BUDAPEST, Hungary – Victoria Anthony (Huntington Beach, Calif./New York AC) will have the chance to repeat as a Junior World champion, after reaching the finals at 48 kg/105.5 lbs. at the Junior World Championships at the Syma Arena on Friday.

Anthony will face Davaasuren Bayarmagnai of Mongolia in the gold-medal match.

Anthony opened with a second period pin over Yasmine Abigai Leon Martinez of Mexico, 6-0, pin 0:24. In the next match, she had a wild victory over Lenka Matajova of Slovakia, 0-1, 4-1, 2-0. The final points were from a protest which was won by the USA and gave Anthony the victory.

In the semifinals, Anthony stopped Jaqueline Schellen of Germany, 4-1, 1-0. Anthony dominated the first period with strong attacks. In the second period, no points were scored and the athletes went to the clinch. Anthony secured the leg but did not score according to officials. The U.S. protested, and after a review of the video, Anthony was awarded the takedown and given the win.

Anthony was a 2009 Junior World champion at 44 kg/97 lbs. and moved up in weight this year. She wrestled for Simon Fraser Univ. this past season.

Two U.S. wrestlers have qualified for the bronze medal round: Helen Maroulis (Rockville, Md./New York AC) at 55 kg/121 lbs. and Brittany Delgado (Fountain Inn, S.C./Gator WC/OCU) at 72 kg/158.5 lbs.

Maroulis opened with wins over Maria Gaidau of Moldova, 6-0, 6-0 and Rickhangul Gukharbakiev of Kazakhstan, 3-0, 6-0. 

In the quarterfinals, she lost a tough battle with Yu Horiuchi of Japan, 0-1, 3-0, 0-1. The third period went down to the clinch, which Horiuchi won the ball pull and scored the takedown. When Horiuchi won by fall in the semifinals and advance to the gold-medal bout, Maroulis was pulled back into the repechage

Maroulis won her repechage bout over Hafize Sahin of Turkey by injury default in the second period, 1-0, 0:59. Sahin hurt her arm as Maroulis took her down and was unable to finish, losing 4-0 at the time. 

Maroulis will face Davaasuren Bayarmagnai of Mongolia in the bronze-medal round.

Maroulis did not win a Junior World medal last year, but was a 2008 Junior World bronze medalist. Maroulis competed at Missouri Baptist last year. She also competed in the 2008 Senior World Championships and is a past U.S. Senior Open champion.

Delgado won her first match over 2009 Asian Junior bronze medalist Naranchimeg Batsaikhan of Mongolia, 2-0, 3-0, then followed with a close 2-3, 2-1, 1-0 win over Epp Mae of Estonia in the quarterfinals.

In the semifinals, she was defeated in a competitive match by Natalia Vorobieva of Russia, 3-4, 3-4. Delgado will face Xinyi Liu of China in a bronze-medal match.

Delgado attends Oklahoma City Univ.

Lauren Louvie (Massillon, Ohio/Univ. of the Cumberlands) was eliminated with an opening loss at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. Louive fell to 2007 European Cadet runner-up Anna Fedorova of Ukraine, 1-1, 0-1. She was not eligible for the repechage after Fedorova lost to Danielle Lappage of Canada in the next round.

U.S. Women’s Freestyle Team results so far

48 kg/105.75 lbs. - Victoria Anthony, Huntington Beach, Calif. (New York AC)
WIN Yasmine Abigai Leon Martinez (Mexico), 6-0, pin 0:24 
WIN Lenka Matajova (Slovakia), 0-1, 4-1, 2-0
WIN Jaqueline Schellen (Germany), 4-1, 1-0
Vs. Davaasuren Bayarmagnai (Mongolia) in gold-medal match

55 kg / 121 lbs. - Helen Maroulis, Rockville, Md. (New York AC)
WIN Maria Gaidau (Moldova), 6-0, 6-0
WIN Rickhangul Gukharbakiev (Kazakhstan), 3-0, 6-0
LOSS Yu Horiuchi (Japan), 0-1, 3-0, 0-1
WIN Hafize Sahin (Turkey), 1-0, inj. dft 0:59
Vs. Karima Sanchez Ramis (Spain) in the bronze-medal match

63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Lauren Louvie, Massillon, Ohio (Univ. of the Cumberlands)
LOSS Anna Fedorova (Ukraine), 1-1, 0-1

72 kg/158.5 lbs. - Brittany Delgado, Fountain Inn, S.C. (Gator WC/OCU)
WIN Naranchimeg Batsaikhan (Mongolia), 2-0, 3-0
WIN Epp Mae (Estonia), 2-3, 2-1, 1-0
LOSS Natalia Vorobieva (Russia), 3-4, 3-4
Vs. Xinyi Liu (China) in bronze-medal match