Gray, Mensah-Stock, Clodgo, Molinari get draws for World Championships in Budapest
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
BUDAPEST, Hungary – Four U.S. women’s freestyle wrestlers received their draws for the World Wrestling Championships. Competition in their weight classes begin on Tuesday at the Papp Laszlo Arena.
At 76 kg/167.5 lbs., Adeline Gray (Kingston, Pa./New York AC) secured the No. 2 seed through the UWW Ranking Series standings, and will face the winner of the match between 2015 World bronze medalist Epp Mae of Estonia and 2018 Commonwealth Games silver medalist Blessing Joy Onyebuchi of Nigeria.
Also in her half-bracket are No. 2 seed and 2016 Olympic champion Erica Wiebe of Canada, 2016 Olympic bronze medalist and two-time World medalist Ekaterina Bukina of Russia, 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Elmira Syzdykova of Kazakhstan, 2014 World champion and three-time World medalist Aline Focken of Germany,
Paliha of China
In the other half-bracket away from Gray are No. 1 seed and 2017 World champion Yasemin Adar of Turkey and No. 4 seed and four-time World medalist Vasilisa Marzaliuk of Belarus,
Gray is a three-time World champion (2012, 2014, 2015) and 2016 Olympian. In addition to her gold medals, Gray won World bronze medals in 2011 and 2013. She missed the 2017 season due to recovery from surgery, but has quickly returned to success at the international levels. Gray also boasts a 2012 University World title and a 2008 Junior World title. A native of Denver, Colo., she received her undergraduate degree at Devry University. She is an assistant women’s coach at Wyoming Seminary.
At 68 kg/149.75 lbs., Tamyra Mensah-Stock (Colorado Springs, Colo./Titan Mercury WC/OTC) received the No. 2 seed, and drew a bye in the first round. She will open against the winner of two-time European champion Anastasia Bratchikova of Russia and 2017 Junior World silver medalist Yudaris Sanchez Rodriguez of Cuba.
Also in her half-bracket are 2012 World champion and 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Jenny Fransson of Sweden, 2018 European champion Anastasia Bratchikova of Russia, 2013 World bronze medalist Yekaterina Larionova of Kazakhstan, 2017 World bronze medalist Koumba Larroque of France and 2015 World champion Battsetseg Soronzonbold of Mongolia.
On the opposite side half-bracket friom Mensah-Stock are 2015 World silver medalist Feng Zhou of China and 2010 World bronze medalist Alla Cherkasova of Ukraine.
Mensah-Stock is competing on her second straight U.S. World Team. She was a 2014 University World silver medalist. Mensah-Stock became the first American to win back-to-back gold medals at the respected Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix in Russia with her victories in 2017 and 2018. A two-time U.S. Open champion, Mensah-Stock was also a 2015 University Nationals champion. She won two WCWA national titles for Wayland Baptist University, and hails from Katy, Texas.
At 72 kg/158.5 lbs., Erin Clodgo (Richmond, Vermont/Sunkist Kids) will open her tournament against 2018 European silver medalist Anastasia Zimiankova of Belarus.
Also in her half bracket are 2008 Olympic bronze medalist Agnieszka Wieszczek-Kordus of Poland, 2018 Russian National champion Tatyana Kolesnikova Morozova, three-time World bronze medalist Nasanburmaa Ochirbat of Mongolia.
In the half-bracket on the opposite side of Clodgo are 2017 World bronze medalist Justina Di Stasio of Canada, 2017 U23 World silver medalist Naruha Matsuyuki of Japan and 2017 Junior World bronze medalist Alexandra Anghel of Romania.
Clodgo is on her second U.S. Senior World Team, after competing at the 2015 World Championships. She has won four U.S. Open titles in her career. Clodgo won a bronze medal at the 2015 Pan American Games, and captured gold at the 2016 Pan American Olympic Games Qualifier. Clodgo competed on U.S. Junior World Teams in 2007 and 2010. A native of Richmond, Vermont, she was a women’s wrestler at the Northern Michigan U.S. Olympic Training Site in high school and early in college. She is currently a volunteer assistant coach for Norwich University.
At 65 kg/143 lbs., Forrest Molinari (Iowa City, Iowa/Titan Mercury WC/OTC) earned the No. 2 seed through the UWW Ranking Series and received a first round bye. She will battle the winner of 2014 Pan American champion Leidy Izquerdo Mendez of Colombia and 2011 Cadet World bronze medalist Krystina Fedarashka of Belarus.
Also in her half-bracket are 2010 World bronze medalist Henna Johansson of Sweden, 2015 Junior World bronze medalist Maria Kuznetzova of Russia, 2010 Junior World champion Danielle Lappage of Canada and Irina Netreba of Azerbaijan, who placed fifth at the 2015 World Championships.
