BUDAPEST, Hungary - Amy Whitbeck (Duanesburg, N.Y./New York AC) won a bronze-medal at 51 kg/112.25 lbs. at the Junior World Championships at the Syma Arena.on Thursday.

She defeated Valentina Brik of Russia in an exciting bronze-medal match, coming from behind for a 2-5, 3-1, 2-1 victory.

With time running out on the clock in the third period, with the match tied 1-1, the Russian had the edge because she had scored last. However, the hard-charging Whitbeck scored the winning takedown in the closing seconds for an inspiring win.

“I had to come back. I had to stay focused and get the points back. I was still in it,” said Whitbeck. “I knew she was as tired or more tired than I was, so I kept pushing the pace, getting her out of position and I took advantage.”

The first period was dominated by Brik, who threw Whitbeck for three points early on and controlled the action. However, in the second period, Whitbeck got her offense going and wore down her opponent to win that period. It set up the dramatic third period, where Whitbeck’s last second heroics resulted in a medal.

“Amy is a fighter,” said Assistant Women’s National Coach Izzy Izboinikov. “All we had to do was stay close in the match, and continually bring ourselves into scoring positions and we knew we could come out victorious in the end.”

Whitbeck won her first two bouts of the day by pin, putting away Marta Iadeluca in the second period and Melek Atakol of Turkey in the first period. She was beaten in a hard-fought semifinal match by Haruka Hirano of Japan, 0-1, 0-2.

It was Whitbeck’s second chance to win a Junior World medal. At the 2007 Junior World Championships, she also qualified for a bronze-medal bout but was defeated and placed fifth. She did not qualify for either the 2008 or 2009 Junior World teams.

The other three U.S. wrestlers who competed on Thursday did not qualify for a medal match. 

Tatiana Padilla (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) went 1-2 at 59 kg/130 lbs., losing her medal chances in the repechage round.

Losing in their first bouts and not getting a chance for the repechage were Erin Golston (Lake of the Hills, Ill./USOEC) at 44 kg / 97 lbs. and Erin Clodgo (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 67 kg/147.5 lbs.

After the first day of action, China leads the team race with 32 points, trailed by Mongolia with 30 and Japan with 28. The United States is in eighth with nine points.

JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Budapest, Hungary, July 22

44 kg/97 lbs.
1 Marziget Bagomedova (Azerbaijan) 
2 Nadezda Fedorova (Russia)
3 Anzhela Kleschcheva (Ukraine)
3 Narangerel Erdenescukh (Mongolia)
5 Ni Li (China)
5 Octavia Ileana Dobrescu (Romania)
7 Sumeyya Sezer (Turkey)
8 Eri Koyanagi (Japan)
9 Karalina Tjapko (Latvia)
10 Desislava Kancheva (Bulgaria)

51 kg/112.25 lbs.
1 Yanan Sun (China)
2 Haruka Hirano (Japan)
3 Amy Whitbeck (USA)
3 Otgontsetseg Davaasukh (Mongolia)
5 Valentina Brik (Russia)
5 Priyanka Rajpal (India)
7 Ganna Starygina (Ukraine)
8 Alexandra Mihaela Munteanu (Romania)
9 Moldir Sakimbekova (Kazakhstan)
10 Melek Atakol (Turkey)

59 kg/130 lbs.
1 Lan Zhang (China)
2 Valeria Zholobova (Russia)
3 Kanako Murata (Japan)
3 Sakshi Malik (India)
5  Battsetseg Soronzonbold (Mongolia)
5 Ji-Ae Choi (Korea)
7 Adeline Vescan (France)
8 Juliya Satymbekova (Kazakhstan)
9 Mariana Esanu (Moldova)
10 Tatiana Padilla (USA)

67 kg/147.5 lbs.
1 Alina Makhynia (Ukraine)
2 Jenny Aardalen (Norway)
3 Purevkhuu Sodnom (Mongolia)
3 Chiaki Iijima (Japan)
5 Gavhar Mirzayeva (Uzbekistan)
5 Xuanyi Zhao (China)
7 Maria Selmaier (Germany)
8 Antra Lapina (Latvia)
9 Anshu Tomar (India)
10 Tímea Siroki (Hungary)

U.S. women’s freestyle performances

44 kg / 97 lbs. - Erin Golston, Lake of the Hills, Ill. (USOEC)
LOSS Li Ni (China), 0-2, 0-3

51 kg / 112.25 lbs.- Amy Whitbeck, Duanesburg, N.Y. (New York AC)
WIN Marta Iadeluca (Italy), 3-3, pin 1:41 of 2nd period
WIN Melek Atakol (Turkey), 1:42 of 1st period
LOSS Haruka Hirano (Japan), 0-1, 0-2
WIN Valentina Brik (Russia), 2-5, 3-1, 2-1

59 kg/130 lbs. - Tatiana Padilla, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
WIN Izabela Magdelena Strazalka (Poland),6-0, 6-0
LOSS Lan Zhang (China), 0-1, 0-3
LOSS Battsetseg Soronzonbold (Mongolia), 0-1, 1-1

67 kg/147.5 lbs. - Erin Clodgo, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
LOSS Chiaki Iijima (Japan), 0-1, 3-2, 1-2