Match of the Day: Alli Ragan and Mallory Velte wrestle for a spot on the 2016 Non-Olympic World Team
by USA Wrestling
In 2016, United World Wrestling hosted a non-Olympic weight class World Championships. The Olympic Games were contested in six weight classes in each style, leaving two weight classes per style to be wrestled at the non-Olympic World Championships. The World Team Trials for the U.S. were held at the 2016 Bill Farrell International in New York City.
Future Senior World medalists Alli Ragan and Mallory Velte advanced through the bracket to the best-of-three finals at 60 kg. At the time, Ragan was a three-time Senior World Team member, two-time Junior World bronze medalist, a four-time WCWA finalist and two-time WCWA champion. Velte was a fifth-place finisher at the 2015 Junior World Championships and a 2016 WCWA champion.
Today, Ragan is a two-time World silver medalist and currently No. 1 on the National Team at 59 kg, although she will be competing at 57 kg for the Olympic year. Velte is a two-time Senior World Team member and 2018 World bronze medalist. She is No. 2 on the National Team at the Olympic weight class of 62 kg.
Watch Ragan and Velte wrestle below:
Note to view full screen on mobile, rotate your phone horizontally.
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