Takedown Report

Women’s Wrestling News (2021) – # 12 {International}

TDR Editor’s Notes ; This year could be the 5th consecutive summer Olympic games with women’s wrestling competition. The growth in wrestling opportunities for women continues on all levels. Thus this is our first collection of articles focused just on the international teams and competitions. Keep on Wrestling.
E-mail us at the Editor’s office at martinkfleming@gmail.com
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1 } – WCL announces hosts for 2022-2024 events, reissues bid
OTTAWA – Wrestling Canada Lutte (WCL) has announced the results of its request for proposal for event hosting for 2022 to 2024.
Six events were put up for bid, and following a detailed assessment by WCL’s Event Hosting Advisory Committee and ratification by the Board of Directors, WCL is pleased to announce that hosts for the following events have been approved:
2022 Wrestling Trials (Cadet, Junior, Senior) – Edmonton, AB
2023 Wrestling Championships (U17 & U19) – Vancouver, BC
2024 Wrestling Championships (U17 & U19) – Mississauga, ON
Some bids received were not compliant with new regulations, and as such, the BOD has approved the reissuance of RFPs for the following events in the near future:
2022 Canadian Wrestling Championships
2023 Canadian Wrestling Trials
2024 Canadian Wrestling Trials … rest of story at https://wrestling.ca/wcl-announces-hosts-for-2022-2024-events-reissues-bid/?mc_cid=2a2fd7a25b&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

2 } – MENSAH-STOCK WINS GOLD TO CLAIM FIRST MEDAL FOR USA AT MATTEO PELLICONE
ROME – 2019 World champion Tamyra Mensah-Stock dominated in her finals match to earn gold at the 2021 Matteo Pellicone International in Rome, Italy, on Friday.
RECAP FROM MORNING SESSION
Wrestling at 68 kg, Tamyra Mensah-Stock continued an impressive day with an 11-0 performance over 2020 Individual World Cup bronze medalist Mimi Hristova of Bulgaria in the gold-medal finals. Mensah-Stock used two takedowns to propel her to a 4-0 lead at the break. Early in the second period, she tacked on another takedown, followed by two sets of exposure to give Mensah-Stock a 10-0 win. However, Bulgaria’s corner challenged but it failed, resulting in another point for the American.
Mensah-Stock’s gold is the first medal for the United States this weekend at the event.
Also competing for a medal at 68 kg was 2018 U23 World bronze medalist Alex Glaude, who took on 2019 Pan American Games silver medalist Olivia Di Bacco of Canada in the bronze match. Glaude led halfway through the second period, but a late takedown eventually gave Di Bacco a 6-4 win, and Glaude finished fifth. … rest of story at https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2021/March/05/Mensah-Stock-wins-gold-at-Pellicone?mc_cid=92195b958e&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

And WRESTLING HELPED TAMYRA MENSAH-STOCK FIND HER CONFIDENCE AND HER CALLING
Listen to Tamyra Mensah-Stock speak for more than a minute or two and it’s difficult to imagine her as anything but the self-assured world champion she has become. 
Her personality is effervescent, determined, brimming with belief. Traits that suggest she could excel at anything she tried. But that’s a bit of a chicken-and-egg dilemma for the 28-year-old, simply because the sport itself has been so critical to her growth. “I’ve always been a bubbly person,” she said. “But confident? Not so much. Wrestling really helped me.”
Mensah-Stock’s path to becoming the top-ranked wrestler in the world in her weight class began reluctantly. As a sophomore at Morton Ranch High School in Katy, Texas, track and field was her sport of choice, as it had been for years. She ran the 200-meter, sometimes the 400, and the longer sprint relays, in addition to competing in the triple jump and long jump. 
One day, her twin sister Tarkiya, who was on the Morton Ranch wrestling team, said the sport’s coaches had suggested she try and convince Tamyra to join the squad. It didn’t seem a natural fit. … rest of story at https://www.teamusa.org/News/2021/February/24/Wrestling-Helped-Tamyra-Mensah-Stock-Find-Her-Confidence-And-Her-Calling?mc_cid=7c3cd1ad34&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

