Kilty picks up pin to earn spot in 2018 Cadet World finals

ZAGREB, Croatia – 2016 Cadet World bronze medalist Macey Kilty guaranteed herself another Cadet World medal after advancing to the Cadet World Championship semifinals at 69 kg on Thursday evening in Zagreb, Croatia.

Kilty spent less than a period on the mat, pinning 2018 Cadet Asian champion and 2017 Cadet Asian bronze medalist Mengwei Zhang of China in 1:40. Kilty scored first on a snap-down to a go-behind. Shortly after she converted a single to put Zhang on her back for the fall.

For gold tomorrow, Kilty will face 2018 Cadet European bronze medalist and 2017 Cadet Nordic champion Julia Fridlund of Sweden.

The three other U.S. semifinalists fell short in Thursday night’s session and will all wrestle for bronze tomorrow night. Their opponents will be determined after tomorrow’s repechage.

At 40 kg, Sterling Dias dropped an 11-0 match to 2017 Cadet World bronze medalist Luchana Bekbaulova of Russia.

Two-time Cadet World Teamer Olivia Shore was bested by 2018 Cadet Asian bronze medalist Otgonjarga Dolgorjav of Mongolia, who won with a 37-second fall.

Leilah Castro led against Meenakshi Meenakshi of India, who was fourth at the Cadet Asian Championships. Castro attempted a throw and was scored on to lose the bout on criteria, 2-2.

The medal matches will take place Friday night at 6 p.m. local time (12 p.m. ET) live on Trackwrestling.com.

2018 CADET WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

at Zagreb, Croatia, July 2-8

Women’s freestyle results

40 kg/88 lbs. – Sterling Dias, Las Vegas, Nev. (Slam WC)
WIN Buman Enkhbold (Mongolia), 6-1
LOSS Luchana Bekbaulova (Russia), 11-0

46 kg/101 lbs. – Olivia Shore, St. Paris, Ohio (Shore Sports Club)
WIN Seyma Kizmaz (Turkey), fall 3:43
WIN Nadezhda Matveeva (Russia), 4-4
LOSS Otgonjarga Dolgorjav (Mongolia), fall 0:37

53 kg/117 lbs. – Leilah Castro, New Lexington, Ohio (Shore Sports Club)
WIN Aizhan Sabyrbek Kyzy (Kyrgyzstan), fall 1:15
WIN Othelie Hoeie (Norway), 10-0
WIN Tatiana Kabanova (Russia), 4-2
LOSS Meenakshi Meenakshi (India), 2-2

61 kg/134 lbs. – Morgan Norris, Sparks, Nev. (AGA Wolfpack WC)
LOSS Alina Antipova (Latvia), fall 0:47

69 kg/152 lbs. – Macey Kilty, Stratford, Wisc. (Sunkist Kids)
WIN Sonika Hooda (India), fall 3:00
WIN Anastasia Alpyeva (Ukraine), 12-1
WIN Mengwei Zhang (China), fall 1:40
vs. Julia Fridlund (Sweden)