U.S. women’s freestyle medalists at the 2024 Grand Prix of Spain.
Welker claims gold, Olympian Blades gets bronze, U.S. women earn eight medals at Grand Prix of Spain
by Richard Immel, USA Wrestling
MADRID, Spain – The U.S. women performed admirably on Saturday at the Grand Prix of Spain with eight total medalists. Past U.S. World Team member Kyle Welker led the way as the lone American champion at the respected international event.
Welker brought home the 72 kg gold medal with a dominant 3-0 outing, her first international medal on the Senior level. She earned two pins over three-time World medalist Zhamila Bakbergenova of Kazakhstan, plus a 12-0 technical fall against fellow American Aspen Barber, to finish atop the podium.
The Wisconsin native and current Iowa Hawkeye star is the No. 4 ranked athlete on the U.S. Senior National Team at 76 kg. She is a three-time age-group World medalist for Team USA, including a 2021 U20 World title. Welker was a 2024 NCWWC national champion for Iowa during its inaugural season.
2019 U17 World silver medalist Cristelle Rodriguez navigated to the silver medal at 53 kg with an impressive 2-1 showing. All three of Rodriguez’s opponents were from north of the border. She took out Canadian youngster Kaura Coles, 13-2, and 2021 World bronze medalist Samantha Stewart, 8-2, to make the gold medal match. Canada’s 2022 World bronze medalist Karla Godinez Gonzalez edged Rodriguez, 3-2, in the finals.
Rodriguez was a NAIA champion for Doane University last year. She will compete at her second U20 World Championships later this summer.
2024 U.S. Olympic Team member Kennedy Blades wound up with a bronze medal at 76 kg in her Olympic tune-up event. Blades dropped her opener to two-time age-group World champion and two-time Pan American Games champion Milaimy Marin of Cuba, 13-4. She rebounded nicely with a 10-0 technical fall over Elvira Braun of Sweden and an 8-0 shutout against 2023 World bronze medalist Tatiana Renteria of Colombia.
Five more Americans, all of whom are age-group upstarts, picked up bronze medals in Spain—Carissa Qureshi at 55 kg, Alexis Janiak at 59 kg, Cadence Diduch at 62 kg, Reese Larramendy at 65 kg and Jasmine Robinson at 68 kg. Janiak and Robinson are past age-group World medalists for Team USA. All five will represent the U.S. at the upcoming U20 World Championships in Pontevedra, Spain, in early September.
The U.S. women finished atop the team standings with 149 team points. Canada came in a close second at 141 team points. Kazakhstan rounded out the top three with 95 team points.
The Grand Prix of Spain continues tomorrow with the men’s freestyle competition. Five Americans are expected to compete. The action begins at 10 a.m. local time with the medal matches set for 4:30 p.m. Madrid, Spain, is located six hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Time.
Brackets for each style and match-by-match results are available on Scorizer.com.
2024 Grand Prix of Spain | July 5-7, Madrid, Spain
Women’s Freestyle Results
Team Standings
1. United States, 149
2. Canada, 141
3. Kazakhstan, 95
4. France, 90
5. Spain, 89
50 kg
Gold – Vinesh Phogat (India)
Silver – Mariia Tyumerekova (Individual Neutral Athlete)
Bronze – Katie Dutchak (Canada)
Bronze – Tetiana Profatilova (France)
5th – Madison Parks (Canada)
5th – Doudou Ibtissem (Algeria)
7th – Yusneylys Guzman (Cuba)
7th – Anaya Falcon (United States)
9th – Ana Torres Rubio (Spain)
10th – Kim Jinhee (Korea)
Gold – Vinesh Phogat (India) dec. Mariia Tyumerekova (Individual Neutral Athlete), 10-5