3 } – Anthony, Moore Star for USA with Gold at Matteo Pellicone
OSTIA, Italy (March 7) — Victory ANTHONY (USA) had been to five Ranking Series before arriving in Rome for the Matteo Pellicone event. For all her efforts, she had won two bronze medals scattered over 2019 and 2020. Despite being one of the top wrestlers at 50kg, Anthony somehow had failed to finish at the top of the podium at major international events. But Saturday was different.
Wrestling at her second Matteo Pellicone event, the USA wrestler showcased why she is still a force to reckon by winning the gold medal after defeating European champion Miglena Georgieva SELISHKA (BUL) 15-10 in the final on Saturday. This was USA’s second gold medal in women’s wrestling as Taymara Mensah-Stock won the gold at 68kg on Friday. “It was the biggest win for me in recent history which is like five years,” Anthony said. “This is the first tournament where I have wrestled to my potential, peak ability. I am really happy with that.” … rest of story at https://uww.org/article/anthony-moore-star-usa-gold-matteo-pellicone?mc_cid=3fad4ffad8&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

And Di Bacco picks up silver, Wiebe bronze in Ukraine
KIEV, Ukraine – Olivia Di Bacco and Erica Wiebe reached the podium at the Outstanding Ukrainian Wrestlers and Coaches Memorial tournament. Di Bacco, of Orillia, Ont., lost the 68 kg gold medal match 1-1 on criteria to Meerim Zhumanazarova of Kyrgyzstan. Each wrestler scored a point for passivity, but Di Bacco was unable to score after trailing on criteria. Wiebe won her bronze medal matchup against Anna Melnyk of Ukraine with a pin. Wiebe, of Stittsville, Ont., had pinned two other opponents in the tournament to reach the bronze medal match. … https://wrestling.ca/di-bacco-picks-up-silver-wiebe-bronze-in-ukraine/?mc_cid=02f3563d01&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

4 } – GRAY ON THE MIC
Coming To You Live…
It’s fair to say we’re all BIG fans of the 2016 Olympian and 5X Senior World Champion Adeline Gray. I’m here to say that many of us are also BIG fans of Adeline Gray on the competition mic!
Gray has recently hosted event commentary for two major wrestling events:
2021 All-WFS Captains Cup
2021 PAC-12 Wrestling Championships
The Olympian is no stranger to public speaking and being one of the faces of Team USA Wrestling and non-profit Wrestle Like A Girl. But having her on the sports commentary is a different game. And she’s good at it.
During the Captain’s Cup, it was assumed someone from FloWrestling would be “manning” the mic like the RTC Cup event. So it made perfect sense for Gray to join Flo’s Mark Bader for both days of Captains’ Cup commentary since she was in Iowa for the event. … rest of story at https://www.wreaperwrestling.com/gray-on-the-mic/?mc_cid=d34d798fb2&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

5 } – Eight Years After Olympic Struggle, Women Look to Become Wrestling’s Next Generation of Leaders
CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (March 8) — When Nenad Lalovic was appointed interim president of the international federation for wrestling in 2013 the sport faced an uphill battle for Olympic reinstatement and lacked wide-reaching respect among those in the global sports community.  Behind the scenes, the federation was suffering from a number of issues, primary among them an ineffective outreach to female athletes and leaders. Few opportunities existed for women interested in taking the mats and even fewer were available for those interested in positions of leadership.  

On the mats women only had four Olympic weight categories while their male counterparts in freestyle enjoyed seven. There were few female bureau members, no commissions aimed at increasing diversity, and an overall dearth of experienced women in place to change the future. “We knew that we needed to change,” said Lalovic. “Re-branding and changing the rules were important, but as a federation it was vital we make efforts to diversify and include more women. We wanted to find a way to promote their activities and give them opportunities to succeed and gain experience.” … rest of story at https://uww.org/article/eight-years-after-olympic-struggle-women-look-become-wrestlings-next-generation-leaders?mc_cid=b1fa7a1c33&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

6 } – Epp Mäe does not give up single point in victory in Ukraine
Estonian freestyle wrestler Epp Mäe was victorious in a United World Wrestling (UWW) tournament in Kyiv, Ukraine, over the weekend, not giving up a single point in her tournament win. The 28-year old Mäe, participating in the Kyiv tournament in preparation for the Tokyo Olympics in summer, started the tournament with a win over Catelina Axente, last year’s European championships bronze medalist. Mäe won on points – 6:0.

