestyle results so far
58 kg/128 lbs. – Kelsey Campbell, Tempe, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids)
WIN Thi Ly Kieu (Vietnam), pin
WIN Yanet Sovero Nino (Peru), 4-2
LOSS Valeria Koblova-Zholobova (Russia), 1-4
WIN Aiym Abdildina (Kazakhstan), 1-1
Bronze-Medal Match – Vs. Tetyana Kit (Ukraine)
69 kg/152 lbs. – Tamyra Mensah, Katy, Texas (Titan Mercury WC/OTC)
WIN Geetika Jakhar (India), 5-0
LOSS Alina Makhynia (Ukraine) pin 1:55
WIN Yauheniya Andreichykava (Belarus), tech. fall 10-0
Bronze-Medal Match - Vs. Adina Popescu (Romania)
Medal Match pairings
48 kg/105.5 lbs.
Gold - Iwona Matkowska (Poland) vs. Vinesh (India)
Bronze - Nataliya Pulkovska (Ukraine) vs. Evin Demirhan (Turkey)
Bronze - Vanesa Kaladzinskaya (Belarus) vs. Narangerel Erdenesukh (Mongolia)
53 kg/116.5 lbs.
Gold - Bediha Gun (Turkey) vs. Yuliia Khavaldzhy Blahinya (Ukraine)
Bronze - Tatyana Amanzhol-Bakatyuk (Kazakhstan) vs. Alma Jane Valencia Escoto (Mexico)
Bronze - Mercedesz Denes (Hungary) vs. Melanie Lydie Sandra LeSaffre (France)
58 kg/128 lbs. -
Gold - Sakshi Malik (India) vs. Valeria Koblova-Zholobova (Russia)
Bronze - Kelsey Campbell (USA) vs. Tetyana Kit (Ukraine)
Bronze - Kateryna Zhydacheska (Romania) vs. Lan Zhang (China)
63 kg/138.75 lbs
Gold - Monika Ewa Michalik (Poland) vs. Henna Katarina Johansson (Sweden)
Bronze - Shilpi Sheoran (India) vs. Nathaly Josefina Griman Herrera (Venezuela)
Bronze - Kriszta Tunde Incze (Romania) vs. Koumba Selene Fanta Larroque (France)
69 kg/152 lbs.
Gold - Signe Marie Fidje Store (Norway) vs. Alina Makhynia (Ukraine)
Bronze - Tamyra Mensah (USA) vs. Adina Elena Popescu (Romania)
Bronze - Viktoria Ivanova Bobeva (Bulgaria) vs. Danute Domikaityte (Lithuania)
75 kg/165 lbs.
Gold - Maria Selmaier (Germany) vs. Ekaterina Bukina (Russia)
Bronze - Fanny Helene Gradin (Sweden) vs. Svetlana Saenko (Moldova)
Bronze - Iselin Maria Moen Solheim (Norway) vs. Gozal Zutova (Azerbaijan)
ISTANBUL, Turkey – Both U.S. women’s freestyle entries at the 2nd World Olympic Games Qualifier were defeated in the quarterfinals, dashing their hopes of qualifying for the Olympic Games on Saturday at the Bagcilar Sports Complex.
2012 Olympian Kelsey Campbell (Tempe, Ariz./Sunkist Kids) at 58 kg/128 lbs. and young Tamyra Mensah (Katy, Texas/Titan Mercury WC/OTC) at 69 kg/152 lbs. were unable to advance to the finals in their weight classes.
This was the last opportunity for nations to qualify for the Rio Olympic Games. The top two placewinners in each weight classes in Istanbul qualify their nations to compete at the Olympic Games.
Both Americans will compete in bronze medal matches in the second session after coming back through the repechage rounds. Campbell will battle Tetyana Kit of Ukraine for a bronze medal, while Mensah will face Adina Popescu of Romania in a bronze-medal match.
In her first match, Campbell opened up with a strong offense, before pinning 2016 Asian bronze medalist Thi Ly Kieu of Vietnam in the second period. Campbell scored three takedowns on high single leg attacks, and was able to turn Kieu to her back after the third takedown to secure the fall.
Campbell stopped 2016 Pan American Championships silver medalist Yanet Sovero Nino of Peru in the second round, 4-2. Campbell led 3-0 on a point from the shot clock and a takedown. Sovero got her only takedown on the buzzer in the final period.
Her run was halted in the quarterfinals, when Campbell was defeated by 2014 World silver medalist and 2013 World bronze medalist Valeria Koblova-Zholobova of Russia, 4-1. Koblova-Zholobova scored the only takedowns of the match.
When Koblova-Zholobova reached the finals, Campbell was pulled back into repechage. She won a 1-1 decision over Aiym Abdildina of Kazakhstan, with both athletes scoring when the opponent could not score while on the shot clock. Campbell won by virtue of scoring the last point.
Campbell was a member of the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team and competed in the 2010 and 2011 World Championships. Campbell was a women’s college national champion at Arizona State.
