6 Women's Freestyle Olympic Trials Bids On the Line at Farrell
6 Women's Freestyle Olympic Trials Bids On the Line at Farrell
We preview the women's division at the Bill Farrell Memorial International.
This weekend, six Olympic Trials bids are on the line for the women at the Bill Farrell Memorial International.
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In 2016, Helen Maroulis became the first woman to win an Olympic Gold medal in freestyle wrestling for the United States. Now four years later, the Olympic dream seems stronger than ever for many U.S. women. For some, their Olympic bid may run through New York City as the Bill Farrell Memorial International offers one Olympic Trials qualification sport per weight for the six Olympic weight classes.
In weight classes that include wrestlers who have already qualified for the trials, the highest placing non-qualifier will earn the Olympic Trials bid. Here's a look at some of the action we could see this weekend.
50kgs
This weight is packed with women who have brought home medals at age-level world championships but are still looking for their first senior-level world or Olympic medals. Veterans Erin Golston, Alyssa Lampe, and Victoria Anthony all have Junior world medals while up up-and-comer Emily Shilson has a pair of medals from Cadet world championships.
Of this ultra-competitive group, it was Victoria Anthony who came closest to making the 2019 world team falling to Whitney Conder at Final X - Rutgers. Anthony is also the only wrestler in this field who has already qualified for the 2020 Olympic Trials.
One woman to keep an eye on is Amy Fearnside, who won both the Poland Open and the Canada Cup this summer and seems to be surging after spending a few months on the U.S. national team.
Many of the women at this weight have big move potential, and this weight has historically offered a lot of great action. Check out Erin Golston's thrilling win over 2016 Olympian Haley Augello at this year's U.S. Open:
Currently registered at 50kgs
*Already qualified for the Olympic Trials
Aleeah Gould | 50 kgs | CA | Team Tornado Wrestling Club |
Alyssa Lampe | 50 kgs | VT | Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club |
Amy Fearnside | 50 kgs | CO | Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC) |
Angelina Gomez | 50 kgs | GA | Lion Wrestling Club |
Emily Shilson | 50 kgs | MN | Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC) |
Erin Golston | 50 kgs | IL | New York Athletic Club |
Maria Vidales | 50 kgs | GA | Lion Wrestling Club |
Vannessa Ramirez | 50 kgs | IN | |
*Victoria Anthony | 50 kgs | AZ | Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club |
53kgs
This weight features both highly experienced athletes and rising stars. One of the favorites, Katherine Shai, who fell this summer in Final X - Lincoln, was a University World champ back in 2008. Meanwhile, Tiare Ikei, this year's U.S. Open champ won a Cadet world bronze just last year. Those two exemplify the veteran versus youth dynamic at this weight, and each is a serious threat to win 53kg. When they met in the U.S. Open Finals, it was Ikei who came out on top.
This weight also has Haley Augello, the only 2016 Olympian in the field, a Cadet world champ, and the only registered wrestler who has qualified for the 2020 trials. Gracie Figueroa is another contender who, while junior eligible this year, has been making senior-level waves for some time.
Check out the U.S. Open Finals between Tiare Ikei and Katherine Shai.
Currently registered at 53kgs
*Already qualified for the Olympic Trials
Alisha Howk | 53 kgs | WI | Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club |
Areana Villaescusa | 53 kgs | CO | Army (WCAP) |
Gracie Figueroa | 53 kgs | CA | Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC) |
*Haley Augello | 53 kgs | TN | Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club |
Jaslynn Gallegos | 53 kgs | CO | Blue Chip Wrestling Club |
Kasey Baynon | 53 kgs | GA | Lion Wrestling Club |
Katherine Shai | 53 kgs | CO | Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC) |
Stefana Jelacic | 53 kgs | AZ | Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club |
Tiare Ikei | 53 kgs | CO | Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC) |
57kgs
The three most accomplished women at this weight internationally are 2019 Pan Am champ Alexandra Hendrick, 2016 Cadet world champ and two-time Cadet world medalist Ronna Heaton, and Lauren Louive, who competed in four international tournaments in 2019 and earned bronze medals at the Dave Schultz and Klippan Lady Open.
