Rodriguez, Janiak reach semifinals, two eligible for repechage in Women’s freestyle at U20 World Championships

PONTEVEDRA, Spain – Women’s freestyle action began on Wednesday at the 2024 U20 World Championships, held at the Pontevedra Municipal Sports Hall in Pontevedra, Spain. Team USA sees two athletes in the semifinals this afternoon, with an additional two athletes eligible for repechage.

In the 55 kg bracket, Cristelle Rodriguez reached the semifinals with two strong wins. She defeated Amelia Tomala of Poland, 11-0, after rolling through for a series of gut wrenches and benefitting from a lost challenge. Tomala was a fifth-place finisher at last year’s U17 World Championships.

In the quarterfinals, Rodriguez bested two-time age-group European medalist Ekaterina Chikanova (AIN). Rodriguez took an early lead and extended it with a series of turns, including a four-point move on the edge, to win 13-0, advancing to the semifinals.

At 59 kg, 2023 U20 World bronze medalist Alexis Janiak had two impressive wins to advance to the semifinals. She beat Anna Tieliegina of Lithuania 9-4 by capitalizing on an early attack and leading 9-0 before Tieliegina scored late, but was unable to close the large score gap created by Janiak.

Janiak defeated Viktoria Borsos of Hungary, 11-3, in the quarterfinals. After a cautious first period which saw Janiak pick up a 1-0 lead after Borsos was called for passivity, Janiak fell behind 3-1 when she was put on the clock and Borsos scored a takedown. Janiak countered with a takedown of her own, tying up a leg lace and taking a 9-3 lead. A late shot from Borsos saw Janiak seal the victory with an exposure to win 11-3. In the semifinals, Janiak will face off against 2021 U17 World bronze medalist Uladzislava Kudzin (AIN).

At 50 kg, Anaya Falcon dominated Shahreen Gulacha of Canada in the opening round with a 10-0 technical fall win. Falcon started the match with a double leg takedown and transitioned to a leg lace for a 4-0 lead, added another double leg takedown, and secured a victory with an exposure.

Against Laura Ganikyzy of Kazakhstan in the quarterfinals, Falcon led 5-1 after the break but was caught in a late takedown and turned, with Ganikyzy taking the 5-5 lead on criteria. A lost challenge from the U.S. corner resulted in a 6-5 decision in Ganikyzy’s favor. She faces 2019 U15 Asian Champion Haruna Morikawa of Japan in the semifinals, needing a win for Falcon to be pulled into repechage.

At 76 kg, Naomi Simon fell to Mariia Orlevych of Ukraine, 9-8, in a narrowly contested match. Simon managed multiple takedowns, but Orlevych scored critical points on a takedown and a reversal. Despite a late push from Simon to close the gap, Orlevych held on for the win. Simon remains eligible for repechage, with Orlevych needing to advance to the finals to keep her medal hopes alive. Orlevych faces 2023 U17 World Champion and 2022 U17 World silver medalist Chisato Yoshida of Japan in the semifinals.

Caitlyn Davis, competing at 68 kg, fell to Gulnura Tashtanbekova of Kyrgyzstan, 18-7, in her opening match. Davis took an early 6-0 lead with a go-behind and two turns. Tashtanbekova countered with a gut wrench to close the gap to 6-4 and then tied it up 6-6 with a takedown. Davis regained a narrow 7-6 advantage with a step-out point, but Tashtanbekova regained control and won by technical fall. Davis was eliminated after Tashtanbekova failed to reach the semifinals.

The semifinals are slated to begin at 10:45 a.m. ET. Rodriguez will be the second match on Mat A, with Janiak following in the third match on Mat A.

A full set of brackets and match-by-match results are available on UWW Arena. A live broadcast of the event is available for the U.S. market at FloWrestling.com.

Stay tuned to TheMat.com and USA Wrestling’s social media platforms for complete coverage of the U20 World Championships.

50 kg

Haruna Morikawa (Japan) vs. Laura Ganikyzy (Kazakhstan)

Aida Kerymova (Ukraine) vs. Yu Zhang (China)

55 kg

Cristelle Rodriguez (United States) vs. Tuba Demir (Turkey)

Karina Honda (Japan) vs. Khaliun Byambasuren (Mongolia)

59 kg

Alexis Janiak (United States) vs. Uladzislava Kudzin (AIN)

Ruzanna Mammadova (Azerbaijan) vs. Sakura Onishi (Japan)

68 kg

Karolina Domaszuk (Poland) vs. Ayse Erkan (Turkey)

Viktoryia Radzkova (AIN) vs. Alina Shevchenko (AIN)

76 kg

Chisato Yoshida (Japan) vs. Mariia Orlevych (Ukraine)

Elmira Yasin (Turkey) vs. Jyoti Berwal (India)

50 kg – Anaya Falcon (Yorba Linda, Calif./Walnut HS Wrestling), eligible for repechage

WIN Shahreen Gulacha (Canada), 10-0

LOSS Laura Ganikyzy (Kazakhstan), 6-5

55 kg – Cristelle Rodriguez (Fresno, California/Tiger WC), in semifinals

WIN Amelia Tomala (Poland), 11-0

WIN Ekaterina Chikanova (AIN), 13-0

59 kg – Alexis Janiak (Plainfield, Ill./Titan Mercury WC), in semifinals

WIN Anna Tieliegina (Lithuania), 9-4

WIN Viktoria Borsos (Hungary), 11-3

68 kg – Caitlyn Davis (Hilton Head Island, S.C./Southern Oregon RTC), eliminated

LOSS Gulnura Tashtanbekova (Kyrgyzstan), 18-7

76 kg – Naomi Simon (Decorah, Iowa/Iowa Women’s WC), eligible for repechage

LOSS Mariia Orlevych (Ukraine), 9-8