Mensah had a solid opening win over 2014 Asian Games bronze medalist Geetika Jakhar of India, 5-0, scoring a takedown in each period and also getting a point from Jakhar failing to score on the shot clock.
In the quarterfinals, Mensah was leading 2013 World champion Alina Makhynia of Ukraine in the first period 6-0, but was headlocked and pinned at the 1:55 mark. Mensah scored a quick takedown and gut wrench to lead 4-0, then added a spin behind takedown to make it 6-0. During a scramble, Makhynia nailed a headlock, taking Mensah to her back for the fall.
When Makhynia won her semifinals bout, Mensah was pulled back into repechage, where she dominated Yauheniya Andreichykava of Belarus, who was fifth in the 2016 European U23 Championships, with a 10-0 technical fall. Mensah had two takedowns and three turns in the first period to put her away.
Mensah qualified for her first Senior U.S. World-level team this year. She was a WCWA women’s college champion at Wayland Baptist and is on an Olympic redshirt year training at the U.S. Olympic Training Center. She competed in three of the four qualifying phases, the Pan American Olympic Qualifier and both World Olympic Games Qualifiers.
Both Campbell and Mensah were champions at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Iowa City, Iowa in April and earned the right to go to the World Olympic Qualifiers to attempt to qualify their weight classes.x
The medal match round will be held at 6:00 p.m. Istanbul time, which is 11:00 a.m. U.S. Eastern time.
The U.S. will have four women on its 2016 U.S. Olympic Team – Haley Augello (48 kg), Helen Maroulis (53 kg), Elena Pirozhkova (63 kg) and Adeline Gray (75 kg).
Currently the USA has 13 athletes qualified for the Olympics, five in men’s freestyle, four in Greco-Roman and four in women’s freestyle. One U.S. men’s freestyle wrestler, Frank Molinaro (65 kg) goes for an Olympic berth on Sunday.
2nd WORLD OLYMPIC GAMES QUALIFYING TOURNAMENT
At Istanbul, Turkey
U.S. Women’s freestyle results so far
58 kg/128 lbs. – Kelsey Campbell, Tempe, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids)
WIN Thi Ly Kieu (Vietnam), pin
WIN Yanet Sovero Nino (Peru), 4-2
LOSS Valeria Koblova-Zholobova (Russia), 1-4
WIN Aiym Abdildina (Kazakhstan), 1-1
Bronze-Medal Match – Vs. Tetyana Kit (Ukraine)
69 kg/152 lbs. – Tamyra Mensah, Katy, Texas (Titan Mercury WC/OTC)
WIN Geetika Jakhar (India), 5-0
LOSS Alina Makhynia (Ukraine) pin 1:55
WIN Yauheniya Andreichykava (Belarus), tech. fall 10-0
Bronze-Medal Match - Vs. Adina Popescu (Romania)
Medal Match pairings
48 kg/105.5 lbs.
Gold - Iwona Matkowska (Poland) vs. Vinesh (India)
Bronze - Nataliya Pulkovska (Ukraine) vs. Evin Demirhan (Turkey)
Bronze - Vanesa Kaladzinskaya (Belarus) vs. Narangerel Erdenesukh (Mongolia)
53 kg/116.5 lbs.
Gold - Bediha Gun (Turkey) vs. Yuliia Khavaldzhy Blahinya (Ukraine)
Bronze - Tatyana Amanzhol-Bakatyuk (Kazakhstan) vs. Alma Jane Valencia Escoto (Mexico)
Bronze - Mercedesz Denes (Hungary) vs. Melanie Lydie Sandra LeSaffre (France)
58 kg/128 lbs. -
Gold - Sakshi Malik (India) vs. Valeria Koblova-Zholobova (Russia)
Bronze - Kelsey Campbell (USA) vs. Tetyana Kit (Ukraine)
Bronze - Kateryna Zhydacheska (Romania) vs. Lan Zhang (China)
63 kg/138.75 lbs
Gold - Monika Ewa Michalik (Poland) vs. Henna Katarina Johansson (Sweden)
Bronze - Shilpi Sheoran (India) vs. Nathaly Josefina Griman Herrera (Venezuela)
Bronze - Kriszta Tunde Incze (Romania) vs. Koumba Selene Fanta Larroque (France)
69 kg/152 lbs.
Gold - Signe Marie Fidje Store (Norway) vs. Alina Makhynia (Ukraine)
Bronze - Tamyra Mensah (USA) vs. Adina Elena Popescu (Romania)
Bronze - Viktoria Ivanova Bobeva (Bulgaria) vs. Danute Domikaityte (Lithuania)
75 kg/165 lbs.
Gold - Maria Selmaier (Germany) vs. Ekaterina Bukina (Russia)
Bronze - Fanny Helene Gradin (Sweden) vs. Svetlana Saenko (Moldova)
Bronze - Iselin Maria Moen Solheim (Norway) vs. Gozal Zutova (Azerbaijan)
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