Turner, Gonzales, Fernandez reach U17 World women’s freestyle semifinals; Gusfa possible for repechage

AMMAN, Jordan – Three U.S. women’s freestyle wrestlers have advanced to the semifinals on Thursday night after strong performances in the preliminary rounds at the U17 World Championships.

Moving on to semifinal matches are 2023 U17 World champion Morgan Turner at 46 kg, plus Isabella Marie Gonzales at 53 kg and Taina Fernandez at 61 kg.

Turner, who won her U17 World title last year at 43 kg, opened with a 39 second pin of Akak Mambetsadykova of Kyrgyzstan. In the quarterfinals, Turner led 9-0 at the break, then finished off an 11-0 technical fall over Fatma Yilmaz of Turkey.

In the semifinals, she will battle two-time Asian U15 champion Yuu Katsume of Japan.

Gonzales opened with a 10-0 technical fall over 2022 Asian U15 silver medalist Myagmarbayar Uurtuya of Mongolia, scoring three takedowns and two gut wrenches. In the quarterfinals, she scored a pin over Angelina Plascencia Aceves of Mexico in 3:48. Leading 2-0 at the break, Gonzales got her offense going, leading 7-0 when she turned and pinned Aceves.

In the semifinals, she will face 2022 U17 Pan American silver medalist Kaura Coles of Canada. Coles lives and goes to high school in Montana and competes often on the U.S. national circuit. Gonzales was a 2023 U17 Pan American champion.

Fernandez, who won 2024 Pan American titles at the U15 and U17 levels, was dominant in her two wins. She opened with an 11-0 technical fall over 2024 European U15 champion Ozdenur Ozmez of Turkey, getting a shot clock point, two takedowns and three ankle lace turns. In the quarterfinals, she pinned Eda Balasz of Hungary, leading 3-0 when she ran an arm bar to secure the fall.

In the semifinals, Fernandez will battle Zhaidar Mukat of Kazakhstan, who was fifth in the 2023 Asian U15 Championships.

Two-time U17 Pan American champion Francesca Gusfa went 1-1 at 40 kg, and is possible to get pulled into repechage.

Gusfa opened up with a 57-second pin of 2023 European U15 bronze medalist Polina Timsina of Estonia, tossing her for four points and finishing off the fall. In the quarterfinals, she beaten by Bala Raj of India, 12-2. Raj led 2-0 at the break but opened up the offense in the second period.

If Raj defeats 2024 European U17 champion Aleksandra Fedorova, an Individual Neutral Athlete, in the semifinals, Gusfa will become eligible for Friday’s repechage.

2024 U17 Pan American champion Kaili Manuel was defeated in her opening match at 69 kg by Ako Uchiyama of Japan, 5-2. Uchiyama, who was fifth in the 2023 U17 World Championships, jumped to a 5-0 lead and Manuel could only score in the closing seconds. Uchiyama was defeated in the quarterfinals by 2024 Asian U17 champion Kajal of India, which eliminated Manuel from the tournament.

In Group 3, 2023 U17 World champion Piper Fowler was defeated in repechage at 73 kg and eliminated. She lost to 2023 U17 World silver medalist Lotta Englich of Germany, 6-2. Englich led 1-0 at the break after Fowler was unable to score on the shot clock. Englich added a step out to lead 2-0, but Fowler tied it with a takedown to make it 2-2. In the closing minute, Englich scored two exposures, one on a knee pick and the other on a whip over, to win the match.

Fowler had beaten Englich, 5-2 in the U17 World finals last summer.

The second session on Thursday will begin at 5:00 p.m. local time, which is 10:00 a.m. Eastern time, and will feature the Group 4 women’s freestyle semifinals, featuring Turner, Gonzales and Fernandez. Following at 6:00 p.m. local time, which is 11:00 a.m. Eastern time, is the Group 3 women’s freestyle finals.

A full set of brackets and match-by-match results is available on UWW Arena. A live broadcast of the event is available for the U.S. market at FloWrestling.com.

