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Golston and Ryan Pin Way to Bronze Medal Matches at Muhamet Malo Ranking Series

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by David Gerhart, USA Wrestling

Kendra Ryan hand raise at 2025 Final X

Kendra Ryan hand raise at 2025 Final X

TIRANA, Albania – On the first day of women’s freestyle action at the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series, the U.S. pair of Erin Golston and Kendra Ryan pinned their way into bronze medal matches at Tirana’s Feti Borova Olympic Park.


In repechage matches at 50 kg, Ryan went up against age-group World champion Miyu Nakamura, and Golston faced Brazil’s Thalia Oliveira de Freitas.


After trailing 5-2 in the final 90 seconds of the match, Ryan fended off an attack from Nakamura and countered it into a four-point move to grab a 6-5 lead. Ryan sealed the match as she turned the four-point maneuver into a pin at the 5:05 mark.


Golston controlled her repechage match from start to finish as she jumped out to an 8-0 lead. She then pinned Oliveria de Freitas just before the break to move into a bronze medal bout and earn her second win of the day.


In her first match, Golston picked up a 12-3 decision over six-time World participant Kamila Barbosa Vito da Silva of Brazil.


The U.S. duo will be in separate bronze medal matches at 50 kg. Ryan faces three-time age group World medalist Muskan of India. Golston takes on 2009 U20 World champion Valeriia Tiukpiekova Chepsarakova of UWW.


Action in Tirana continues at 6 p.m. local time/noon ET with the medal matches for men’s freestyle group two (79-92-97-125 kg) and women’s freestyle group one (50-55 kg).


A live stream of the Muhamet Malo will be available to the U.S. audience through FloWrestling. Brackets and updated results will be hosted on UWW Arena.



2026 Muhamet Malo Ranking Series 

At Tirana, Albania, February 26 




Women’s Freestyle Results 

Medal Match Pairings 
50 kg 

Gold – Zeinep Bayanova (Kazakhstan) vs. Priyanshi Prajapat (India)

Bronze – Kendra Ryan (United States) vs. Muskan (India)

Bronze – Erin Golston (United States) vs. Valeriia Tiukpiekova Chepsarakova (UWW)


55 kg 

Gold – Laura Almaganbetova (Kazakhstan) vs. Liliia Malanchuk (Ukraine)

Bronze – Pushpa (India) vs. Anastasia Blayvas (Germany)

Bronze – Beatrice Ferent (Romania) vs. Ekaterina Verbina (UWW)


U.S. Women’s Freestyle Results 

50 kg – Kendra Ryan (Winfield, Ill./Cardinal WC), bronze medal match 

LOSS Zeinep Bayanova (Kazakhstan), 10-0

WIN Miyu Nakamura (Japan), fall, 5:05

VS Muskan (India)


50 kg – Erin Golston (Denton, Texas/New York AC), bronze medal match 

WIN Kamila Barbosa Vito Da Silva (Brazil), 12-3

LOSS Priyanshi Prajapat (India), 10-2

WIN Thalia Oliveira de Freitas (Brazil), fall, 2:47

VS Valeriia Tiukpiekova Chepsarakova (UWW)