U.S. receives women’s freestyle draw at 2026 U20 World Championships in Slovakia

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia – United World Wrestling has released the women’s freestyle brackets for the 2026 U20 World Championships being held at A4 Studio in Bratislava, Slovakia.

Returning 55 kg champion Everest Leydecker and two-time U17 World champion Morgan Turner, both of whom are on the U20, U23 and Senior World Teams this year, headline a stellar U.S. women’s freestyle lineup.

Leydecker’s repeat bid opens against an elite challenger, 2026 Senior Asian bronze medalist and 2025 U23 World silver medalist Hansika Lamba of India. If Leydecker runs the gauntlet to gold, she would become the fourth American to double up in women’s freestyle at U20 Worlds.

Turner sits in the round-of-16 at 50 kg, awaiting the winner between Olivia Van Kleunen of the Netherlands and 2026 U20 Asian champion Parveen of India.

Three weeks after topping the U17 Worlds in Baku, Azerbaijan, three-time U17 World champion Taina Fernandez will have to prove it early, up an age division. She begins her run at 68 kg against Mansi Lather of India, who is a 2025 Senior Asian bronze medalist and 2024 U17 World champion. Moreover, Lather earned gold at this year’s U23 Asians and was bronze at the U20 Asians.

2023 U17 World champion Piper Fowler kicks things off against 2026 U20 European bronze medalist Evelin Ujhelji of Serbia at 76 kg. Fowler was a NAIA women’s college national champion this year for William Penn and has transferred to NCAA Division I Iowa State for the upcoming season.

Four more Americans have been paired against credentialed opponents in their openers.

2026 Grand Prix of Spain bronze medalist Taylor Whiting will face 2024 U17 World champion Kaura Coles of Canada in the round-of-16 at 53 kg. Fellow Grand Prix of Spain bronze winner Caley Graber is up against 2026 U20 Asian champion Jiayi Huang of China in the round-of-16 at 59 kg.

Two-time age-group Pan American champion Bella Williams takes on 2025 U20 European bronze medalist Gabriela Rudoi of Moldova at 62 kg. With a win, Williams is likely to see 2025 Senior World champion and returning U20 World champion Sakura Onishi of Japan in the quarterfinals.

2026 U20 Pan American champion Gretchen Donally awaits the winner between 2026 U20 European champion Greta Tverskyte of Lithuania and two-time U17 European bronze medalist Khrystyna Demchuk of Ukraine in the quarterfinals at 72 kg.

Also entered for the U.S. are 2023 U17 World Team member Karlee Brooks at 57 kg and Riley Hanrahan at 65 kg. Brooks opens with Julia Gibalska of Poland, while Hanrahan battles Vasiliki Karavanou of Greece.

The women’s freestyle portion of the U20 World Championships runs August 18-21. The first-round opponent for each U.S. entrant and a full women’s freestyle schedule are available below.

Fans can watch the U20 World Championships live or on-demand at FloWrestling.org. Brackets and live results are available through UWW Arena.

USA Wrestling will provide continued updates from the U20 World Championships on TheMat.com and its social media platforms.