U17 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

At Amman, Jordan

Women’s freestyle Group 4 semifinal pairings

40 kg

Kamila Kuchma (Ukraine) vs. Nazrin Ahmadli (Azerbaijan)

Aleksandra Fedorova (Individual Neutral Athlete) vs. Bela Raj (India)

46 kg

Shrutika Patil (India) vs. Medina Kuanyshbek (Kazakhstan)

Morgan Turner (USA) vs. Yuu Katsume (Japan)

53 kg

Lisette Boettker (Estonia) vs. Nana Kozuka (Japan)

Isabella Marie Gonzales (USA) vs. Kaura Coles (Canada)

61 kg

Zhaidar Mukat (Kazakhstan) vs. Taina Fernandez (USA)

Sae Noguchi (Japan) vs. Hiunai Hurbanova (Azerbaijan)

69 kg

Ilayda Cin (Turkey) vs. Oleksandra Rybak (Ukraine)

Rahma Bediwy (Egypt) vs. Kajal (India)

U.S. women’s freestyle Group 4 results

40 kg: Francesca Gusfa (Ridgewood, N.J.), possible for repechage

WIN Polina Timsina (Estonia), pin 0:57

LOSS Bala Raj (India), tech fall, 12-2

46 kg: Morgan Turner (Lockport, Ill./Sunkist Kids), in semifinals

WIN Akak Mambetsadykova (Kyrgyzstan), pin 0:39

WIN Fatma Yilmaz (Turkey), tech fall 11-0

Semifinals – Vs. Yuu Katsume (Japan)

53 kg: Isabella Marie Gonzales (Fresno, Calif./Titan Mercury WC), in semifinals

WIN Myagmarbayar Uurtuya (Mongolia), tech fall, 10-0

WIN Angelina Plascencia Aceves (Mexico), pin 3:48

Semifinals – Vs. Kaura Coles (Canada)

61 kg: Taina Fernandez (Bowie, Md./Cavalier WC), in semifinals

WIN Ozdenur Ozmez (Turkey), tech fall 11-0

WIN Eda Balasz (Hungary), pin 2:43

Semifinals – Vs. Zhaidar Mukat (Kazakhstan)

69 kg: Kaili Manuel (Washington, Mich./Michigan Revolution WC), eliminated

LOSS Ako Uchiyama (Japan) , 6-2

Women’s freestyle Group 3 medal match pairings

43 kg

Gold - Maria Gkika (Greece) vs. Kumari Aditi (India)

Bronze - Gabriela Palacios Hernandez (Mexico) vs. Xin Huang (China)

Bronze - Aleksandra Berezovskaia (Individual Neutral Athlete) vs. Mareim Abdelaal (Egypt)

49 kg

Gold - Utaha Yui (Japan) vs. Na Hu (China)

Bronze - Esra Mammadli (Azerbaijan) vs. Polina Bochkareva (Individual Neutral Athlete)

Bronze - Dounia Zitouni (Algeria) vs. Kseniya Kostsenich (Individual Neutral Athlete)

57 kg

Gold - So Tsutsui (Japan) vs. Neha (India)

Bronze - Palina Brahinets (Individual Neutral Athlete) vs. Barbara Bager (Hungary)

Bronze - Anna Stratan (Kazakhstan) vs. Mairi Mani (Greece)

65 kg

Gold - Pulkit (India) vs. Daria Frolova (Individual Neutral Athlete)

Bronze - Maram Aly (Egypt) vs. Ling Cai (China)

Bronze - Uldana Tileukhan (Kazakhstan) vs. Anastasiya Komanava (Individual Neutral Athlete)

73 kg

Gold - Hanna Pirskaya (Individual Neutral Athlete) vs. Mansi Lather (India)

Bronze - Makia Kimura (Japan) vs. Diana Titova (Individual Neutral Athlete)

Bronze - Khrystyna Demchuk (Ukraine) vs. Lotta Englich (Germany)

U.S. Group 3 women’s freestyle results

73 kg: Piper Fowler (Cleveland, Tenn./Higher Calling WC), eliminated

WIN Aisanat Kalmamatova (Kyrgyzstan), tech fall 12-0

LOSS Mansi Lather (India), 6-0

LOSS Lotta Englich (Germany)