Adeline Gray at the 2011 U.S. Open. Gray won a gold at the Klippan Lady Open in Sweden at 67 kg this weekend. Larry Slater photo
KLIPPAN, Sweden – The United States captured four medals at the Klippan Lady Open in Sweden on Sunday.

Claiming the title at 67 kg/147.5 lbs. was 2011 World bronze medalist Adeline Gray (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC). She won a four-athlete round-robin with a 3-0 record.

Her deciding victory was over three-time World medalist Mariana Sastin of Hungary by injury default. Gray has returned to the mat after missing some competition due to recovery from injury.

“Adeline looked great for her first time back. Her offense looked powerful and her defense looked solid. I was concerned she would be apprehensive but she looked pretty confident on her return to the mat,” said National Women’s Coach Terry Steiner.

2011 World Team member Whitney Conder (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC), a 2011 U.S. World Team member and 2007 Junior World champion, won a silver medal at 51 kg/112.25 lbs.

She was defeated in the gold-medal finals on Sunday by 2011 Cadet World champion Risako Kawaii of Japan, 0-1, 0-1.

“Whitney wrestled a solid competition but still has a few areas she needs to work on. Whitney competed hard as usual. We just have to improve in a few areas,” said Steiner.

Winning bronze medals were Jessica Medina (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 51 kg/112.25 lbs. and Erin Clodgo (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 63 kg/138.75 lbs.

Medina won her bronze-medal bout with a second period injury default over Cassandra Sjogren of Sweden, 2-0, injury 1:19. Medina is a two-time U.S. World Team member.

“Jessica Medina had a couple of great matches. She showed some improvement on her offense which was good but she had a hard time dealing with the speed of the Japanese opponent in the finals,” said Steiner.

Erin Clodgo needed just two periods to defeat 2007 World champion Audrey Prieto of France, 1-0, 3-0 for her bronze medal.

“Erin had a great competition. She was so close to being in the final. She let the match slip away from her against the Polish opponent, but she is continuing to improve. She is hungry for success. I see a different mindset for her in a good way,” said Steiner.

Placing fifth at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. was Trinity Plessinger (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) who fell to two-time Junior World silver medalist Natalia Smirnova of Russia, 3-4, 2-2.

“Trinity Plessinger had a good tournament as well. Her offense was good, but defense or holding a lead needs some work. Trinity just has to believe in her ability. She has a lot of it,” said Steiner.

Although the weight classes were not large this year, the Klippan Lady Open featured numerous World medalists and top Olympic hopefuls from a number of the world’s top wrestling nations.

“As a team, we stumbled tactically. We need to use the zone better, and we need to know what to do with a lead. We have a couple of months before the Olympic Trials, and each athlete has to bring out the discipline to get where they want to be. We had an OK event, but not close to what we are capable of. Back to the grindstone,” said Steiner.

KLIPPAN LADY OPEN
At Klippan, Sweden, Feb. 18-19

Women’s freestyle results

48 kg/105.5 lbs.
Gold – Iwona Matkowska (Poland)
Silver – Marina Vilmova (Russia)
Bronze – Liubov Salnikova (Russia)
Bronze –Mercedesz Denes (Hungary)
5th – Sachi Katagiri (Japan)
5th – Josefine Fredriksen (Sweden)

51 kg/112.25 lbs.
Gold – Risako Kawai (Japan)
Silver – Whitney Conder (USA)
Bronze – Jessica Medina (USA)
Bronze – Anri Kimura (Japan)
5th – Cassandra Sjogren (Sweden)
5th – Fredrika Pettersson (Sweden)

55 kg/121 lbs.
Gold – Sofia Mattsson (Sweden)
Silver – Katarzyna Krawczyk (Poland)
Bronze – Anna Gomis (France)
Bronze – Roksana Zasina (Poland)
5th –Aurelie Basset (France)
5th – Valeria Zholobova (Russia)

59 kg/130 lbs.
Gold – Yui Sakano (Japan)
Silver – Ida Therese Nerell (Sweden)
Bronze – Emese Szabo (Hungary)
Bronze – Anastasija Grigorjeva (Latvia)
5th – Mikaela Haglund (Sweden)
5th – Emese Barka (Hungary)

63 kg/138.75 lbs.
Gold – Henna Johansson (Sweden)
Silver – Monika Michalak (Poland)
Bronze – Erin Clodgo (USA)
Bronze – Natalia Smirnova (Russia)
5th – Audrey Prieto (France)
5th – Trinity Plessinger (USA)

67 kg/147.5 lbs.
Gold – Adeline Gray (USA)
Silver – Mariana Sastin (Hungary)
Bronze – Elif Yesilirmak (Turkey)
4th – Yurika Ichikawa (Japan)

72 kg/158.5 lbs.
Gold – Natalia Vorobyeva (Russia)
Silver – Maider Unda (Spain)
Bronze – Cheherzade Bentorki (France)
Bronze –Jenny Fransson (Sweden)
5th – Sandra Maobruk (Sweden)
5th – Alena Stardubtseva (Russia)

U.S. women’s freestyle performances

51 kg/112.25 lbs. - Whitney Conder, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC), 2nd
WIN Anri Kimura (Japan), 1-0, 1-0
WIN Fredrika Petersson (Sweden), 1-0, 3-0
LOSS Risako Kawaii (Japan), 0-1, 0-1

51 kg/112.25 lbs. - Jessica Medina, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids), 3rd
WIN Karoline Leite (Norway), 6-4, pin 1:15
LOSS Risako Kawaii (Japan), 0-7, 0-8
WIN Cassandra Sjogren (Sweden), 2-0, injury 1:19

55 kg/121 lbs. – Kelsey Campbell, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
WIN Angela Titenko (Russia), 2-0, 2-0
LOSS Anna Gomis (France), 1-0, 0-4, 0-2

55 kg/121 lbs. - Katherine Fulp-Allen, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
LOSS Valeria Zholobova (Russia), 0-5, 0-5

59 kg/130 lbs. - Ashley Hudson, Wildwood, Mo. (Gator WC)
LOSS Anastasija Grigorjeva (Latvia), 0-2, 0-1

59 kg/130 lbs. – Leigh Jaynes, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
WIN Emma Brobeck (Sweden), 9-1, 6-0
LOSS Emese Barka (Hungary), 5-3, 3-5, 2-1

63 kg/138.75 lbs. – Erin Clodgo, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids), 3rd
WIN Paulina Grabowska (Poland), 0-1, 2-0, 4-2
WIN Mariana Kolic (France), 6-3, pin 1: 57
LOSS Monika Michalik (Poland), 0-2, 3-1, 1-2
WIN Audrey Prieto (France), 1-0, 3-0

63 kg/138.75 lbs. – Trinity Plessinger, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids), 5th
WIN Anastasia Bratchikova (Russia), 1-2, 1-1, 1-0
WIN Marzena Horoszko (Poland), 1-0, 6-0
LOSS Henna Johansson (Sweden), 1-2, 0-1
LOSS Natalia Smirnova (Russia), 3-4, 2-2

67 kg/147.5 lbs. - Adeline Gray, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC), 1st
Round robin matches:
WIN Yurika Ichikawa (Japan), 1-0, pin
WIN Elif Yesilirmak (Turkey), 0-1, 1-0, 2-0
WIN Mariana Sastin (Hungary), injury