Miracle and Mensah-Stock dominate to Pan Am Games finals
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by Taylor Miller, USA Wrestling
LIMA, Peru – The Red, White and Blue women’s freestyle Pan American Games team put two more athletes into the gold-medal matches, advancing Kayla Miracle and Tamyra Mensah-Stock to the finals.
In her first match at 62 kg, Miracle, a 2016 Junior World bronze medalist, handled two-time Pan American champion and 2018 fifth-place World finisher Lais Nunes de Oliveira of Brazil.
Miracle showed off with two four-point takedowns, putting Nunes to her back and eventually getting the fall in 2:29.
To advance to the finals, Miracle registered another first-period pin in the semifinals over two-time Pan Am Championships gold medalist and 2015 Pan Am Games silver medalist Yakelin Estornell Elizastigue.
For gold, Miracle will take on two-time Olympic bronze medalist Jackeline Renteria Castillo of Colombia.
At 68 kg, Mensah-Stock was unmatched in her morning session, dominating her way to the finals.
Her first win was in the form of a 12-0 technical fall against 2015 Pan Am Games bronze medalist Yanet Sovero Nino from Peru, using multiple takedowns to propel her to victory.
Mensah-Stock followed up that performance with a pin in the semifinals in 4:02 against 2019 Pan Am Championships bronze medalist Ambar Garnica Flores.
In the gold-medal match, Mensah-Stock will face 2017 Pan Am champion Olivia Di Bacco from Canada.
Four-time World champion and two-time Pan American Games champion Adeline Gray withdrew from the competition. She was slated to wrestle at 76 kg.
The finals will begin Friday at 4:30 p.m. CT. Click here to find out where to watch live.
2019 PAN AMERICAN GAMES
at Lima, Peru, Aug. 7-10
U.S. women’s freestyle results
62 kg: Kayla Miracle (Iowa City, Iowa/Sunkist Kids/Hawkeye WC)
WIN Lais Nunes de Oliveira (Brazil), fall 2:29
WIN Yakelin Estornell Elizastigue (Cuba), fall
vs. Jackeline Renteria Castillo (Colombia)
68 kg: Tamyra Mensah-Stock (Colorado Springs, Colo./Titan Mercury WC)
WIN Yanet Sovero Nino (Peru), 12-0
WIN Ambar Garnica Flores (Mexico), 4:02
vs. Olivia Di Bacco (Canada)
76 kg: Adeline Gray (Denver, Colo./New York AC) – did not compete
