Boyd and Shilson sail to Cadet World Championships finals in women's freestyle

CADET WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS INTERVIEWS

ATHENS, Greece – The U.S. Cadet women’s team sent three of four wrestlers to the second day of competition, including Emily Shilson and Alara Boyd, who earned bids to the World finals.

The championship matches are set for Thursday night at 6 p.m. local time (11 a.m. ET).

Shilson put an exclamation point on an already impressive day when she earned a 10-0 technical fall over Ukraine’s Karina Chornomor in the 43 kg/95 lbs. semifinals.

Shilson’s low single was her weapon of choice, picking up three in the first period, accompanied with two leg lace turns to end the match in 1:31 and send her to the finals in her first Cadet World Championships.

The semis win was her third victory of the day and third win by tech fall.

“I feel really good. I feel like I’ve done a god job of getting to my offense and just controlling the matches,” Shilson said. “I wanted to go out and beat the crap out of some girls… Second place isn’t good enough. I want to go all the way.”

Tomorrow night, she will take on Umi Ito of Japan in the finals.

2016 Cadet World medalist has already improved on her 2016 finish, making it to the 65 kg/143 lbs. finals.

After a decision and tech fall in the morning session, Boyd went bigger in the semis, recording a fall over Siyka Ivanova of Bulgaria. Boyd scored two takedowns and led 5-0 when she stuck the Bulgarian.

“I’m so stoked,” Boyd said. “I bumped up a weight class and I didn’t really know how I was going to do there. Just knowing I can hang with them at a bigger weight and at the World level means a lot.”

Like her teammate, Boyd will also face a Japanese wrestler in Honoka Nakai.

Two-time Cadet World teamer Vayle Baker was pulled back into the repechage at 49 kg/108 lbs. as 2016 Cadet World champion Suzuna Yoshimura of Japan advanced to the finals with an 8-2 win over two-time age-group World bronze medalist Zeynep Yetgil of Turkey.

Baker will face Sevinj Ahadova of Azerbaijan, who placed 18th at last year’s Worlds.   

2016 Cadet World bronze medalist Gracie Figueroa was unable to qualify for the medal round at 56 kg/123 lbs., when Sweden’s Ida Joensson lost in the semifinals in a 10-8 heartbreaker.

Thursday’s competition begins with repechage at 10:30 a.m. local time (1:30 a.m. ET), with the finals scheduled for 6 p.m. local time (11 a.m. ET). The other five American women’s freestyle athletes will also begin their World championships tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. Fans can watch live and find brackets on Trackwrestling.com.

2017 CADET WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

at Athens, Greece, Sept. 4-10

Finals matchups
38 kg/84 lbs. – Shahana Nazarova (Azerbaijan) vs. Mariia Tomyshch (Ukraine)
43 kg/95 lbs. – Emily Shilson (USA) vs. Umi Ito (Japan)
49 kg/108 lbs. – Mariia Tiumerekova (Russia) vs. Suzuna Yoshimura (Japan)
56 kg/123 lbs. – Sena Nagamoto (Japan) vs. Sonam Sonam (India)
65 kg/143 lbs. – Alara Boyd (USA) vs. Honoka Nakai (Japan)

U.S. women’s freestyle results
43 kg/95 lbs. – Emily Shilson, Maple Grove, Minn. (Titan Mercury WC)
WIN Aldynai Darzhaa (Russia), 12-2
WIN Ayazhan Markasheva (Kazakhstan), 12-2
WIN Karina Chornomor (Ukraine), 10-0

49 kg/108 lbs. – Vayle Baker, Benton, Pa. (Team Pennsylvania)
WIN Maria Triantafyllidou (Greece), fall 1:19
LOSS Suzuna Yoshimura (Japan), 10-0

56 kg/123 lbs. – Gracie Figueroa, Selma, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC)
WIN Nuraida Anarkulova (Kyrgyzstan), fall 1:28
WIN Violleta Petrovska (Ukraine), 11-0
LOSS Ida Joensson (Sweden), fall 1:18

65 kg/145 lbs. – Alara Boyd, Muncie, Ind. (CIA)
WIN Oksana Chudyk (Ukraine), 5-2
WIN Nyla Burgess (Canada), 11-0
WIN Siyka Ivanova (Bulgaria), fall 3:26