Bronze – Tetiana Profatilova (France) dec. Doudou Ibtissem (Algeria), 10-4
Bronze – Katie Dutchak (Canada) forfeit Madison Parks (Canada)
53 kg
Gold – Karla Godinez Gonzalez (Canada)
Silver – Cristelle Rodriguez (United States)
Bronze – Samantha Stewart (Canada)
Bronze – Christianah Ogunsanya (Nigeria)
5th – Kaura Coles (Canada)
5th – Brianne Gonzalez (United States)
7th – Serena Di Benedetto (Canada)
Gold – Karla Godinez Gonzalez (Canada) dec. Cristelle Rodriguez (United States), 3-2
Bronze – Samantha Stewart (Canada) forfeit Kaura Coles (Canada)
Bronze – Christianah Ogunsanya (Nigeria) tech. fall Brianne Gonzalez (United States), 10-0
55 kg
Gold – Tatiana Debien (France)
Silver – Maria Victoria Baez Dilone (Spain)
Bronze – Carissa Qureshi (United States)
4th – Kendall Dettloff (Canada)
5th – Zulfiya Yakhyarova (Kazakhstan)
6th – Jo Eun-So (Korea)
Gold – Tatiana Debien (France) fall Maria Victoria Baez Dilone (Spain)
Bronze – Carissa Qureshi (United States) fall Kendall Dettloff (Canada)
57 kg
Gold – Luisa Valverde Melendres (Ecuador)
Silver – Mia Friesen (Canada)
Bronze – Laura Almaganbetova (Kazakhstan)
Bronze – Evelina Hulthen (Sweden)
5th – Marina Rueda Flores (Spain)
5th – Fouzia Chaimae Fouzia (Algeria)
7th – Celeste Sion (France)
8th – Ashley Whetzal (United States)
Gold – Luisa Valverde Melendres (Ecuador) tech. fall Mia Friesen (Canada), 10-0
Bronze – Laura Almaganbetova (Kazakhstan) dec. Fouzia Chaimae Fouzia (Algeria), 5-0
Bronze – Evelina Hulthen (Sweden) dec. Marina Rueda Flores (Spain), 13-6
59 kg
Gold – Anastasiia Sidelnikova (Individual Neutral Athlete)
Silver – Graciela Sanchez Diaz (Spain)
Bronze – Alexis Janiak (United States)
Bronze – Othelie Hoie (Norway)
5th – Diana Kayumova (Kazakhstan)
5th – Anna Michalcova (Czech Republic)
7th – Odunayo Adekuoroye (Nigeria)
8th – Michaela Rankin (Canada)
9th – Laurence Beauregard (Canada)
Gold – Anastasiia Sidelnikova (Individual Neutral Athlete) tech. fall Graciela Sanchez Diaz (Spain), 10-0
Bronze – Alexis Janiak (United States) dec. Diana Kayumova (Kazakhstan), 5-2
Bronze – Othelie Hoie (Norway) dec. Anna Michalcova (Czech Republic), 8-0
62 kg
Gold – Astrid Paola Montero Chirinos (Venezuela)
Silver – Bilyana Dudova (Bulgaria)
Bronze – Esther Kolawole (Nigeria)
Bronze – Cadence Diduch (United States)
5th – Johanna Lindborg (Sweden)
5th – Miren Huarte Montez (Spain)
7th – Sung Hwayoung (Korea)
8th – Ella Doornaert (Canada)
9th – Lydia Perez (Spain)
10th – Iris Thiebaux (France)
Gold – Astrid Paola Montero Chirinos (Venezuela) dec. Bilyana Dudova (Bulgaria), 5-1
Bronze – Cadence Diduch (United States) tech. fall Miren Huarte Montez (Spain), 10-0
Bronze – Esther Kolawole (Nigeria) dec. Johanna Lindborg (Sweden), 8-0
65 kg
Gold – Kendra Dacher (France)
Silver – Irina Kazyulina (Kazakhstan)
Bronze – Reese Larramendy (United States)
4th – Jonelle Clarke (Canada)
5th – Marta Ojeda Navarro (Spain)
6th – Ingrid Skard (Norway)
7th – Manuela Noguerol De Souza (Spain)
Gold – Kendra Dacher (France) tech. fall Irina Kazyulina (Kazakhstan), 12-2
Bronze – Reese Larramendy (United States) tech. fall Jonelle Clarke (Canada), 10-0
68 kg
Gold – Adela Hanzlickova (Czech Republic)
Silver – Linda Morais (Canada)
Bronze – Tayla Ford (New Zealand)
Bronze – Jasmine Robinson (United States)
5th – Caitlyn Davis (United States)
6th – Nerea Pampin Blanco (Spain)
7th – Aleah Nickel (Canada)
Gold – Adela Hanzlickova (Czech Republic) forfeit Linda Morais (Canada)
Bronze – Tayla Ford (New Zealand) fall Caitlyn Davis (United States)
72 kg
Gold – Kylie Welker (United States)
