Jayden Laurent places fifth in women’s freestyle at Junior Worlds in Estonia

Jayden Laurent of the USA fights for position against Velieva of Russia in their 68 kg bronze-medal bout. Photo by Daniel Mitchell.


TALLINN, Estonia – Jayden Laurent (Denmark, Wis./Titan Mercury WC) placed fifth at 68 kg/149.75 lbs. in women’s freestyle at the Junior World Championships on Thursday night.


In her bronze-medal match, Laurent was defeated by Khanum Velieva of Russia, 9-1. Velieva was able to win the battle for position against Laurent, forcing Laurent to step out seven consecutive times before securing a takedown late in the second period. Laurent’s only point came on a step out with a few seconds left in the match.


Velieva is a two-time Junior World champion (2017 and 2018) and two-time Cadet World champion (2015 and 2016). This Junior World bronze medal, as well as a U23


Laurent was dominant in her Wednesday morning matches, beating Gulsezim Bukhayeva of Kazakhstan, 9-0 and pinning Martins Machado of Brazil in 3:18. On Wednesday night, Laurent was defeated in the semifinals by Meerim Zhumanazarova of Kyrgyzstan by technical fall, 11-1.


Laurent has made the last two U.S. Senior National Teams, placing No. 3 on the ladder in 2018 and 2019. She was a 2019 U.S. Senior Open runner-up. Laurent won a 2019 WCWA national title at Lakeland University and is now with the Badger RTC.


She was the only athlete from the first group of five U.S. women to compete on Thursday. The other four U.S. athletes did not qualify for repechage after losing bouts on Wednesday in the preliminaries.


Korinahe Bullock (Chahokia, Ill./Titan Mercury WC/McKendree Bearcat WC), who finished with a 1-1 record at 76 kg/167 lbs., placed eighth in her weight class. Her one victory was a technical fall win.


With Laurent’s fifth place and Bullock’s eighth place, the United States scored 16 team points, which places them in 15th place after the first five weight classes. Japan is currently in first, with Russia and Poland in the next two positions. The USA will have two athletes in medal matches on Friday, as well as another in the repechage with a chance to get into a medal match.

JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

At Tallinn, Estonia, August 15,


Women’s freestyle medalists


50 kg

Gold - Yui Susaki (Japan)

Silver - Daria Khvostova (Russia)

Bronze - Maria Leorda (Moldova)

Bronze - Mariia Vynnyk (Ukraine)


55 kg

Gold - Patrycja Gil (Poland)

Silver - Ekaterina Verbina (Russia)

Bronze - Sezen Behchetova Belberova (Bulgaria)

Bronze - Saki Igarashi (Japan)


59 kg

Gold - Sae Nanjo (Japan)

Silver - Anastasia Nichita (Moldova)

Bronze - Morena De Vita (Italy)

Bronze - Kateryna Zelenykh (Ukraine)


68 kg

Gold - Naruha Matsuyuki (Japan)

Silver - Meerim Zhumanzarova (Kyrgyzstan)

Bronze - Ewelina Weronika Ciunek (Poland)

Bronze - Khanum Velieva (Russia)


76 kg

Gold - Milaimys de la Caridad Marin Portille (Cuba)

Silver - Hui Tsz Chang (Chinese Taipei)

Bronze - Bernadett Nagy (Hungary)

Bronze - Yasuha Matsuyuk (Japan)

U.S. women’s freestyle results


50 kg/110 lbs.: Alleida Martinez, Selma, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC), dnp/19th

LOSS Lucia Yepez Guzman (Ecuador), 5-0


55 kg/121 lbs.: Alex Hedrick, Fair Oaks, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC), dnp/16th

LOSS Anastasia Blayvas (Germany), 10-2


59 kg/130 lbs: Michaela Beck, New York, N.Y. (New York AC/Hawkeye WC), dnp/11th

LOSS Ana Beatrice Nuernberger (Germany), pin 2:13


68 kg/149.75 lbs.: Jayden Laurent, Denmark, Wis. (Titan Mercury WC), 5th place

WIN Gulsezim Bukhayeva (Kazakhstan), 9-0

WIN Thamires Martins Machado (Brazil), pin 3:18

LOSS Meerim Zhumanazarova (Kyrgyzstan), tech fall 12-1

LOSS Khanum Velieva (Russia), 9-1


76 kg/167 lbs.: Korinahe Bullock, Chahokia, Ill. (Titan Mercury WC/McKendree Bearcat WC), 8th place

WIN Soeun Kim (Korea), tech fall 10-0

LOSS Qian Jiang (China), pin 2:45