By Gary Abbott
USA Wrestling
OSLO, Norway – The U.S. won its first two medals in the women’s freestyle division at the Senior World Championships on Tuesday, with Kayla Miracle claiming a silver medal at 62 kg and Jenna Burkert adding a bronze medal at 55 kg. It was their first career Senior World medals for both U.S. women. There were only two women’s weight classes contested in Group One.

Miracle was defeated in the finals by 2019 World champion and 2020 Olympic silver medalist Aisuluu Tynybekova of Kyrgyzstan, 7-0.

Miracle and Tynybekova wrestled a relatively even and back-and-forth first period, as Tynybekova had a 1-0 lead at the break courtesy of a shot clock point. The most action in the match came in the first minute of the second period, when the two wrestlers entered into a scramble after a shot by Miracle. Tynybekova was able to maneuver in the position and expose Miracle for two points, a call that was challenged but confirmed. That gave Tynybekova a 4-0 lead, one that would prove to be enough. She posted a step out and then a late go-behind takedown to complete the 7-0 win over Miracle.

Miracle was a 2020 Olympian for the USA, and also competed on the 2019 Senior World Team. She has now won a World medal on the Cadet, Junior, U23 and Senior levels.

Burkert, on her fourth Senior World Team, wrestled a technically and tactically smart match on the way to a 5-2 victory over Pinki of India, a 2020 Asian champion.

Burkert controlled the tempo from the start and never let up. The Army WCAP athlete scored a pair of first-period points via a step out and a shot clock point, taking a convincing 2-0 lead into the second period. After more tough hand fighting to begin the second, Burkert shot and earned yet another hard-fought step out, advancing the lead to 3-0. Pinki later began to open up and fire off shots, but Burkert’s defense proved to be too much. The American scored a takedown on a counter go-behind with under a minute to go, and held on to finish up a 5-2 victory

After the first two weight classes, the team standings has Japan in first with 40 points, the United States next with 35 points, and Kyrgyzstan and Ukraine in third with 25 points. Group Two will have medal matches on Wednesday night and Group Three will finish the tournament on Thursday night.

SENIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Oslo, Norway, October 5

Group One women’s freestyle final results

55 kg
Gold – Tsugumi Sakurai (Japan)
Silver – Nina Hemmer (Germany)
Bronze – Oleksandra Khomenets (Ukraine)
Bronze – Jenna Burkert (USA)
5th – Olga Khoroshavtseva (Russian Wrestling Federation)
5th - Pinki (India)
7th – Andreea Beatrice Ana (Romania)
8th – Esther Kolawole (Nigeria)
9th – Roksana Zasina (Poland)
10th – Mehlika Ozturk (Turkey)
Gold – Sakurai tech fall Hemmer, 10-0 2:08
Bronze – Khomenets dec. Khoroshavtseva, 10-8
Bronze – Burkert dec. Pinki, 5-2

62 kg
Gold – Aisuluu Tynybekova (Kyrgyzstan)
Silver – Kayla Miracle (USA)
Bronze – Nonoka Ozaki (Japan)
Bronze – Gantuya Enkhbat (Mongolia)
5th – Ilona Prokopevniuk (Ukraine)
5th – Lais Nunes de Oliveira (Brazil)
7th – Alina Kasabieva (Russian Wrestling Federation)
8th – Ana Godinez Gonzalez (Canada)
9th – Veranika Ivanova (Belarus)
10th – Sangeeta Sangeeta (India)
Gold – Tynybekova dec. Miracle, 7-0
Bronze – Ozaki tech fall Prokopevniuk, 12-0 5:17
Bronze – Enkhbat dec. Nunes de Oliveira, 7-6

U.S. women’s freestyle Group One results

55 kg – Jenna Burkert (Colorado Springs, Colo./Army WCAP), bronze medal
LOSS Nina Hemmer (Germany), tech. fall 14-4
WIN Andreea Ana (Romania), 4-2
WIN Pinki (India), 5-2

62 kg – No. 3 seed Kayla Miracle (Tempe, Ariz./Sunkist Kids), silver medal
WIN Gantuya Enkhbat (Mongolia), tech. fall 14-4
WIN Alina Kasabieva (Russian Wrestling Federation) tech. fall, 13-2
WIN Lais Nunes de Oliveira (Brazil), 2-0
LOSS Aisuluu Tynybekova (Kyrgyzstan), 7-0

Team Standings after first two weight classes
1. Japan, 40 points
2. United States, 35
3. Kyrgyzstan, 25
4. Ukraine, 25
5. Germany, 20
6. Russian Wrestling Federation, 18
7. Mongolia, 15
8. India, 12
9. Brazil, 10
10. Romania, 8