This weight offers some intrigue as its three most accomplished wrestlers all migrated to 57kg from non-Olympic weights last season. Since no registered wrestlers at this weight have qualified for the Olympic Trials, the finals match is guaranteed to be for a spot in State College.
Currently registered at 57kgs
Alexandra Hedrick | 57 kgs | CA | Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC) |
Allison Petix | 57 kgs | NV | Lundell Wrestling Club |
Alma Valencia | 57 kgs | PA | Nittany Lion Wrestling Club |
Koral Sugiyama | 57 kgs | ID | |
Lauren Louive | 57 kgs | OH | New York Athletic Club |
Maria Manzueta | 57 kgs | WA | |
Ronna Heaton | 57 kgs | WI | Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club |
Xochitl Mota-Pettis | 57 kgs | TX | Rise Wrestling |
62kgs
World bronze medalist Malory Velte seems to be the favorite at this weight in another stacked field. She fell just short of making the world team this year dropping two matches to her rival Kayla Miracle at Final X: Lincoln.
Junior world bronze medalist Alexis Porter has been rounding into senior-level form and could also be a contender here.
One of the most interesting entries at 62kg is Julia Salata, who made the semifinals at the 2016 Olympic Trials up at 69kg and wrestled in Final X - Lehigh last year at 65kg. Salata at 62 could be a big problem for this field.
Here's Salata's win in the 2018 U.S. Open finals:
Currently registered at 62kgs
*Already qualified for the Olympic Trials
Alexis Porter | 62 kgs | NY | New York Athletic Club |
Emma Bruntil | 62 kgs | WA | |
Gabrielle Lord-Klein | 62 kgs | WI | |
Julia Salata | 62 kgs | MI | New York Athletic Club |
Katrin Pokalyukhin | 62 kgs | NY | Edge Hoboken |
*Mallory Velte | 62 kgs | CA | Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC) |
Marlee Smith | 62 kgs | NJ | Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club |
Maya Porter | 62 kgs | NY | JOURNEYMEN WRESTLING CLUB |
Nahiela Magee | 62 kgs | CA |
68kg
The 2018 U23 world bronze medalist Alexandria Glaude is the probably the most accomplished wrestler at this weight. In addition to her U23 world medal, she also qualified for Final X - Rutgers where she lost to 2019 world champion Tamyra Mensah-Stock.
While Glaude might be the favorite, this is another deep weight. Rachel Watters, Jayden Laurent, Kayla Marano, Ashlynn Ortega, Morgan Norris, and Tiyahna Askew have all made age-level world teams.
On top of that, Randi Beltz, the 2019 U.S. Open champ, is a threat at this weight as she has been having senior-level success since 2012. This Farrell title is anything but a lock for Glaude.
Currently registered at 68kgs
Alexandria Glaude | 68 kgs | CA | Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC) |
Ashlynn Ortega | 68 kgs | CO | Team Tornado Wrestling Club |
Jayden Laurent | 68 kgs | WI | Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC) |
Kayla Marano | 68 kgs | GA | Lion Wrestling Club |
Morgan Norris | 68 kgs | NV | Blue Chip Wrestling Club |
Rachel Watters | 68 kgs | IA | New York Athletic Club |
Randi Beltz | 68 kgs | CA | Army (WCAP) |
Skylar Grote | 68 kgs | NJ | New York Athletic Club |
Tiyahna Askew | 68 kgs | GA |
76kgs
We may see more entries at this weight, but so far, only four women have registered. Precious Bell was this year's U.S. Open Champion and our U23 world teamer. She was second in line on the senior level after dropping two matches to five-time world champion Adeline Gray at Final X - Lincoln.
Dymond Guilford made a Junior world team last year and won a silver medal at the Pan Am Championships this summer while Hannah Gladden won a Pan Am bronze the same year. Iman Kazem wrestled overseas this summer at both the Canada Cup and the Poland Open.
Check out Precious Bell's U.S. Open win over Gladden here:
Currently registered at 76kgs
Dymond Guilford | 76 kgs | CA | Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC) |
Hannah Gladden | 76 kgs | GA | Lion Wrestling Club |
Iman Kazem | 76 kgs | CA | |
Precious Bell | 76 kgs | CA | Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC) |