Miracle pins way into U23 World semifinals at 62 kg

BUDAPEST, Hungary – Kayla Miracle registered two pins on Thursday morning to secure a spot the 62 kg semifinals at the 2019 U23 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

An eight-time World Team member, Miracle started with a strong performance over Reka Bacsfaiova from Slovakia, scoring quickly from a front headlock then executing a fireman’s carry to put Bacsfaiova to her back, recording the pin in 1:37.

Against 2018 U23 World bronze medalist Maria Kuznetsova of Russia, Miracle took a 3-0 lead into the break with a takedown and a passivity point. In the second period, Miracle picked up another takedown and put the Russian to her back for another fall in at 4:00.

In tonight’s semifinals, Miracle will face two-time U23 World silver medalist Ilona Prokopevniuk from Ukraine. The two met up in last year’s U23 World semifinals, where the Ukrainian won the bout 11-1.

Three Americans will learn their repechage fate tonight as they were defeated in the first session of action.

Nelson, a 2017 Junior World champion and 2016 Junior World bronze winner, went 1-1 in the first session.

The Colorado native won her first bout handily against Nisha Nisha from India, thanks to three takedowns and a four-pointer in the closing minute of the match for an 11-3 decision to move onto the quarterfinals.

There, Nelson faced 2019 Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix champion Misuzu Enomoto from Japan. The Japanese wrestler controlled the match, scoring an early takedown. She later picked up two more takedowns in the second period for a 7-0 win over Nelson.

Tonight, Enomoto will face 2013 Cadet World bronze medalist Kriszta Incze from Romania. Should Enomoto, win, she will pull Nelson into repechage.

Taylor won her first bout at 53 kg with a 4-3 decision over Viktoria Vilhelm from Hungary. Trailing 1-0 at the break, Tayor picked up two second-period takedowns. Vilhelm scored exposure with only a few seconds left but the American held on for the win.

In the second round, Taylor lost to two-time Senior World champion and three-time age-group World champion Haruna Okuno of Japan in a second-period fall.

Tonight, Okuno faces 2019 World silver medalist Anduri Nandintsetse of Mongolia. Earlier this year, the two wrestled in the 2019 Junior World finals, where Okuno won 7-2.

Should Okuno win tonight, she will pull Taylor into repechage.

At 72 kg, Alyvia Fiske dropped her first-round match to three-time age-group World bronze medalist Zhamila Barbekgenova of Kazakhstan, 11-4.

Barbekgenova went on to land a spot in the semifinals, where she will face 2019 Junior World champion Milaymis Marin Portrille from Cuba. Should Barbekgenova win, she will pull Fiske into repechage.

At 57 kg, two-time Cadet Pan Am medalist Arian Carpio was eliminated from her first World Championships on her opening day of competition. Carpio lost her first bout to Pinki Pinki of India, and later, Pinki failed to reach the finals, knocking the American out of competition.

Two other U.S. women’s freestylers were eliminated in repechage action on Thursday.

Wrestling at 50 kg, 2018 Cadet World champion and Youth Olympic Games champion Emily Shilson edged out 2015 Junior World champion and four-time World medalist Turkan Nasirova of Azerbaijan in her first repechage match.

Both wrestlers scored takedowns and exposure in the first period, but it was Nasirova who went into the break with a 5-4 lead, due to a failed USA challenge late in the period.

In the second period, Shilson added back-to-back takedowns plus a tilt for a 10-6 lead. With less than 20 seconds left, Nasirova secured a four-point takedown, but the American responded quickly, getting exposure and held on for a 12-10 win.

In her second repechage match, Shilson fell to 2018 U23 World silver medalist and 2011 Cadet World champion Nadesha Sokolova of Russia, who ended the bout quickly with a 10-0 tech fall, thanks to a four-point takedown and three trapped-arm guts, which ended Shilson’s 2019 U23 World Championships.

At 55 kg, Dominique Parrish fell to 2018 U23 World bronze medalist and two-time Cadet World runner-up Andrea Ana of Romania in her first repechage match, 5-1, to wrap up her third U23 World Championships.

The semifinals will take place Thursday at 5:15 p.m. local time (11:15 a.m. ET) live on Trackwrestling.com. Follow @USAWrestling on Twitter for live updates.

2019 U23 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

at Budapest, Hungary (Oct. 28-Nov. 3)

U.S. women’s freestyle roster
50 kg: Emily Shilson (Maple Grove, Minn./Titan Mercury WC) - eliminated
LOSS Kika Kagata (Japan), 8-3
WIN Turkan Nasirova (Azerbaijan), 12-10
LOSS Nadesha Sokolova (Russia), 10-0

53 kg: Felicity Taylor (Spillville, Iowa/McKendree Bearcat WC)
WIN Viktoria Vilhelm (Hungary), 4-3
LOSS Haruna Okuno (Japan), fall 5:35

55 kg: Dominique Parrish (Scotts Valley, Calif./Sunkist Kids) - eliminated
WIN Rana Rani (India), 6-0
LOSS Saki Igarashi (Japan), 4-3
LOSS Andrea Ana (Romania), 5-1

57 kg: Arian Carpio (Federal Way, Wash./Sunkist Kids) - eliminated
LOSS Pinki Pinki (IND), 5-0

62 kg: Kayla Miracle (Iowa City, Iowa/Sunkist Kids)
WIN Reka Bacsfaiova (Slovakia), fall 1:37
WIN Maria Kuznetkova (Russia), fall 4:00
vs. Ilona Prokopevniuk (Ukraine)

65 kg: Maya Nelson (Denver, Colo./Sunkist Kids)
WIN Nisha Nisha (India), 11-3
LOSS Misuzu Enamoto (Japan), 7-0

72 kg: Alyvia Fiske (Napa, Calif./Titan Mercury)
LOSS Zhamila Barbekgenova (Kazakhstan), 11-4