Tiare Ikei selected as USA Wrestling Athlete of the Week

Tiare Ikei (Honolulu, Hawaii/Team Hawaii) has been selected as TheMat.com Athlete of the Week on May 29, 2018.

After making the 2018 Cadet World Team at 49 kg earlier this month, Ikei was afforded the opportunity to compete at the 2018 Cadet Pan American Championships, which served as a Youth Olympic Games Qualifier for five women’s freestyle weights, one of which was 49 kg.

In three matches, Ikei only spent 4:21 on the mat, teching and pinning her way to a gold-medal finish.

In her first match, the two-time Fargo All-American defeated 2017 Cadet World bronze medalist Lucia Yepez Guzman of Ecuador with a pin in 2:25. At the time of the fall, Ikei led 12-6. It was the only match for Ikei that made it out of the first period.

She sailed to the finals after a 48-second pin over Leydi Almeyda Fonce from Colombia.

Waiting for the American in the finals was Maria Jose Mosquera Rojas of Venezuela, who put together a dominant tournament as well. It was Ikei who came out on top in the matchup with a 10-0 tech fall over Mosquera in just 68 seconds.

With the win, Ikei earned gold in her first international tournament and qualified the U.S. for the 2019 Youth Olympic Games at 49 kg.

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. Twitter fan votes also play a part in decision.

To nominate a wrestler for this honor please send the athlete's name, wrestling program, weekly accomplishments and career accolades to USA Wrestling Communications Coordinator Taylor Miller at tmiller@usawrestling.org.