On the opposite half-bracket from Molinari are 2015 World silver medalist Petra Olli of Finland and 2017 U23 World champion Ayana Gempei of Japan,
Molinari is competing in her first Senior World Championships. Molinari was a 2018 Pan American Championships gold medalist, and captured a Pan American bronze medal in 2017. She won the U23 World Team Trials in both 2017 and 2018. Molinari competed on the 2015 U.S. Junior World Team. A native of Benicia, Calif., Molinari was a WCWA national champion for King University and won three WCWA All-American honors, capturing her first All-American finish at Missouri Baptist University. She trains with the Hawkeye WC, the RTC at the University of Iowa.
U.S. women’s freestyle first round draws for Tuesday
65 kg/143 lbs. - Forrest Molinari, Iowa City, Iowa (Titan Mercury WC/OTC)
Bye, vs. winner of Leidy Izquerdo Mendez (Colombia) and Krystina Fedarashka (Belarus)
Izquerdo – 2014 Pan American champion, 2013 Pan American silver medalist, 8th in 2013 Worlds
Fedarashka – 2011 Cadet World bronze, 2018 European bronze, 2017 Medved International bronze (Belarus)
68 kg/149.75 lbs. - Tamyra Mensah-Stock, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Titan Mercury WC/OTC)
Bye, vs. winner of Anastasia Bratchikova (Russia) and Yudaris Sanchez Rodriguez (Cuba)
Bratchikova – 2018 Russian National champion, 2013 and 2018 European Championships, 5th in 2013 World Championships, 2008 Junior World champion
Sanchez – 2017 Junior World silver, 2017 U23 World bronze, 2018 Pan American champion
72 kg/158.5 lbs.- Erin Clodgo, Richmond, Vermont (Sunkist Kids)
Vs. Anastasia Zimiankova (Belarus), 2018 U23 European silver, 2018 European silver, 5th in 2018 Junior Worlds
76 kg/167.5 lbs. - Adeline Gray, Kingston, Pa. (New York AC)
Bye, Vs. winner of Epp Mae (Estonia) and Blessing Joy Onyebuchi (Nigeria)
Mae – 2009 and 2015 World bronze medalist, 5th in 2017 Worlds, 2018 World Military bronze
Onyebuchi – 2018 Commonwealth Games silver, 2018 African silver, 2014 Commonwealth bronze
At 76 kg/167.5 lbs., Adeline Gray (Kingston, Pa./New York AC) secured the No. 2 seed through the UWW Ranking Series standings, and will face the winner of the match between 2015 World bronze medalist Epp Mae of Estonia and 2018 Commonwealth Games silver medalist Blessing Joy Onyebuchi of Nigeria.
Also in her half-bracket are No. 2 seed and 2016 Olympic champion Erica Wiebe of Canada, 2016 Olympic bronze medalist and two-time World medalist Ekaterina Bukina of Russia, 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Elmira Syzdykova of Kazakhstan, 2014 World champion and three-time World medalist Aline Focken of Germany,
Paliha of China
In the other half-bracket away from Gray are No. 1 seed and 2017 World champion Yasemin Adar of Turkey and No. 4 seed and four-time World medalist Vasilisa Marzaliuk of Belarus,
Gray is a three-time World champion (2012, 2014, 2015) and 2016 Olympian. In addition to her gold medals, Gray won World bronze medals in 2011 and 2013. She missed the 2017 season due to recovery from surgery, but has quickly returned to success at the international levels. Gray also boasts a 2012 University World title and a 2008 Junior World title. A native of Denver, Colo., she received her undergraduate degree at Devry University. She is an assistant women’s coach at Wyoming Seminary.
At 68 kg/149.75 lbs., Tamyra Mensah-Stock (Colorado Springs, Colo./Titan Mercury WC/OTC) received the No. 2 seed, and drew a bye in the first round. She will open against the winner of two-time European champion Anastasia Bratchikova of Russia and 2017 Junior World silver medalist Yudaris Sanchez Rodriguez of Cuba.
Also in her half-bracket are 2012 World champion and 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Jenny Fransson of Sweden, 2018 European champion Anastasia Bratchikova of Russia, 2013 World bronze medalist Yekaterina Larionova of Kazakhstan, 2017 World bronze medalist Koumba Larroque of France and 2015 World champion Battsetseg Soronzonbold of Mongolia.
On the opposite side half-bracket friom Mensah-Stock are 2015 World silver medalist Feng Zhou of China and 2010 World bronze medalist Alla Cherkasova of Ukraine.
