Shilson dominates to earn spot in Cadet World semifinals

ZAGREB, Croatia – 2017 Cadet World silver medalist Emily Shilson started out her 2018 World Championships on fire, flying through her first two matches to earn a spot in the semifinals at 43 kg on Wednesday in Zagreb, Croatia.

To open the tournament, Shilson took out Ana Maria Cristescu of Romania with an early second-period fall. Shilson led 4-0 at the break, thanks to a takedown and tilt. She ended the bout with a fireman’s carry to put Cristescu to her back for a pin at 2:19.

In the quarterfinals, Shilson took on a tough opponent in 2017 Cadet World bronze medalist and three-time Cadet Asian medalist Simran Simran of India. The credentials didn’t matter to Shilson as she bulldozed her way to the semis with two takedowns and three guts for a fast 10-0 tech.

Tonight, Shilson will take on three-time Cadet European medalist Victoria Aleksandrova of Russia.

Three other U.S. wrestlers competed in the first day of women’s freestyle competition and are awaiting to see if they will be brought back into repechage. Their fate will be decided tonight.

At 49 kg, Pan Am champion Tiare Ikei grabbed an impressive fall over two-time Cadet African silver medalist Faten Ahmed of Egypt before falling to Russia’s Polina Lukina in the quarterfinals.

Kiana Pugh, a 2018 Cadet Pan Am bronze medalist, opened her tournament at 65 kg with a fall in the first 60 seconds over Nigar Mirzazada of Azerbaijan. Falling to an 8-0 deficit against two-time Cadet World bronze medalist Oksana Chudyk of Ukraine in the quarterfinals, Pugh fought back but it was not enough as she lost a 9-5 bout.

In her first match at 73 kg, Tristan Kelly dropped a 12-0 match to Valeria Trifonova of Russia, who took fifth at the 2018 cadet European Championships.

At 57 kg, Cheyenne Bowman did not compete as she did not make weight on Wednesday morning.

2018 CADET WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
at Zagreb, Croatia, July 2-8

43 kg/95 lbs. – Emily Shilson, Maple Grove, Minn. (Titan Mercury)
WIN Ana Maria Cristescu (Romania), fall 2:19
WIN Simran Simran (India), 10-0

49 kg/108 lbs. – Tiare Ikei, Honolulu, Hawaii (Grapplers Hawaii)
WIN Faten Ahmed (Egypt), fall 3:22
LOSS Lukina (Russia), 11-0

57 kg/125 lbs. – Cheyenne Bowman, La Habra, Calif. (Pounders WC), did not compete

65 kg/143 lbs. – Kiana Pugh, Mosinee, Wisc. (Mosinee WC)
WIN Nigar Mirzazada (Azerbaijan), fall 1:00
LOSS Oksana Chudyk (Ukraine), 9-5

73 kg/161 lbs. - Tristan Kelly, Erie, Colo. (Betterman Elite)
LOSS Valeria Trifonova (Russia), 12-0