The Estonian went into the quarterfinals, facing Lithuanian wrestler Kamile Gaucaite. Mäe took a dominant 10:0 win in the first half of the match-up. Mäe then faced off against two-time European champ Belarusian Vasilisa Marzaliuk, giving up no points to the Belarusian and finishing with a 4:0 victory, taking the Estonian into the finals.

Mäe’s Saturday night final saw her face off against 21-year old Kyrgyzstani wrestler Aiperi Medet Kyzy, who took a silver medal in the 2020 Asian Championships in New Delhi. Mäe took the final at a score of 2:0 – one point coming from passivity from Kyzy in the first half and the second coming from Mäe forcing the young Kyrgyzstani out of the ring in the second half. … rest of story at https://news.err.ee/1608126325/epp-mae-does-not-give-up-single-point-in-victory-in-ukraine

7 } – Competitive Last Chance Qualifier Finalizes the Field for Olympic Team Trials
Fort Worth, Texas — Competition at the Last Chance Olympic Trials Qualifier was fierce. The high school standouts came out strong and didn’t let up. Sage Mortimer, a senior from Utah, absolutely upended the competition at 50 kg, winning matches over four college All-Americans—including this year’s NCAA and NAIA finalists—to earn the top spot. At 68 kg, Kennedy Blades (Sunkist Kids) and Kylie Welker (Nazar Trained) shutout everyone in their way. Welker was able to score in the finals, but Blades proved to be the top contender with another unstoppable tech, 16-6. All three high schoolers earned spots at their first Olympic Team Trials.

Nearly half of the field was college wrestlers. The 53 kg final was a battle between All-Americans Melanie Mendoza (King/NCWWC fifth at 116) and Marissa Gallegos (Colorado Mesa/NCWWC finalist at 123) with Mendoza winning 7-6 after Gallegos’ corner lost a final challenge. The match came down to a funky exchange in the final seconds. This full use of six minutes was standard for Mendoza, and a reminder that a wrestling match is a complete six minutes. In the semis she was down by six points with just over a minute left in the match—her high-c and adjustments on the finish earned her the takedown and exposure to win on criteria, but she ended the match over Victoria Smith by fall. Mendoza and Gallegos both qualified for the Olympic Team Trials. … rest of story at https://www.transitionwrestling.com/competitive-last-chance-qualifier-finalizes-the-field-for-olympic-team-trials/?mc_cid=6c27c8fabf&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

And Estrella-Beauchamp excited for trip to US Olympic Trials
Baldwin grad to have in-person support from cousin Estrella
Waipuilani Estrella-Beauchamp is headed to rare territory for a Maui wrestler — the U.S. Olympic Trials this week in Fort Worth, Texas. Her cousin Nanea Estrella will be along to provide support. Estrella-Beauchamp, a 2020 Baldwin High School graduate who competes for Midland University in Fremont, Neb., qualified for the trials via her NAIA national championship at 143 pounds earlier this month. She is the first trials qualifier from Maui since Grant Nakamura made it to the men’s event in 2008. Women’s wrestling was added to the Olympics in 2004.
“I have exactly one week left,” Estrella-Beachamp said Saturday via phone from Nebraska. “I’m very excited, this is a blessing and an opportunity. I have worked very hard to get to where I am and I’m just so grateful and humble and everyone else for helping me.” … rest of story at https://www.mauinews.com/sports/local-sports/2021/03/estrella-beauchamp-excited-for-trip-to-us-olympic-trials/?mc_cid=a2abe03ca2&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

8 } – Helen Maroulis, trailblazing Olympic wrestling champion, back at trials after briefly retiring
Helen Maroulis had enough. She grabbed her phone, called her mom and said it: I’m retiring. That was a year and a half ago. Maroulis, who in 2016 became the first U.S. woman to win an Olympic wrestling title, was by the end of 2017 one of the world’s dominant athletes not only in her sport, but also across all sports.