Mensah-Stock is competing on her second straight U.S. World Team. She was a 2014 University World silver medalist. Mensah-Stock became the first American to win back-to-back gold medals at the respected Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix in Russia with her victories in 2017 and 2018. A two-time U.S. Open champion, Mensah-Stock was also a 2015 University Nationals champion. She won two WCWA national titles for Wayland Baptist University, and hails from Katy, Texas.
At 72 kg/158.5 lbs., Erin Clodgo (Richmond, Vermont/Sunkist Kids) will open her tournament against 2018 European silver medalist Anastasia Zimiankova of Belarus.
Also in her half bracket are 2008 Olympic bronze medalist Agnieszka Wieszczek-Kordus of Poland, 2018 Russian National champion Tatyana Kolesnikova Morozova, three-time World bronze medalist Nasanburmaa Ochirbat of Mongolia.
In the half-bracket on the opposite side of Clodgo are 2017 World bronze medalist Justina Di Stasio of Canada, 2017 U23 World silver medalist Naruha Matsuyuki of Japan and 2017 Junior World bronze medalist Alexandra Anghel of Romania.
Clodgo is on her second U.S. Senior World Team, after competing at the 2015 World Championships. She has won four U.S. Open titles in her career. Clodgo won a bronze medal at the 2015 Pan American Games, and captured gold at the 2016 Pan American Olympic Games Qualifier. Clodgo competed on U.S. Junior World Teams in 2007 and 2010. A native of Richmond, Vermont, she was a women’s wrestler at the Northern Michigan U.S. Olympic Training Site in high school and early in college. She is currently a volunteer assistant coach for Norwich University.
At 65 kg/143 lbs., Forrest Molinari (Iowa City, Iowa/Titan Mercury WC/OTC) earned the No. 2 seed through the UWW Ranking Series and received a first round bye. She will battle the winner of 2014 Pan American champion Leidy Izquerdo Mendez of Colombia and 2011 Cadet World bronze medalist Krystina Fedarashka of Belarus.
Also in her half-bracket are 2010 World bronze medalist Henna Johansson of Sweden, 2015 Junior World bronze medalist Maria Kuznetzova of Russia, 2010 Junior World champion Danielle Lappage of Canada and Irina Netreba of Azerbaijan, who placed fifth at the 2015 World Championships.
On the opposite half-bracket from Molinari are 2015 World silver medalist Petra Olli of Finland and 2017 U23 World champion Ayana Gempei of Japan,
Molinari is competing in her first Senior World Championships. Molinari was a 2018 Pan American Championships gold medalist, and captured a Pan American bronze medal in 2017. She won the U23 World Team Trials in both 2017 and 2018. Molinari competed on the 2015 U.S. Junior World Team. A native of Benicia, Calif., Molinari was a WCWA national champion for King University and won three WCWA All-American honors, capturing her first All-American finish at Missouri Baptist University. She trains with the Hawkeye WC, the RTC at the University of Iowa.
U.S. women’s freestyle first round draws for Tuesday
65 kg/143 lbs. - Forrest Molinari, Iowa City, Iowa (Titan Mercury WC/OTC)
Bye, vs. winner of Leidy Izquerdo Mendez (Colombia) and Krystina Fedarashka (Belarus)
Izquerdo – 2014 Pan American champion, 2013 Pan American silver medalist, 8th in 2013 Worlds
Fedarashka – 2011 Cadet World bronze, 2018 European bronze, 2017 Medved International bronze (Belarus)
68 kg/149.75 lbs. - Tamyra Mensah-Stock, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Titan Mercury WC/OTC)
Bye, vs. winner of Anastasia Bratchikova (Russia) and Yudaris Sanchez Rodriguez (Cuba)
Bratchikova – 2018 Russian National champion, 2013 and 2018 European Championships, 5th in 2013 World Championships, 2008 Junior World champion
Sanchez – 2017 Junior World silver, 2017 U23 World bronze, 2018 Pan American champion
72 kg/158.5 lbs.- Erin Clodgo, Richmond, Vermont (Sunkist Kids)
Vs. Anastasia Zimiankova (Belarus), 2018 U23 European silver, 2018 European silver, 5th in 2018 Junior Worlds
76 kg/167.5 lbs. - Adeline Gray, Kingston, Pa. (New York AC)
Bye, Vs. winner of Epp Mae (Estonia) and Blessing Joy Onyebuchi (Nigeria)
Mae – 2009 and 2015 World bronze medalist, 5th in 2017 Worlds, 2018 World Military bronze
Onyebuchi – 2018 Commonwealth Games silver, 2018 African silver, 2014 Commonwealth bronze
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