Miracle, Porter to wrestle for Junior World bronze in women's freestyle

Kayla Miracle (USA) works a fireman's carry at the Junior World Championships. Photo: Justin Hoch, JHoch.com.

VIDEO: Junior World Championships Interviews


MACON, France – U.S. wrestlers Kayla Miracle and Alexis Porter have qualified for bronze medal matches on the first day of women’s freestyle competition at the 2016 Junior World Championships.


Both Miracle and Porter advanced to the semifinal round with two strong wins to open the competition. Miracle scored a 10-0 technical fall and pin to qualify for the 59 kg/130 lbs. semis, while Porter won her opener, 2-1, followed by a quarterfinal pin in 1:21 at 67 kg/145.5 lbs.


Miracle dropped a back-and-forth affair to 2015 Cadet World champion Anhelina Lysak of Ukraine in the semifinals. Miracle trailed 1-0 at the end of the first period, but rallied in the second with two takedowns to take a 4-1 lead. The dynamic American was done in by a late four-point throw and ultimately fell, 6-5.


It was a less dramatic tale for Porter in her semifinal against 2016 Junior Asian champion Yue Han of China. Yue quickly snagged two takedowns and three leg laces to dash Porter’s finals hopes in the first period, 10-0.


Miracle, a 2014 Junior World bronze medalist, is set to face 2016 Junior Asian bronze medalist Nabira Esenbaeva of Uzbekistan for the bronze. Porter will battle North American foe Brandy Perry of Canada in her bronze medal match.


Following the morning session U.S. women’s freestyle coach Brent Barnes expressed confidence that Miracle and Porter can return strong tonight, remained focused on the task at hand and win medals.


“They can critique themselves later on. They’re going to have the rest of the year to do that, but I think right now just focusing on having a little something to eat, staying hydrated, getting back in here and competing their tails off tonight,” said Barnes.


2014 Junior World bronze medalist Marina Doi impressed in her first bout at 44 kg/97 lbs. with a 10-0 technical fall over 2015 Cadet World silver medalist Obed Perez Solis of Mexico. She fell to stingy Russian Veronika Gurskaya in a tight quarterfinal, 5-3.


Doi has been a member of six age-group World Team’s for the U.S., three in the Junior division and three as a Cadet.


“I feel that I definitely wrestled a lot better than last year,” Doi said. “Everybody knows that I am undersized for this weight class, and [Gurskaya] was especially big. I mean, I can’t use it as an excuse. I’ve been wrestling people bigger my whole life. I should have changed my attacks up.”


Similar to Doi, Brenda Reyna posted a 1-1 record at 51 kg/112.25 lbs. in her first World Championships experience. Reyna topped 2016 Junior European silver medalist Hilary Honorine of France, 6-2, to start the day. She then dropped a 4-1 nail biter to Khrystyna Bereza of Ukraine in the quarterfinals.


“I worked with these girls before at the Cadet level, and I knew this was going to be an enjoyable experience because they are all really good kids, and they’re all really nice young ladies, and have their heads on straight,” said Barnes.


The women’s freestyle medal matches at 44 kg, 51 kg, 59 kg and 67 kg will be wrestled at 12 p.m. (ET) today.


Flowrestling is providing a live stream of the Junior World Championships at flowrestling.org. Viewers must purchase a FloPro membership to watch the competition live. 


For complete brackets and match-by-match results visit unitedworldwrestling.org.

2016 JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

Aug. 30 – Sept. 4 in Macon, France

Finals Matchups

44 kg/97 lbs.

Gold – Svetlana Ankicheva (Kazakhstan) vs. Miyu Nakamura (Japan)

Bronze – Oksana Livach (Ukraine) vs. Fatme Mandeva (Bulgaria)

Bronze – Divya Tomar (India) vs. Veronika Gurskaya (Russia)

51 kg/112.25 lbs.

Gold – Xuejiao Liao (China) vs. Kseniia Nezgovorova (Russia)

Bronze – Jo-Cih Chiu (Chinese Taipei) vs. Khrystyna Bereza (Ukraine)

Bronze – Elena Brugger (Germany) v. Kristina Mclaren (Canada)

59 kg/130 lbs.

Gold – Anhelina Lysak (Ukraine) vs. Yuzuru Kumano (Japan)

Bronze – Xingru Pei (China) vs. Madina Bakbergenova (Kazakhstan)

Bronze – Kayla Miracle vs. Nabira Esenbaeva (Uzbekistan)

67 kg/147.5 lbs.

Gold – Yue Han (China) vs. Koumba Larroque (France)

Bronze – Alexis Porter (United States) vs. Brandy Perry (Canada)

Bronze – Reshma Mane (India) vs. Elis Manolova (Azerbaijan)

U.S. women’s freestyle results

44 kg/97 lbs. – Marina Doi, Kingsburg, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC)

WIN Obed Perez Solis (Mexico), 10-0

LOSS Veronika Gurskaya (Russia), 5-3


51 kg/112.25 lbs. – Brenda Reyna, Mount Vernon, Wash. (Vandit Wrestling Academy)

WIN Hilary Honorine (France), 6-2

LOSS Khrystyna Bereza (Ukraine), 4-1


59 kg/130 lbs. – Kayla Miracle, Campbellsville, Ky. (Sunkist Kids)

WIN Viktoria Vilhelm (Hungary), 10-0

WIN Emma Johansson (Sweden), Fall 2:03

LOSS Anhelina Lysak (Ukraine), 6-5


67 kg/147.5 lbs. – Alexis Porter, Ballston Lake, N.Y. (McKendree University)

WIN Enrica Rinaldi (Italy), 2-1

WIN Merey Duisenova (Kazakhstan), Fall 1:21

LOSS Yue Han (China), 10-0