Dias secures spot in 2019 Cadet World finals

SOFIA, Bulgaria – 2018 Cadet World bronze medalist Sterling Dias guaranteed herself at least one spot higher on the 2019 Cadet World podium, advancing to Friday night’s 40 kg gold-medal finals in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Dias outlasted a tough opponent in 2019 Cadet Asian champion Mushtariy Tolipbekova of Uzbekistan in the 40 kg semifinals.

The Nevada native led Tolipbekova, 1-0, at the break, scoring on a shot clock penalty. In the final frame, Dias picked up two step-out points but also gave up a point on caution and fleeing call.

With only 15 seconds left in the match and Dias leading 3-1, Tolipbekova nearly scored a takedown in a scramble, but the American fought off the attack and held on for the win. Uzbekistan threw the challenge brick at the end, but it failed, resulting in another point for Dias and a 4-1 victory.

For the gold medal, Dias will go head-to-head with 2019 Cadet Asian silver medalist Komal Komal of India.

Two other Americans, Kylie Welker and Amit Elor, fell short of making the finals on Thursday evening, dropping their semi bouts to past World champions.

Representing the USA at 61 kg, Welker, a 2016 U15 Pan American bronze medalist, fell to 2018 Cadet World champion and 2018 Youth Olympic Games champion Nonoka Ozaki of Japan, 10-0.

Tomorrow night, Welker will wrestle for bronze. Her opponent will be determined in the repechage on Friday morning. She will either face Urszula Piotrowska of Poland or 2019 Cadet Asian silver medalist Laylokhon Sobirova of Uzbekistan.

At 69 kg, Elor lost a 1-1 criteria lead in the last 20 seconds as two-time Cadet World champion Honoka Nakai of Japan scored a takedown on the edge for a 3-1 win.

Like Welker, Elor’s bronze-medal opponent will be determined tomorrow morning. She will face either two-time Cadet African champion and 2019 Junior African champion Zaineb Sghaier of Tunisia or Turkey’s Melisa Saritac, who was eighth at the 2019 Cadet European Championships.

At 46 kg, Sage Mortimer was eliminated from the tournament as her first-round victor, Serena DiBenedetto of Canada lost in the semifinals to Xuejing Liang of China, failing to make the finals.

The finals will take place Friday at 11 a.m. ET live on Trackwrestling. Follow @USAWrestling on Twitter for live updates.

2019 CADET WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

at Sofia, Bulgaria, July 28-Aug. 4

Women’s freestyle results

40 kg: Sterling Dias (Las Vegas, Nev./Slam WC)
WIN Alina Kurylenka (Belarus), 11-0
WIN Kamila Kasprow (Poland), 10-0
WIN Mushtariy Tolipbekova (Uzbekistan), 4-1
vs. Komal Komal (India)

46 kg: Sage Mortimer (Mapleton, Utah/Champions WC)
LOSS Serena DiBenedetto (Canada), 10-6

53 kg: Adriana Dorado Marin (Denver, Colo./Betterman Elite)
LOSS Alessia Hetmanava (Belarus), 12-1

61 kg: Kylie Welker (Franksville, Wisc./Burlington WC)
WIN Yu Lin Lo (Taipei), 11-0
WIN Tatyana Kabanova (Russia), fall 0:33
LOSS Nonoka Ozaki (Japan), 10-0

69 kg: Amit Elor (Walnut Creek, Calif./Bay Area Titans WC/Titan Mercury WC)
WIN Karolina Povk (Ukraine), 12-0
WIN Lili Ujfalvi (Hungary), 10-0
LOSS Honoka Nakai (Japan), 3-1