Recap, Day 2 at 2019 World Championships: Jacarra Golden, Adeline in Finals
by Derek Levendusky, AWW Staff Writer
Lots of ups and downs today on the mat for Team USA. Here’s the recap of Day 2 for the women at the 2019 World Championships.
MEDAL MATCHES
55 kg Jacarra Winchester
GOLD! If you haven’t heard already, Jacarra Winchester is the 2019 World Champion. After last year’s devastating last-second semifinal loss, where she eventually fell to 5th place, it’s all the sweeter. Winchester defeated 2015 Junior World champion Nanami Irie of Japan 5-3 in the finals, a wrestler that knocked off 2018 world champion Haruna Okuno in a wrestle-off to win the team spot. Winchester was on the attack from the start, with fakes and level changes to set up a head inside shot that she would convert into a 2-0 lead at the break. Irie took the lead with a blast double early in the second period, a move that was originally called a 4-pointer but wasn’t reduced to 2 points after the referees conferenced. Irie scored a pushout and held a 3-2 lead until Winchester transitioned a blast double into a single for 2. That was the final score at the end of regulation, when Japan attempted a futile challenge, making the final score 5-3. Winchester was exuberant, and took her moment to circle the mat with the Stars & Stripes.
72 kg Victoria Francis
After a one-and-out in 2017, Francis placed 5th at the 2019 World Championships, falling 2-1 to Paliha Paliha of China in the bronze match. Francis was in her front headlock position almost from the beginning of the match, but was never able to convert it into points. She was often close, but the stingy Paliha kept Francis from turning the corner. Otherwise, it was a battle of trading shot clock points, and the deciding push out by Paliha.
REPECHAGE
53 kg Sarah Hildebrandt
Vinesh Vinesh of India opened some eyes yesterday when she beat 1x world champ, 7x world medalist Sofia Mattsson of Sweden 13-0. Then she fell to 2018 world champ Mayu Mukaida of Japan, as did Hildebrandt, setting up today’s matchup. Vinesh had to get through the Ukrainian first, and then faced Hildebrandt, winning the match 8-2. Hildebrandt was on her legs the whole match—6x to be exact—but could never finish. Vinesh timed her shots well to get past Hildebrandt’s defense, finishing quickly on our U.S. rep. Vinesh went on to win bronze, while Mukaida won silver, meaning Hildebrandt’s losses were to the bronze and silver. No shame there. Still tough to take, but no shame at all. Hildebrandt officially finishes 9th at the 2019 World Championships.
TODAY’S DAY 1 WEIGHTS
57 kg Jenna Burkert
Burkert came out like a bully in her first match, showing her muscle and owning the mat against Lenka Martina of Czechia. Burkert pushed her around until she tallied a whopping 6 pushouts. Add a takedown and Burkert got her hand raised with the 8-0 victory. In the Round of 16, she faced Marina Simonyan of Russia. Burkert did a nice job fending off attacks early in the first period, but then Simonyan got her offense going. For a moment it looked like Burkert had the fall as she put the Russian on her back during a scramble-reversal. If only. After some moments of control exposure and working for the pin, the vulnerable Simonyan worked her way out to go to the break ahead 7-2. In the second, the Russian turned a nice leg attack by Burkert into a sort of hybrid spladle, adjusting her way to a tight lock for the fall. Simonyan lost her next match, a quarterfinal, to #1 seed Ningning Rong of China, ending Burkert’s tournament at 1-1.
59 kg Alli Ragan
It was shocking. Things seemed to be going according to plan for Ragan after an early low level single got her 2 points, but then something seemed to switch in the mind of her opponent, Anhelina Lysak of Ukraine. Lysak started aggressively digging underhooks, looking for a big throw. Ragan looked uncomfortable as she tried to back out. After a flurry of working through vulnerable positions, Lysak found her angle and launched Ragan with a headlock and the quick fall. And that was it for Ragan. Lysak lost her next match. Sometimes this sport can be cold and feel unfair. All that work for 1:33 at Worlds. But as the reader knows, that’s wrestling. The sun will come up tomorrow and Ragan will be back.
65 kg Forrest Molinari
She looked the part today. Molinari wrestled mean and tough, earning her way to a semi against Iryna Koliadenko of Ukraine. After a first round bye, Molinari scored a pin against Thi Vinh Nguyen of Vietnam in the Round of 16, getting the fall at 2:42 with a gool ol’ fashioned folkstyle arm bar. Her stellar defense was her offense in her second round match, holding position, countering, and getting the 3-0 win over Malin Johann Mattsson of Sweden. But this play-with-fire approach came back to bite her in her semi as she had the 5-3 lead in the final 10 seconds but got turned in a scramble. U.S. challenged but lost. It’s unclear if Molinari was confused about whether she had criteria. A tough loss for sure, but let’s count our blessings—Molinari will wrestle for bronze tomorrow.
76 kg Adeline Gray
4x world champ Adeline Gray will return to the finals to compete for her 5th world title tomorrow after defeating Rotter Focken of Germany 5-2. Gray might be the smartest wrestler on Team USA. Her semi-final featured brilliant tactics, a patient plan, and fantastic execution. Her opponent followed the script. After giving up a shot clock point in the first period, Gray went to the break down 1-0. Then Focken gave up a shot clock point half way through the second period, giving Gray the 1-1 lead on criteria. She held position and waited for the forced shot. It finally came in the final minute and Gray capitalized with another two scores. That’s Adeline’s 7th world medal! Gray looked sharp from the start, dominating her way to the semis with three straight tech falls. Great set-ups, clean shots, tight leg laces, and even a few folkstyle-looking tilts. Gray will face Hiroe Minagawa Suzuki of Japan in the finals tomorrow.