Nicole Woody (Odenton, Md./New York AC) won a gold medal at 44 kg/97 lbs in women's freestyle wrestling Thursday night at the Junior World Championships in Guatemala City, Guatemala.

Woody swept Diana Piza of Ecuador 4-0, 3-2 in the championship bout.

"I felt like I was in control," Woody said. "I felt that I wrestled smart in all my matches, especially my finals match."

Woody rallied to beat Anastasia Koltun of Russia 0-3, 4-3, 5-3 in the quarterfinals before sweeping Eglys Siviva of Venezuela 2-1, 5-1 in the semifinals.

"It still hasn't hit me yet that I won," Woody said. "It was a lot of fun. I focused on each individual match and didn't look ahead to the next one."

American Jessica Medina (Pomona, Calif./Univ. of the Cumberlands) won a bronze medal at 51 kg/112.25 lbs. Medina downed Nanna H. Pedersen of Sweden 4-3, 1-0 to win the bronze.

"I am so excited about earning my first World medal," Medina said. "I felt like I left everything on the mat. I wrestled as hard as I could knowing that I wanted to win a medal and my desire helped me finish with the win."

Teammate Heather Martin (Wellington, Ohio/Univ. of the Cumberlands/NYAC) placed fifth at 67 kg/147.5 lbs. Martin won a silver medal at this event in 2005.

"It wasn't my best performance, but there were a lot of good matches," Martin said. "I've learned a lot for my next tournament. I should have wrestled smarter. I lost that (last) match, she didn't really win it."

U.S. coach Trevor Keifer credited his team's performance.

"It has been incredible to be part of both Nicole's first World title and Jessica's first World medal," Keifer said. "All three girls made us really proud."

At 59 kg/130 lbs., Deanna Rix (South Berwick, Maine/NYAC) did not make weight.

FILA has set up a website with results, pairings and information about the Junior World Championships, at:
http://www.fila-wrestling.com/gestion_competition/internet/home/accueil.php?num_compet=562

All three international styles of wrestling will be contested at the FILA Junior World Championships.  The women's freestyle competition will be held on Thursday and Friday and men's freestyle on Saturday and Sunday.

Weigh-ins have been held for the last four women's weight classes. Four U.S. wrestlers will be competing on Friday and have received their first-round draws.

Americans Sadie Kaneda (Honolulu, Hawaii/USOEC), Dany Hedin (Kailua, Hawaii/USOEC/NYAC), Jackie Cataline (Corona, Calif./Cataline's Wildcat WC) and Ali Bernard (New Ulm, Minn./Univ. of Regina) are slated to compete Friday. Kaneda will compete at 48 kg/105.5 lbs., Hedin at 55 kg/121 lbs., Cataline at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. and Bernard at 72 kg/158.5 lbs.

Bernard is shooting for her third Junior World title while Hedin placed second in this event last year. Cataline is a rising star on the Senior level after placing second at U.S. Nationals and third at the U.S. World Team Trials this year.

Bernard will face Scheherazad Bentorki of France in the first round. Hedin will face Mizuho Shibata of Japan. Cataline is slated to face Mio Nishimaki of Japan. Kaneda drew Dany Cespedez of Peru.

FILA JUNIOR WORLD GRECO-ROMAN CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Guatemala City, Guatemala, August 29-Sept. 3

U.S WOMEN'S FREESTYLE TEAM RESULTS FOR THURSDAY, AUGUST 31

44 kg/97 lbs. - Nicole Woody, Odenton, Md. (NYAC), 1st
WIN Anastasia Koltun (Russia), 0-3, 4-3, 5-3
WIN Eglys Siviva (Venezuela), 2-1, 5-1
WIN Diana Piza (Ecuador), 4-0, 3-2

51 kg/112.25 lbs. - Jessica Medina, Pomona, Calif. (Univ. of the Cumberlands), 3rd
WIN Pam Ewanishin (Canada), 2-3, 3-0, pin
LOSS Ekaterina Krasnova (Russia), 2-0, 6-0
WIN Nanna H. Pedersen (Denmark), 4-3, 1-0