Life changed on Jan. 10, 2018. Maroulis suffered a head injury in a match in India. She endured most of 2018 and 2019 sidelined by concussions, shoulder surgery and post-traumatic stress disorder. She spent days in dark, silent rooms. She wore noise-canceling headphones and special glasses. At its worst, she didn’t recognize her own reflection in the mirror. It got really bad after her last concussion in August 2019. She wondered if she would ever return to a normal life. “I just decided that I wanted to be done with wrestling at that time,” she said last week.

But Maroulis is not done with the craft that she’s loved since going 1-30 in her first year at age 7. Following her brother onto the mat, she bet their dad that if she won her first match, she could continue. It turned out to be her only victory all year. … rest of story at https://sports.yahoo.com/helen-maroulis-trailblazing-olympic-wrestling-111321235.html?mc_cid=44df579129&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

9} – JACARRA WINCHESTER FIGHTS HER WAY TO OLYMPIC WRESTLING TEAM
Jacarra Winchester broke out in an ear-to-ear smile then quickly covered her face with both hands and dropped from her knees to her back on the wrestling mat. Her upper body heaved with the emotion of knowing she was going to the Olympic Games this summer in Tokyo, even though she’d expected nothing less.

“No surprise there,” she clarified in her post-match press conference at last weekend’s U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Wrestling in Fort Worth, Texas. “I was happy. There’s a difference. … All your emotions hit you when you realize, ‘I’m going to the Olympics.’” Winchester, 28, is already a world champion. She earned that title in 2019 as the U.S. women had their best showing ever at the world championships with a total of three gold medalists. Now she’ll be favored to reach the podium, if not win it all, in her Olympic debut. 

Winchester, who grew up in Oakland, California, said she has always been a fighter. As a kid who had a lisp, she was the target of bullying, but not an easy target by any stretch. “I just didn’t take any mess from anybody,” she told reporters. “You want to fight, we’re going to fight. I don’t do bullying. I think you should treat everyone the way you want to be treated. If someone was looking for a fight and wanted to fight me, I’d give them the benefit of the doubt and always say, ‘I don’t want to fight,’ but if you keep poking the bear the bear’s going to turn around and attack.” … rest of story at https://www.teamusa.org/News/2021/April/09/Jacarra-Winchester-Fights-Her-Way-To-Olympic-Wrestling-Team?mc_cid=e835860738&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b#.YHCLJEp6q7I.twitter

10 } – MAROULIS, GRAY RETURN TO OLYMPICS; U.S. WOMEN MENSAH-STOCK, HILDEBRANDT, WINCHESTER AND MIRACLE QUALIFY FOR THEIR FIRST GAMES IN TOKYO
FORT WORTH, Texas — In 2019, Tamyra Mensah-Stock won a world championship. Saturday night she earned the right to try to win an Olympic gold medal. Fittingly for her, it was deep in the heart of Texas.
A native of Katy, Texas, Mensah-Stock (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club) won the 68 kg best-of-three series 2-0 against rising star 17-year-old Kennedy Blades (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club), 12-4 and 8-1. Mensah-Stock collapsed to her knees and could be heard shrieking with joy after her second win, which punched her ticket to the Tokyo Games.

