Nyla Valencia wins gold at Canada Cup
by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Photo of Nyla Valencia at the U23 Nationals by A.J. Grieves.
SUMMERSIDE, Prince Edward Island, Canada – Nyla Valencia of Morgan Hill, Calif., the lone U.S. entry at the Canada Cup, claimed a gold medal at 50 kg in women’s freestyle on Saturday.
Valencia went 4-0 in her five-athlete round robin to claim the title at 50 kg. In her first bout, she defeated Canadian Katie Dutchak of the Saskatoon WC, 8-3, who would go on to win the silver medal.
Other wins were over Canadians Augusta Eve of the Dinos WC and Serena Di Benedetto of the Hamilton WC. She also scored an injury default victory over Korea’s Lee Junghyun.
Valencia won the U23 World Team Trials earlier this spring. She graduated high school this year, and ended the season ranked No. 1 in the USA at 112 pounds in the National Girls High School Rankings. She will attend the University of Iowa this fall.
CANADA CUP
At Summerside, PEI, Canada, July 2
Women’s freestyle result
50 kg
1st Place - Nyla Valencia of USA
2nd Place - Katie Dutchak of Saskatoon WC
3rd Place - Serena Di Benedetto of Hamilton WC
4th Place - Lee Junghyun of Korea
5th Place - Augusta Eve of Dinos WC
Lee Junghyun (Korea) won by decision over Augusta Eve (Dinos WC) (Dec 8-3)
Nyla Valencia (USA) won by decision over Katie Dutchak (Saskatoon WC) (Dec 8-5)
Katie Dutchak (Saskatoon WC) won by decision over Serena Di Benedetto (Hamilton WC) (Dec 7-6)
Nyla Valencia (USA) won by tech fall over Augusta Eve (Dinos WC) (TF 11-0)
Nyla Valencia (USA) won by decision over Serena Di Benedetto (Hamilton WC) (Dec 14-6)
Katie Dutchak (Saskatoon WC) won by fall over Lee Junghyun (Korea) (Fall 3:49)
Serena Di Benedetto (Hamilton WC) won by tech fall over Lee Junghyun (Korea) (TF 11-0)
Katie Dutchak (Saskatoon WC) won by tech fall over Augusta Eve (Dinos WC) (TF 11-1)
Serena Di Benedetto (Hamilton WC) won by decision over Augusta Eve (Dinos WC) (Dec 10-7)
Nyla Valencia (USA) won by injury default over Lee Junghyun (Korea) (Inj. 0:00)
SUMMERSIDE, Prince Edward Island, Canada – Nyla Valencia of Morgan Hill, Calif., the lone U.S. entry at the Canada Cup, claimed a gold medal at 50 kg in women’s freestyle on Saturday.
Valencia went 4-0 in her five-athlete round robin to claim the title at 50 kg. In her first bout, she defeated Canadian Katie Dutchak of the Saskatoon WC, 8-3, who would go on to win the silver medal.
Other wins were over Canadians Augusta Eve of the Dinos WC and Serena Di Benedetto of the Hamilton WC. She also scored an injury default victory over Korea’s Lee Junghyun.
Valencia won the U23 World Team Trials earlier this spring. She graduated high school this year, and ended the season ranked No. 1 in the USA at 112 pounds in the National Girls High School Rankings. She will attend the University of Iowa this fall.
CANADA CUP
At Summerside, PEI, Canada, July 2
Women’s freestyle result
50 kg
1st Place - Nyla Valencia of USA
2nd Place - Katie Dutchak of Saskatoon WC
3rd Place - Serena Di Benedetto of Hamilton WC
4th Place - Lee Junghyun of Korea
5th Place - Augusta Eve of Dinos WC
Lee Junghyun (Korea) won by decision over Augusta Eve (Dinos WC) (Dec 8-3)
Nyla Valencia (USA) won by decision over Katie Dutchak (Saskatoon WC) (Dec 8-5)
Katie Dutchak (Saskatoon WC) won by decision over Serena Di Benedetto (Hamilton WC) (Dec 7-6)
Nyla Valencia (USA) won by tech fall over Augusta Eve (Dinos WC) (TF 11-0)
Nyla Valencia (USA) won by decision over Serena Di Benedetto (Hamilton WC) (Dec 14-6)
Katie Dutchak (Saskatoon WC) won by fall over Lee Junghyun (Korea) (Fall 3:49)
Serena Di Benedetto (Hamilton WC) won by tech fall over Lee Junghyun (Korea) (TF 11-0)
Katie Dutchak (Saskatoon WC) won by tech fall over Augusta Eve (Dinos WC) (TF 11-1)
Serena Di Benedetto (Hamilton WC) won by decision over Augusta Eve (Dinos WC) (Dec 10-7)
Nyla Valencia (USA) won by injury default over Lee Junghyun (Korea) (Inj. 0:00)