Asia Ray claimed a bronze medal at 44 kilograms (Photo/Richard Immel)TAMPERE, Finland -- On Thursday, Asia Ray added to USA's medal haul at the Junior World Championships in Tampere, Finland.
The 19-year-old from Arlington, Texas, competing in her first World Championships, captured a bronze medal at 44 kilograms. She dominated Canada's Alexia Seal in the bronze-medal match 10-2. Her medal gives USA eight medals over the first three days of competition.
Ray controlled her bronze-medal match from start to finish, getting a takedown just over a minute into the period and taking a 2-0 lead into the break. She extended her lead to 6-0 after two takedowns early in the second period. Seal looked to mount a comeback, scoring a takedown off a double leg with just under a minute remaining in the match to cut the deficit to four points. But Ray finished strong, getting a four-point, feet-to-back takedown with 20 seconds remaining to win by eight.
"I was scared when I first came in, but now I feel like I really deserve to be here," said Ray. "I'm excited. I'm ready for next year. I'm going to try to win next year."
Ray will be heading to Wayland Baptist University to compete in the Women's College Wrestling Association (WCWA).
"I was worried that I wouldn't be at the same level as the college girls," said Ray. "Competing in this tournament and actually placing gave me a lot of confidence that I would be able to keep up with those college girls."
Cameron Guerin reached the bronze-medal match at 51 kilograms, but fell to 12-2 to Bolor Bat Orshikh of Mongolia. Orshikh shot a double leg early in the match that resulted flurry that gave the Mongolian four points and Guerin two points. Orshikh scored another four-point takedown a short time later to go up 8-2. Then she ended the match with another takedown and exposure.
Gracie Figueroa (59 kilograms) and Alexandria Glaude (67 kilograms) competed on Thursday morning, but failed to advance to medal matches. Both lost in the quarterfinals and were not pulled back into repechage.
The final day of women's wrestling will take place tomorrow. McKayla Campbell (48 kilograms), Ronna Heaton (55 kilograms), Maya Nelson (63 kilograms) and Rachel Watters (72 kilograms) will compete for Team USA.
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