Silver – Zhamila Bakbergenova (Kazakhstan)
Bronze – Pauline LeCarpentier (France)
4th – Aspen Barber (United States)
5th – Nyla Burgess (Canada)
Gold – Kylie Welker (United States) fall Zhamila Bakbergenova (Kazakhstan)
Bronze – Pauline LeCarpentier (France) tech. fall Aspen Barber (United States), 11-0
76 kg
Gold – Milaimy Marin (Cuba)
Silver – Elmira Syzdykova (Kazakhstan)
Bronze – Brianna Fraser (Canada)
Bronze – Kennedy Blades (United States)
5th – Tatiana Renteria (Colombia)
5th – Naomi Simon (United States)
7th – Elvira Braun (Sweden)
8th – Brithany Desiree Luzuriaga Fiallos (Spain)
9th – Hannah Rueben (Nigeria)
Gold – Milaimy Marin (Cuba) dec. Elmira Syzdykova (Kazakhstan), 6-0
Bronze – Brianna Fraser (Canada) fall Naomi Simon (United States)
Bronze – Kennedy Blades (United States) dec. Tatiana Renteria (Colombia), 8-0
U.S. Women’s Freestyle Results
50 kg – Anaya Falcon (Yorba Linda, Calif./Walnut HS Wrestling), 7th
LOSS Mariia Tiumerekova (Individual Neutral Athlete), tech. fall, 10-0
LOSS Tetiana Profatilova (France), fall
53 kg – Brianna Gonzalez (Baldwin, Calif./Iowa Women’s WC/Titan Mercury WC), 5th
LOSS Karla Godinez Gonzalez (Canada), 5-0
LOSS Christianah Ogunsanya (Nigeria), tech. fall, 10-0
53 kg – Cristelle Rodriguez (Fresno, Calif./Titan Mercury WC), silver
WIN Kaura Coles (Canada), tech. fall, 13-2
WIN Samantha Stewart (Canada), 8-2
LOSS Karla Godinez Gonzalez (Canada), 3-2
55 kg – Carissa Qureshi (Irvine, Calif./Surfside RTC), bronze
WIN Kendall Dettloff (Canada), tech. fall, 10-0
WIN Zuliya Yakhyarova (Kazakhstan), 6-0
LOSS Maria Victoria Baez Dilone (Spain), 7-0
WIN Kendall Dettloff (Canada), fall
57 kg – Ashley Whetzal (Virginia Beach, Va./Kellam Mat Rats WC), 8th
LOSS Laura Almaganbetova (Kazakhstan), tech. fall, 10-0
59 kg – Alexis Janiak (Plainfield, Ill./Titan Mercury WC), bronze
WIN Michaela Rankin (Canada), tech. fall, 10-0
LOSS Anastasia Sidelnikova (Individual Neutral Athlete), 4-3
WIN Diana Kayumova (Kazakhstan), 5-2
62 kg – Cadence Diduch (Freeport, Ill./Alber Athletics WC), bronze
WIN Lydia Perez (Spain), 4-4
LOSS Astrid Paola Montero Chirinos (Venezuela), tech. fall, 10-0
WIN Miren Huarte Montes (Spain), tech. fall, 10-0
65 kg – Reese Larramendy (Reno, Nev./Iowa Women’s WC), bronze
WIN Manuela Noguerol de Souza (Spain), tech. fall, 10-0
LOSS Irina Kazyulina (Kazakhstan), fall
WIN Marta Ojeda Navarro (Spain), tech. fall, 10-0
LOSS Kendra Dacher (France), 10-7
WIN Jonelle Clarke (Canada), tech. fall, 10-0
68 kg – Jasmine Robinson (Allen, Texas/Army WCAP), bronze
WIN Aleah Nickel (Canada), Inj. Def.
LOSS Adela Hanzlickova (Czech Republic), fall
68 kg – Caitlyn Davis (Hilton Head Island, S.C./Daughter of Zion Wrestling), 5th
LOSS Linda Morais (Canada), fall
LOSS Tayla Ford (New Zealand), fall
72 kg – Aspen Barber (Monument, Colo./Army WCAP), 4th
WIN Nyla Burgess (Canada), 10-4
LOSS Pauline LeCarpentier (France), tech. fall, 10-0
LOSS Kylie Welker (United States), tech. fall, 12-0
LOSS Pauline LeCarpentier (France), tech. fall, 11-0
72 kg – Kylie Welker (Franksville, Wis./Iowa Women’s WC/Titan Mercury WC), gold
WIN Zhamila Bakbergenova (Kazakhstan), fall
WIN Aspen Barber (United States), tech. fall, 12-0
WIN Zhamila Bakbergenova (Kazakhstan), fall
76 k – Kennedy Blades (Chicago, Ill./Izzy Style Wrestling/Sunkist Kids WC), bronze
LOSS Milaimy Marin (Cuba), 13-4
WIN Elvira Braun (Sweden), tech. fall, 10-0
WIN Tatiana Renteria (Colombia), 8-0
76 kg – Naomi Simon (Decorah, Iowa/Northeast Iowa WC), 5th
LOSS Elmira Syzdykova (Kazakhstan), 8-4
LOSS Brianna Fraser (Canada), fall