Robinson into Women’s freestyle semifinals, four remain eligible for repechage at U20 World Championships

PONTEVEDRA, Spain – The second group of women’s freestyle athletes began competition on Thursday at the 2024 U20 World Championships in Pontevedra, Spain. Action began at 4 a.m. ET at the Pontevedra Municipal Sports Hall, with five U.S. athletes competing. Team USA has one athlete in the semifinals later today, with four remaining eligible for repechage.

At 72 kg, 2023 U17 World bronze medalist Jasmine Robinson advanced to the semifinals with two quick pins. Robinson dominated Edna Jimenez Villalba of Mexico, executing a four-point throw and adding exposure points before securing the pin just 28 seconds into the match.

She continued her momentum against Kristina Bratchikova (AIN), getting a takedown and the fall within 55 seconds. Robinson’s impressive style and quick finishes put her in strong contention for gold. She will face 2021 U17 World bronze medalist and four-time age-group European Championships bronze medalist Noemi Osvath Nagy of Hungary in the semifinals later today.

Cadence Diduch started the tournament with a strong win by fall in her qualification round at 62 kg. Diduch controlled the match with takedowns and exposures, building an 8-0 lead before securing the fall at 4:11 over Seoyeon Bae of Korea. In her next match, Diduch was pinned by Melanie Jimenez Villalba of Mexico at 5:38 after trailing 7-0. Jimenez Villalba advanced to the semifinals where she will face Iryna Bondar of Ukraine, leaving Diduch eligible for repechage.

At 53 kg, Brianna Gonzalez lost a close 3-1 match to Jyoti of India in the first round. Gonzalez took an early lead with a step-out point but was later put on the clock, allowing Jyoti to one point and the lead on criteria. Jyoti then secured a crucial takedown late in the match to go ahead 3-1, holding on for the win as time expired. Gonzalez remains eligible for repechage as Jyoti won by technical fall in the quarterfinals.

In the 57 kg bracket, Carissa Qureshi fell to Sowaka Uchida of Japan by a 10-0 technical fall. Uchida scored three takedowns and executed a trapped arm gut wrench, to take an 8-0 lead at the break. A single-leg takedown sealed the 10-0 win for Uchida. Qureshi joins the group as she awaits her repechage fate in the semifinals.

At 65 kg, Reese Larramendy lost a back-and-forth battle to Margarita Salnazarian, 10-7. Larramendy led 6-0 after a takedown and two exposures entering the second period, but Salnazarian mounted a comeback, evening the score at 6-6 with a takedown, exposure, and another takedown. Salnazarian continued to score in the second, and held off late offensive attempts from Larramendy to win 10-7. Larramendy also remains eligible for repechage after Salnazarian reached the semifinals.

The next session is slated to begin at 10:45 a.m. ET. Robinson will be the fifth match up on Mat B.

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.

Stay tuned to TheMat.com and USA Wrestling’s social media platforms for complete coverage of the U20 World Championships. 

53 kg

(SRI) Nethmi PORUTHOTAGE vs. Jin Zhang (China)

Carla Jaume Soler (Spain) vs. Jyoti (India)

57 kg

Bertha Rojas Chavez (Mexico) vs. Alina Filipovych (Ukraine)

Gerda Terek (Hungary) vs. Sowaka Uchida (Japan)

62 kg

Melanie Jimenez Villalba (Mexico) vs. Iryna Bondar (Ukraine)

Nitika (India) vs. Nagisa Ito (Japan)

65 kg

Beyza Akkus (Turkiye) vs. Margarita Salnazarian (AIN)

Zaixue Rui (China) vs. Nana Ikehata (Japan)

72 kg

Yuqi Liu (China) vs. Elvira Ersson (Sweden)

Jasmine Robinson (United States) vs. Noemi Osvath Nagy (Hungary)

53 kg – Brianna Gonzalez (Baldwin, Calif./Iowa Women’s WC), eligible for repechage

LOSS Jyoti Jyoti (India), 3-1

57 kg – Carissa Qureshi (Irvine, Calif./Surfside RTC), eligible for repechage

LOSS Sowaka Uchida (Japan), 10-0

62 kg – Cadence Diduch (Freeport, Ill./Iowa Women’s WC), eligible for repechage

WIN Seoyeon Bae (Korea), pin, 4:11

LOSS Melanie Jimenez Villalba (Mexico), pin 5:38

65 kg – Reese Larramendy (Reno, Nev./Iowa Women’s WC), eligible for repechage

LOSS Margarita Salnazarian (Individual Neutral Athlete), 10-7

72 kg – Jasmine Robinson (Allen, Texas/Army WCAP), in semifinals

WIN Edna Jimenez Villalba (Mexico), pin 0:28

WIN Kristina Bratchikova (AIN), pin 0:55Vs. Noemi Osvath Nagy (Hungary)