46 kg U17 world finalist Gabriella Gomez (photo courtesy of Martin Gabor; UWW)The action continued today from Rome as the second five weights in women's freestyle got underway and the first series of medals were handed out. The star of Wednesday's action, Erica Pastoriza, squared off with the 2022 Asian Champion, Ritika, and had to settle for the silver medal after losing via fall. Even in her loss, Pastoriza joined an elite company of women's wrestlers in the United States. Since the reintroduction of Cadet Worlds, in 2011, Pastoriza is only the fourth American woman to make the finals on two occasions. Marina Doi (11/12), Ronna Heaton (15/16), and Emily Shilson (17/18) are the only others to do so.
In addition to Pastoriza, three of her teammates also competed for medals, Thursday. Shelby Moore (57 kg), Sydney Perry (65 kg), and Kaiulani Garcia (73 kg) all came up short in their quest for hardware. Moore and Perry both had to win repechage bouts earlier in the day, just for the chance to compete for bronze.
The second crop of women in action for the American team yielded two additional finalists, Gabriella Gomez (46 kg) and Valerie Hamilton (61 kg). Gomez's path to the finals included a fall and a tech, before a bout decided by criteria in the semifinals. She'll have Japan's Koko Matsuda in the gold medal match. The UWW database doesn't have any information on Matsuda; however, since she's Japan's representative it suffices to say, she'll be very tough.
Hamilton was sternly tested in her first two bouts. She prevailed over Yen Yi Li (Chinese Taipei), 7-6, before pinning Petra Mrackova (Czech Republic), while trailing on the scoreboard. Hamilton will have India's Savita, a 2022 Asian Champion, in tomorrow's gold medal match.
Before these women competed for their gold medals, the men's freestyle team will get underway.
40 kg Women's Freestyle
Quarterfinals - Yagmur Karabacak (Turkey) over Megan Valdez (USA) 8-6
***Eliminated from medal contention***
43 kg Women's Freestyle
Gold Medal Match - Ritika (India) over Erica Pastoriza (USA) Fall
46 kg Women's Freestyle
Qualification - Gabriella Gomez (USA) over Yelyzaveta Kulakivska (Ukraine) Fall
Quarterfinals - Gabriella Gomez (USA) over Daniella Beky (Norway) 12-1
Semifinals - Gabriella Gomez (USA) over Kornelia Laszlo (Hungary) 3-3
Gold Medal Match - Gabriella Gomez (USA) vs. Koko Matsuda (Japan)
53 kg Women's Freestyle
Round of 16 - Elena Ivaldi (USA) over Manar Elmasry (Egypt) 8-7
Quarterfinals - Khaliun Byambasuren (Mongolia) over Elena Ivaldi (USA) Fall
57 kg Women's Freestyle
Repechage - Shelby Moore (USA) over Annatina Lippuner (Switzerland) 10-0
Bronze Medal Match - Ulmeken Esenbaeva (Uzbekistan) over Shelby Moore (USA) 4-2
61 kg Women's Freestyle
Round of 16 - Valerie Hamilton (USA) over Yen Yi Li (Chinese Taipei) 7-6
Quarterfinals - Valerie Hamilton (USA) over Petra Mrackova (Czech Republic) Fall
Semifinals - Valerie Hamilton (USA) over Sevinch Sultonova (Uzbekistan) 5-0
Gold Medal Match - Valerie Hamilton (USA) vs. Savita (India)
65 kg Women's Freestyle
Repechage - Sydney Perry (USA) over Daria Konstantynova (Ukraine) 6-6
Bronze Medal Match - Zharkynai Nurlan Kyzy (Kyrgyzstan) over Sydney Perry (USA) 7-0
69 kg Women's Freestyle
Quarterfinals - Veronika Vilk (Croatia) over Jasmine Robinson (USA) Fall
***Eliminated from medal contention***
73 kg Women's Freestyle
Bronze Medal Match - Alina Yertostik (Kazakhstan) over Kaiulani Garcia (USA) Fall
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