Forrest Molinari named USA Wrestling Athlete of the Week

Forrest Molinari (Tempe, Ariz./Sunkist Kids) has been selected as USA Wrestling Athlete of the Week on March 2.


Molinari won a gold medal at 68 kg in women’s freestyle at the Ibrahim Moustafa Ranking Event in Alexandria, Egypt, on February 24.


Molinari won five straight matches to claim the title, scoring three pins and a technical fall. She opened with a fall of Saidy Chavez of Honduras in 1:34, then pinned Marilyn Garcia of the USA in 2:45. In the quarterfinals, she stopped 2021 World champion Meerim Zhumanzarova of Kyrgyzstan, 6-3. In the semifinal, she pinned past U23 World medalist Alex Glaude of the USA in 3:28.


In the championship finals, Molinari scored an impressive 13-2 technical fall over two-time Senior World medalist Koumba Larrouque of France.


Molinari was a 2021 Senior World bronze medalist for Team USA and has twice placed fifth at the Senior Worlds. She was a 2022 Pan American champion. Molinari won a WCWA national title for King University. She is originally from Benicia, Calif.


Each week USA Wrestling will select an Athlete of the Week based upon performance within wrestling for that week. The selection committee will consider any level of wrestling from youth programs through the senior level.


To nominate a wrestler for this honor please send the athlete's name, wrestling program, weekly accomplishments and career accolades to USA Wrestling Director of Communications Gary Abbott at gabbott@usawrestling.org