Breanna Stikkelman named USA Wrestling Athlete of the Week
Share:
by Richard Immel, USA Wrestling
Photo: Breanna Stikkelman of the United States has her hand raised in victory in the 64 kg gold medal match at the Grappling World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan. Photo by Robbert Wijtman, CSC Sports Photography.
Breanna Stikkelman (Simi Valley, Calif./Street Sports) has been selected as TheMat.com Athlete of the Week on October 24, 2017.
Stikkelman led the U.S. effort at the 2017 UWW Grappling World Championships held in Baku, Azerbaijan, by earning a gold medal at 64 kg/141 lbs. in the Gi division and a silver medal at 58 kg/127 lbs. in the No-Gi division. She is just the fifth U.S. woman to win a UWW World title in Gi grappling.
Her triumphs in Baku began with the No-Gi competition, where she posted a 2-1 record on her way to a runner-up finish. Stikkelman opened with a submission victory by front choke over Marino Suzuki of Japan. The semifinal round was a similar story as Stikkelman secured her second submission of the tournament, this time by arm bar on Roxane Cusson of France. She was defeated by Kateryna Shakalova of Ukraine in the gold-medal match, 8-1.
Stikkelman moved up in weight for the Gi tournament where she won three bouts to claim gold. Her quarterfinal win against Kyrgyzstan’s Barchynai Uzgenbaeva was decided by submission. Rita Tana of Italy gave Stikkelman a tough semifinal test, but it was the American emerging victorious, 8-6. She downed No-Gi World champion Tetyana Hrynko of Ukraine by loop choke in the championship bout.
This was Stikkelman’s first time competing for the U.S. at the UWW Grappling World Championships. She won the 2017 U.S. Grappling World Team Trials in both the Gi and No-Gi divisions at 58 kg last April.
Stikkelman comes from a strong wrestling background and competed as a wrestler through high school.
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 Manager of Communications Richard Immel at rimmel@usawrestling.org.
Breanna Stikkelman (Simi Valley, Calif./Street Sports) has been selected as TheMat.com Athlete of the Week on October 24, 2017.
Stikkelman led the U.S. effort at the 2017 UWW Grappling World Championships held in Baku, Azerbaijan, by earning a gold medal at 64 kg/141 lbs. in the Gi division and a silver medal at 58 kg/127 lbs. in the No-Gi division. She is just the fifth U.S. woman to win a UWW World title in Gi grappling.
Her triumphs in Baku began with the No-Gi competition, where she posted a 2-1 record on her way to a runner-up finish. Stikkelman opened with a submission victory by front choke over Marino Suzuki of Japan. The semifinal round was a similar story as Stikkelman secured her second submission of the tournament, this time by arm bar on Roxane Cusson of France. She was defeated by Kateryna Shakalova of Ukraine in the gold-medal match, 8-1.
Stikkelman moved up in weight for the Gi tournament where she won three bouts to claim gold. Her quarterfinal win against Kyrgyzstan’s Barchynai Uzgenbaeva was decided by submission. Rita Tana of Italy gave Stikkelman a tough semifinal test, but it was the American emerging victorious, 8-6. She downed No-Gi World champion Tetyana Hrynko of Ukraine by loop choke in the championship bout.
This was Stikkelman’s first time competing for the U.S. at the UWW Grappling World Championships. She won the 2017 U.S. Grappling World Team Trials in both the Gi and No-Gi divisions at 58 kg last April.
Stikkelman comes from a strong wrestling background and competed as a wrestler through high school.
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 Manager of Communications Richard Immel at rimmel@usawrestling.org.