Shilson wins 43 kg Cadet World title, Ikei earns bronze

VIDEO: Cadet World interviews

ZAGREB, Croatia – After going home disappointed with a Cadet World silver medal in 2017, Emily Shilson dominated her way to the top of the podium and was crowned Cadet World champion at 43 kg in Zagreb, Croatia, on Thursday evening.

“I’m feeling great!” Shilson said. “I’ve been working since last year nonstop for this moment and it finally paid off. I just wanted to go out and wrestle my match and do what I know I’m capable of doing. I didn’t want it to be like last year.”

Shilson, a two-time Cadet Pan American champion, knocked off 2017 Cadet World champion Shahana Nazarova of Azerbaijan for the title.

Nazarova struck first with a takedown in the opening seconds to take a 2-0 lead into the second period. The Azeri extended her lead to 4-0, executing a double, but while Nazarova was looking for a turn, Shilson snuck on top and worked that famous Minnesota gut wrench. Shilson tacked on six turns for a 14-4 technical fall.

“I saw that she was slipping on top, so I saw a chance to get on top. I always feel comfortable in my gut wrench, and I can put away the match with it,” Shilson said.

With the win, Shilson became the first U.S. Cadet women’s freestyle champion since 2015, when Ronna Heaton won at 49 kg.

Just one match later, 2018 Cadet Pan American champion Tiare Ikei finished off her first World Championships with a bronze medal.

Ikei took on Munkhgerel Munkhbat of Mongolia in the third-place match. The Hawaii native got off to a fast start, racking up 10 points before claiming the fall in 1:17.

“I’m thrilled,” Ikei said. “I’ll take a bronze this year and keep on working throughout the year to get to the top of the podium.”

Tomorrow night, Macey Kilty will wrestle for gold, while Sterling Dias, Olivia Shore and Leilah Castro will wrestle for bronze.

The final medal matches for women’s freestyle will begin at 6 p.m. local time (12 p.m. ET) live on Trackwrestling.com.

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

Team scores going into final day (top 10)
1. Japan - 110
2. Russia - 70
3. Ukraine - 54
4. China - 50
5. United States - 48
6. Belarus - 45
7. India - 31
8. Hungary - 30
9. Azerbaijan - 20
10. Mongolia - 20

Finals results

43 kg
GOLD - Emily SHILSON (USA)
SILVER - Shahana NAZAROVA (AZE)
BRONZE - Viktoriia ALEKSANDROVA (RUS)
BRONZE - Amina PONOMAROVA (UKR)

1st - Emily Shilson (USA) TF Shahana Nazarova (AZE), 14-4
3rd - Viktoriia Aleksandrova (RUS) fall Simran Simran (IND), 1:05
3rd - Amina Ponomarova (UKR) dec. Anna Ueno (JPN), 6-4

49 kg
GOLD - Akari FUJINAMI (JPN)
SILVER - Polina LUKINA (RUS)
BRONZE - Tiare IKEI (USA)
BRONZE - Natallia VARAKINA (BLR)

1st - Akari Fujinami (JPN) fall Polina Lukina (RUS), 1:45
3rd - Tiare Ikei (USA) fall Munkhgerel Munkhbat (MGL), 1:17
3rd - Natallia Varakina (BLR) dec. Lucia Yepez Guzman (ECU), 9-2

57 kg
GOLD - Nonoka OZAKI  (JPN)
SILVER - Anna Hella SZEL (HUN)
BRONZE - Aryna MARTYNAVA (BLR)
BRONZE - Irina RINGACI (MDA)

1st - Nonoka Ozaki (JPN) TF Anna Hella Szel (HUN), 10-0
3rd - Aryna Martynava (BLR) dec. Anastasiia Sidelnikova (RUS), 6-4
3rd - Irina Ringaci (MDA) dec. Yaping Zhu (CHN), 11-3

65 kg
GOLD - Honoka NAKAI  (JPN)
SILVER - Xinru ZHOU (CHN)
BRONZE - Ekaterina GLUKHAREVA (RUS)
BRONZE - Sonam SONAM (IND)

1st - Honoka Nakai (JPN) dec. Xinru Zhou (CHN), 2-0
3rd - Ekaterina Glukhareva (RUS) dec. Noémi Szabados (HUN), 7-0
3rd - Sonam Sonam (IND) dec. Oksana Chudyk (UKR), 1-1

73 kg
GOLD - Yuka KAGAMI (JPN)
SILVER - Qian JIANG (CHN)
BRONZE - Elina PYSHKINA (UKR)
BRONZE - Kseniya DZIBUK (BLR)

1st - Yuka Kagami (JPN) TF Qian Jiang (CHN), 11-0
3rd - Elina Pyshkina (UKR) dec. Marion Bye (NOR), 4-4
3rd - Kseniya Dzibuk (BLR) dec. Valeriia Trifonova (RUS), 5-0

U.S. women’s freestyle results
43 kg/95 lbs. – Emily Shilson, Maple Grove, Minn. (Titan Mercury) - GOLD
WIN Ana Maria Cristescu (Romania), fall 2:19
WIN Simran Simran (India), 10-0
WIN Victoria Aleksandrova (Russia), 11-1
WIN Shahana Nazarova (Azerbaijan), 14-4

49 kg/108 lbs. – Tiare Ikei, Honolulu, Hawaii (Grapplers Hawaii) - BRONZE
WIN Faten Ahmed (Egypt), fall 3:22
LOSS Lukina (Russia), 11-0
WIN Aisha Kappar (Kazakhstan) 10-0
WIN Munkhgerel Munkhbat (Mongolia), fall 1:17

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

65 kg/143 lbs. – Kiana Pugh, Mosinee, Wisc. (Mosinee WC) – SEVENTH
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