59 kg/130 lbs. - Deanna Rix, South Berwick, Maine (NYAC), dnp
Did not make weight

67 kg/147.5 lbs. - Heather Martin, Wellington, Ohio (Univ. of the Cumberlands/NYAC), 5th
WIN Luz Vazquez (Argentina), 8-0, pin
WIN Iryna Tsyrkevich (Belarus), 3-0, 2-0
LOSS Yoshiko Inoue (Japan), 3-2, 3-1
LOSS Kristin Buettner (Germany), 4-0, 2-2

WEIGHT CLASS RESULTS

44 kg/97 lbs.
Gold - Nicole Woody (USA)
Silver - Diana Piza (Ecuador)
Bronze - Anastasia Koltun (Russia)
Bronze - Jennifer Gonzalez (Guatemala)
5th - Eglys Siviva (Venezuela)
5th - Rehina Yarova (Ukraine)
7th - Renilda Dedios (Canada)
8th - Jang Ho-Soon (Korea)
9th - Yurie Sakamoto (Japan)
10th - Denise Kupfernagel (Germany)

51 kg/112.25 lbs.
Gold - Megumi Maehara (Japan)
Silver - Ekaterina Krasnova (Russia)
Bronze - Jessica Medina (USA)
Bronze - Maryna Markevich (Belarus)
5th - Nanna H. Pedersen (Denmark)
5th - Elcin Demitras (Turkey)
7th - Sarka Androlova (Czech Republic)
8th - Mildred Kenia Martinez (Guatemala)
9th - Viktoriya Iemelianova (Ukraine)
10th - Maria Sarmiento (Venezuela)
11th - Pam Ewanishin (Canada)
12th - Irina Krivolapova (Kazakhstan)

59 kg/130 lbs.
Gold - Larisa Kanaeva (Russia)
Silver - Jacqueline Renteria (Colombia)
Bronze - Ganna Vasylenko (Ukraine)
Bronze - Anna Zwirydowska (Poland)
5th - Jazmyne Barker (Canada)
5th - Mizuka Kajita (Japan)
7th - Stephanie Maierhofer (Austria)
8th - Tatslana Bokhan (Belarus)
9th - Andrea Cardenas (Mexico)
10th - Angi Nolaya (Venezuela)
11th - Viktorija Grigorjeva (Latvia)
12th - Park Sang-Eun (Korea)
13th - Natascha Ballas (Germany)
14th - Maria Brede Johnsen (Norway)
 
67 kg/147.5 lbs.
Gold - Yoshiko Inoue (Japan)
Silver - Matalya Laushkina (Russia)
Bronze - Kristin Buettner (Germany)
Bronze - Diana Mudrag (Romania)
5th - Heather Martin (USA)
5th - Maryana Kvyatkovska (Ukraine)
7th - Stacie Anaka (Canada)
8th - Choe Jin-Suk (Korea)
9th - Simge Yilmaz (Turkey)
10th - Olga Kalinina (Kazakhstan)
11th - Paulina Grabowska (Poland)
12th - Iryna Tsyrkevich (Belarus)
13th - Luz Vazquez (Argentina)

U.S. WOMEN'S FREESTYLE FIRST-ROUND DRAWS FOR FRIDAY, SEPT. 1

48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Sadie Kaneda, Honolulu, Hawaii (USOEC)
Vs. Dany Cespedez (Peru)

55 kg/121 lbs. - Dany Hedin, Kailua, Hawaii (USOEC/NYAC)
Vs. Mizuho Shibata (Japan)

63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Jackie Cataline, Corona, Calif. (Cataline's Wildcat WC)
Vs. Mio Nishimaki (Japan)

72 kg/158.5 lbs. - Ali Bernard, New Ulm, Minn. (Univ. of Regina)
Vs. Scheherazad Bentorki (France)

Coaches - Trevor Keifer (Le Mesa, Calif.), Vladislav "Izzy" Izboinikov (Colorado Springs, Colo.)