U.S. women receive draws for Muhamet Malo Ranking Event in Albania

The United States has entered nine women’s freestyle athletes in the second UWW Ranking Event of the year, the Muhamet Malo International in Tirana, Albania, which begins on Wednesday. The U.S. athletes have received their draw for the competition.

The U.S. women’s freestyle roster includes 2019 World champion and 2020 Olympian Jacarra Winchester at 55 kg, who opens her competition against 2023 World bronze medalist Mariana Dragutan of Moldova.

2023 World bronze medalist Jennifer Page will compete in a four-athlete Group A at 65 kg. Among those in her group are two-time Olympic medalist Iryna Koliadenko of Ukraine and two-time 2023 and 2024 Pan American bronze medalist Aleah Nickel of Canada.

2022 Senior World Team Abigail Nette at 59 kg and Dymond Guilford at 76 kg have also received their draws. Nette has two other athletes in Group B, 2024 U20 World champion and 2023 U17 World champion Sakura Onishi of Japan and 2022 European bronze medalist, Bediha Gun of Turkey.

Guilford opens with Yangla Yangla of China, who has no significant international achievements.

Four other current Women’s National Team members will also compete in the Ranking event, Erin Golston at 50 kg, Felicity Taylor at 53 kg, Adaugo Nwachukwu at 62 kg and Alex Glaude at 72 kg, Another past National Team member, Amanda Martinez at 57 kg, is also on the tour.

There are two women’s freestyle weight classes on Thursday, 50 kg and 55 kg. On Friday, the women’s freestyle weights being contested are 59 kg, 62 kg, 65 kg and 68 kg. Saturday includes four more women’s freestyle weight classes, 53 kg, 57 kg, 72 kg and 76 kg.

The event will be broadcast live on FloWrestling.

Brackets will be posted on UWW Arena

MUHAMET MALO RANKING SERIES EVENT

At Tirana, Albania, February 26-March 2

U.S. Women’s Freestyle first round pairings

50 kg: Erin Golston, Denton, Texas (NYAC)

Vs. winner of Keke Shi (China) and Svetlana Ankicheva (Kazakhstan)

Shi – no information available

Ankicheva – 3^rd 2024 Military Worlds, 2^nd 2019 Asian U23 Championships, 2016 U20 World silver medalist

53 kg: Felicity Taylor, Coralville, Iowa (Titan Mercury WC/Iowa Women’s WC)

Vs. Moe Kiyooka (Japan), 2024 World champion, 2023 World bronze medalist, 3x age-group World champion

55 kg: Jacarra Winchester, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Titan Mercury WC/USOPTC)

Vs. Mariana Dragutan (Moldova), 2024 Olympian, 2023 World bronze medalist, 2^nd 2023 U23 Worlds

57 kg: Amanda Martinez, Riverside, Ill. (Titan Mercury WC/Cardinal WC)

Vs. Sezim Zhumanazarova (Kyrgyzstan), 3^rd in 2021 U20 Worlds, 4^th 2024 Asian Senior Championships

59 kg: Abigail Nette, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP)

Group B

Bediha Gun (Turkey), 2022 European bronze medalist, 5^th in 2019 World Championships

Sakura Onishi (Japan), 2024 U20 World champion, 2023 U17 World champion

62 kg: Adaugo Nwachukwu, Fountain, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP)

Vs. winner of Bilyana  Dudova (Bulgaria) and Nikolett Szabo (Hungary)

65 kg: Jennifer Page, Bellefonte, Pa. (Titan Mercury WC/Nittany Lion WC)

Group A

Aleah Nickel (Canada), 2023 and 2024 Pan American bronze medalist,

Albina Drazhi (Albania), 10^th 2023 World Championships, 7^th 2023 European Championships

Iryna Koliadenko (Ukraine), 2024 Olympic silver medalist, 2020 Olympic bronze medalist, 2023 World bronze medalist

72 kg: Alex Glaude, Philomath, Ore. (Titan Mercury WC/Beaver Dam RTC)

Round robin

Zhamila Bakbergenova (Kazakhstan), 2021, 2022 and 2024 World silver medalist, 2023 World bronze medalist,

Alla Belinska (Ukraine), 2015 U20 World bronze medalist, 2020 Olympian, 2021 European champion

Linda Machuca (Argentina), 2024 Pan American silver medalist, 2024 Pan American bronze medalist

76 kg: Dymond Guilford, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Titan Mercury WC/USOPTC)

Vs. Yangla Yangla (China), 3^rd 2022 Ion Corneanu Memorial (Romania)

Remaining Schedule

Thursday, February 27

11:30 a.m. – Preliminaries (MFS 79 kg, 92 kg, 97 kg, 125 kg, WFS 50 kg, 55 kg)

2:30 p.m. – Semifinals (MFS 79 kg, 92 kg, 97 kg, 125 kg, WFS 50 kg, 55 kg)

3:30 p.m. – Repechage (MFS 79 kg, 92 kg, 97 kg, 125 kg, WFS 50 kg, 55 kg)

6:00 p.m. – Finals (MFS 79 kg, 92 kg, 97 kg, 125 kg, WFS 50 kg, 55 kg)

Friday, February 28

11:30 a.m. – Preliminaries (WFS 59 kg, 62 kg, 65 kg, 68 kg, GR 77 kg, 87 kg)

2:30 p.m. – Semifinals (WFS 59 kg, 62 kg, 65 kg, 68 kg, GR 77 kg, 87 kg)

3:30 p.m. – Repechage (WFS 59 kg, 62 kg, 65 kg, 68 kg, GR 77 kg, 87 kg)

6:00 p.m. – Finals (WFS 59 kg, 62 kg, 65 kg, 68 kg, GR 77 kg, 87 kg)

Saturday, March 1

11:00 a.m. – Preliminaries (WFS 53 kg, 57 kg, 72 kg, 76 kg, GR 63 kg, 67 kg)

2:30 p.m. – Semifinals (WFS 53 kg, 57 kg, 72 kg, 76 kg, GR 63 kg, 67 kg)

3:30 p.m. – Repechage (WFS 53 kg, 57 kg, 72 kg, 76 kg, GR 63 kg, 67 kg)

6:00 p.m. – Finals (WFS 53 kg, 57 kg, 72 kg, 76 kg, GR 63 kg, 67 kg)

Sunday, March 2

11:00 a.m. – Preliminaries (GR 55 kg, 60 kg, 72 kg, 82 kg, 97 kg, 130 kg)

2:30 p.m. – Semifinals (GR 55 kg, 60 kg, 72 kg, 82 kg, 97 kg, 130 kg)

3:30 p.m. – Repechage (GR 55 kg, 60 kg, 72 kg, 82 kg, 97 kg, 130 kg)

6:00 p.m. – Finals (GR 55 kg, 60 kg, 72 kg, 82 kg, 97 kg, 130 kg)