“This has been a long time coming. In 2016, I fell short. I wanted to come back and prove to everybody and myself that I could become an Olympian and I did it. I’m so proud of myself. There’s no pressure now. I went out there and qualified the weight class, so I knew I had to represent the U.S. at 68 kg in Tokyo,” said Mensah-Stock. Adeline Gray (New York Athletic Club) will be on hand to give Mensah-Stock, and the rest of the U.S. women’s freestyle team, any advice she or they might need in Tokyo. Gray, the five-time World Champion and 2016 Olympian, maintained her stranglehold on 76 kg.
Kylie Welker (TMWC), who wrote a Cinderella story with her march from a No. 14 seed to the finals, was no match for Gray, who rolled to 10-0 and 11-0 wins. Helen Maroulis (SKWC/Nittany Lion Wrestling Club) can offer valuable advice on not only attending an Olympic Games, but also winning a gold. The 2016 gold medal winner, the first in U.S. history, will be trying to duplicate that feat. She had to work hard to represent the U.S. at 57 kg this time around. Her best-of-three series with Jenna Burkert (Army WCAP) went the distance. Maroulis rallied for a 5-3 win in the first. 
… rest of story at https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2021/April/04/Womens-freestyle-wrap-at-OTT?mc_cid=7136a52740&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

11 } – TOKYO 202ONE – Miracle makes first Olympic team after winning 2021 Olympic Trials Saturday evening
FORT WORTH, Texas – Kayla Miracle is Tokyo bound after winning the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials at 62kg and will make her Olympic debut this summer. Miracle, a 2019 World Team member, 2019 U23 World silver medalist and three-time U23 World Team member, triumphed over Macey Kilty (SKWC) in the best-of-three series, being extended to three matches. 
Miracle, 24, won 8-4 in the first, but Kilty battled back to pull even with a 4-3 win in bout two. In the deciding third bout, Miracle scored a takedown and Kilty could not continue, giving Miracle an injury default win and a spot on the Olympic Team.  Miracle was joined in Texas at the Olympic Trials by fellow Lady Tiger alums and current roster members – Abby Nette (57kg), McKayla Campbell (50kg), Mariah Harris (76kg), Alexandra Castillo (76kg) and Charlotte Fowler (50kg). 
The U.S. women’s team will have the fire-power to challenge powerhouse Japan for supremacy in the Tokyo Games. The group includes an Olympic champion, two Olympians, four World champions, five World medalists and all six with Senior World Championships experience.
Her teammates have vast experience at the international level. Helen Maroulis (57 kg) will look to defend her 2016 gold medal at the Rio Olympic games, Adeline Gray (76 kg) a five-time world champion and competed in the 2016 Rio Olympics, Sarah Hildebrandt (50 kg) who was the 2018 world silver medalist, 2019 world champion Jacarra Winchester (53 kg), and Tamyra Mensah-Stock (68 kg) will make her Olympic debut after falling short in the 2016 trials.  Miracle was a four-time WCWA National Champion during her time at Campbellsville University. Her fourth title in 2018 secured the Lady Tigers their first WCWA national title in program history. … rest of story at https://campbellsvilletigers.com/news/2021/4/4/womens-wrestling-miracle-makes-her-first-olympic-team-after-winning-the-2021-olympic-trials-saturday-evening.aspx?mc_cid=7136a52740&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

12 } – University of Calgary wrestling legend Wiebe named to Canada West Hall of Fame
From not making the varsity team during her rookie year at the University of Calgary to Olympic champion, Erica Wiebe’s hall of fame story is an inspiring one. The 2016 Olympic gold medallist was announced Tuesday as the latest inductee in the Canada West Hall of Fame. A five-year student-athlete with the Dinos wrestling team between 2007-12, Wiebe was a three-time CIS gold medallist as a student-athlete, helping the Dinos to three conference titles and a national championship.

But it wasn’t always easy for Wiebe, who used her time at the University of Calgary to build on her love of the sport and grow into elite company. While with Calgary, Wiebe was a three-time CIS gold medallist in the 72-kilogram division (2009, ’11, ’12) and part of three Canada West team championships (2008, ’09, ’11), along with one CIS championship team (2009). … rest of story at https://calgarysun.com/sports/olympics/u-of-c-wrestling-legend-wiebe-named-to-canada-west-hall-of-fame?mc_cid=e764d9125d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

April 17, 2021 - Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized