Three American women seek bronze at Outstanding Ukrainian Memorial

KIEV, Ukraine – U.S. women’s freestyle wrestlers Erin Golston, Ronna Heaton and Victoria Francis will wrestle for bronze at the Outstanding Ukrainian Memorial tournament on Saturday.

Three-time Junior World medalist Golston led Team USA with two wins on the day, defeating Emanuela Liuzzi of Italy and 2016 Pan American silver medalist Natasha Kramble of Canada.

In the 50 kg/110 lbs. semifinals, she dropped a match to 2012 World champion, two-time World bronze and 2017 Pan American champion Jessica Macdonald of Canada.

Because she lost in the semis, Golston is automatically placed in the bronze-medal bout. Her opponent will be determined in tomorrow’s repechage round.

Similarly, Heaton and Francis are advanced to the bronze match at 55 kg/121 lbs. and 72 kg/158 lbs., respectively. However, their opponents are already set.

Heaton, a 2015 Cadet World champion and 2016 Cadet World silver medalist, will face Czech Republic’s Lenka Hockova, who has competed in nine Senior World Championships. Most recently, Hockova won the Flatz Open in Austria earlier this month.

Heaton grabbed a win on Friday, taking out 2015 Cadet European champion Teresa Lumia of Italy. She lost to 2014 University World bronze winner Olga Shnaider of Ukraine.

2017 U.S. World Team member Francis will take on Elizaveta Saidakova of Ukraine for bronze tomorrow. Francis was pulled back into medal contention when 2016 World Military champion Agnieszka Wieszczek-Kordus of Poland earned a spot in the finals. Francis lost to Wieszczek-Kordus in the first round.

Still alive in the tournament is Dominique Parrish, who lost her first match at 55 kg to 2017 Senior World bronze medalist and 2017 U23 World silver medalist Irinia Kurachkina of Belarus.

Kurachkina advanced to the finals, pulling Parrish into tomorrow’s repechage. She will face 2017 Alexander Medved runner-up Svetlana Lamashevich of Belarus. The winner of that match will move on to the third-place match.

Results for 59 kg/130 lbs. have not been reported. USA Wrestling will update when more information is available.

Repechage bouts are scheduled for Saturday at 10 a.m. local time (3 a.m. ET) and medal matches will begin at 6 p.m. (11 a.m. ET).

U.S. women’s freestyle results

50 kg/110 lbs. – Erin Golston (Colorado Springs, Colo./ New York AC)
WIN Emanuela Liuzzi (Italy)
WIN Natasha Kramble (Canada)
LOSS Jessica Macdonald (Canada)

50 kg/110 lbs. – Amy Fearnside (Colorado Springs, Colo./Titan Mercury)
LOSS Jessica Macdonald (Canada)

55 kg/121 lbs. – Ronna Heaton (Brookings, S.D./Sunkist Kids)
WIN Teresa Lumia (Italy)
LOSS Olga Shnaider (Ukraine)
vs. Lenka Hockova (Czech Republic)

55 kg/121 lbs. – Dominique Parrish (Scotts Valley, Calif./Sunkist Kids)
LOSS Irina Kurachkina (Belarus)
vs. Svetlana Lamashevich (Belarus)

59 kg/130 lbs. – Lauren Louive (Iowa City, Iowa/Hawkeye WC)
vs. Irina Ostapuk (Ukraine)

65 kg/143 lbs. – Maya Nelson (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids)
LOSS Yulia Tkach (Ukraine)

72 kg/158 lbs. – Victoria Francis (Colorado Springs, Colo./Titan Mercury)
LOSS Agnieszka Wieszczek-Kordus (Poland)
vs. Elizaveta Saidakova (Ukraine)