USA sending five women to Tokyo Olympic Test Event, Oct. 3-5

Five women’s freestyle athletes from the United States will participate in the Ready Steady Tokyo Wrestling Test Event, scheduled for Oct. 3-5 in Tokyo, Japan.

The competition serves as a dress rehearsal for each Olympic sport to confirm and improve the competition and Games operation capabilities in order to ensure a successful operation during the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo next summer.

Wrestling’s test event, which will only feature women’s freestyle, will take place at Makuhari Messe Hall in Chiba (northeast Tokyo), which is where Olympic wrestling competition will take place.

The USA will only be sending athletes at five of the six Olympic weights. Representing the Red, White and Blue are five 2019 U.S. National Team members.

Highlighting the squad is 2018 Senior World bronze medalist Mallory Velte at 62 kg. She is a two-time Senior World Team member, wrestling for the USA in 2017 and 2018. Velte, a three-time WCWA (collegiate) national champion, has had a strong international career thus far, winning multiple medals overseas, including a silver medal at the 2019 Pan American Championships.

Joining her is 2018 U23 World bronze medalist Alexandria Glaude, who is set to compete at 68 kg. A current student-athlete at McKendree University, Glaude made her second-straight National Team with a runner-up finish at 2019 Final X. Glaude was also a 2017 Junior World Team member.

Two-time Senior World Team member Victoria Anthony is back in the lineup for the USA. She will compete in Tokyo at 50 kg. Anthony, who wrestled at the 2013 and 2017 Senior World Championships, has two fifth-place World finishes at the Senior level. Additionally, Anthony is a two-time Junior World champion, winning her gold medals in 2009 and 2010.

Wrestling at 53 kg is six-time National Team member Katherine Shai. In her impressive career, Shai has two top-three finishes at the Olympic Trials (2012, 2016) as well as multiple international medals. After having a baby two years ago, Shai decided to make a comeback to wrestling and finished the domestic season with a Final X runner-up finish.

Hannah Gladden, a WCWA All-American, will represent the USA at 76 kg. Gladden is a 2018 Senior Pan American Championships bronze medalist as well as a 2017 Dave Schultz Memorial International silver medalist. After competing at 72 kg in 2018, Gladden bumped up to 76 kg this year in preparation for the Olympic year.

Anthony, Shai, Velte and Glaude are No. 2 on the National Team ladder at their respective weights, while Gladden is No. 3 at 76 kg.

As of now, there will NOT be a live stream to watch the event; however, USA Wrestling will update as results become available.

TOKYO WRESTLING OLYMPIC TEST EVENT

at Tokyo, Japan, Oct. 3-5

Women’s freestyle roster
50 kg: Victoria Anthony (Tempe, Ariz./Sunkist Kids WC)
53 kg: Katherine Shai (Denver, Colo./Titan Mercury WC/Northern Colorado WC)
62 kg: Mallory Velte (Vancouver, BC, Canada/Titan Mercury WC)
68 kg: Alex Glaude (West Sacramento, Calif./Titan Mercury WC)
76 kg: Hannah Gladden (Franklin Springs, Ga./Lion WC)

National Women’s Freestyle Assistant Coach - Clarissa Chun, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Coach - Ike Anderson, Colorado Springs, Colo.

Medical - Carrie Moore, Wentzville, Mo.

Schedule
Thursday, Oct. 3 - 62 kg, 68 kg, 76 kg prelims through semifinals
Friday, Oct. 4 – 50 kg, 53 kg, 57 kg prelims through semis, 62 kg, 68 kg, 76 kg finals
Saturday, Oct. 5 - 50 kg, 53 kg, 57 kg finals