Alli Ragan, shown winning the 2013 U.S. Open, added a World University Games silver medal at 59 kg to her trophy case today in Kazan, Russia. Photo by John Sachs/Tech-Fall.com

KAZAN, Russia – Alli Ragan (Carbondale, Ill./NYAC/King College) won a silver medal at 59 kg/130 lbs. on the final day of women’s freestyle at the World University Games.

Ragan won three matches to reach the finals, in a dominant fashion. She opened with a 4-2 win over Ayako Ito of Japan. Her quarterfinal win was a 7-0 technical fall over Elizabeth Milotich-Sera of Canada. Ragan had a strong semifinal win over veteran Emese Barka of Hungary. Barka was a 2013 European bronze medalist.

In the gold medal, Ragan was beaten by  2009 World champion and 2012 Olympic bronze medalist Yuliya Ratkevich of Ukraine by an 0-7 technical fall.

Ragan, a two-time Junior World medalist, was a 2013 U.S. Open champion. She is a WCWA college national champion for King College.

The USA had a chance for a second medal on the day when Veronica Carlson (Colorado Springs, Colo./NYAC) reached a bronze medal match at 67 kg/145.5 lbs., but was defeated by Alina Stadnik of Ukraine by technical fall, 0-7. That put Carlson in fifth place at the weight class.

Stadnik was a champion at the Ukrainian Memorial International this year. She also beat Carlson 13-6 in the Battle at the Falls in Canada this May.

Carlson opened with a win over Zarina Kunangarayeva of Kazakhstan, 5-0.  She was pinned by two-time World bronze medalist Nasanburmaa Ochirbat of Mongolia in 1:30 in the quarterfinals. 

Carlson was a 2013 U.S. Open champion and is a past Junior World silver medalist.

The other U.S. athlete competing on Sunday, Candace Workman (Colorado Springs, Colo.,/OTC), lost her only bout at 51 kg/112.25 lbs.

Ragan’s silver medal give the USA four medals over the four days of the event so far. Also winning a silver medal on Saturday was Brittney Roberts at 72 kg/158.5 lbs. The men’s freestyle event was held first, with bronze medals won by David Taylor at 74 kg/163 lbs. and Tyrell Fortune at 120 kg/264.5 lbs.

The Greco-Roman competition begins on Monday, and four U.S. athletes are in action.

At 120 kg/264.5 lbs., Tyrell Fortune (Portland, Ore./Titan Mercury WC/Grand Canyon WC) will compete for the second time at the World University Games. He also competed in freestyle and won a bronze medal. He opens with 
Amir Aliakbari of Iran, a 2010 World champion on the Senior level and a 2007 Junior World champion.

At 55 kg/121 lbs., 2012 University World champion Max Nowry (Wheeling, Ill./NYAC/USOEC) opens against 2013 World Cup bronze medalist Harutyun Hovhannisyan of Armenia.

At 66 kg/145.5 lbs., Joe Locksmith, Annapolis, Md. (Navy Mat Club) will compete against Afshin Byabangard (Iran), a 2012 Asian Senior silver medalist and a 2010 University World bronze medalist.
 
Also competing at 84 kg/185 lbs. is Dan Olsen (Algonquin, Ill./Team Thunder), who draws Alaev Manukchekhr of Tajikistan. 
 
WORLD UNIVERSITY GAMES
At Kazan, Russia, July 14

Women’s freestyle results

51 kg/112.25 lbs.
Gold - Hikari Sugawara (Japan)
Silver - Sumiya Erdenechimeg (Mongolia)
Bronze - Ekaterina Krasnova (Russia)
Bronze - Yuliya Blahinya (Ukraine) 

59 kg/130 lbs.
Gold - Yuliya Ratkevich (Azerbaijan)
Silver - Alli Ragan (USA)
Bronze - Aisuluu Tynebekova (Kyrgyzstan)
Bronze -  Emese Barka (Hungary)

67 kg/147.5 lbs.
Gold - Sara Dosho (Japan)
Silver - Nasanburmaa Ochirbat (Mongolia)
Bronze - Stacie Anaka (Canada)
Bronze - Alina Stadnik (Ukraine)

U.S. women’s freestyle results

51 kg/112.25 lbs. – Candace Workman, Colorado Springs, Colo., (OTC)
LOSS Tiina Ylinen (Finland), pin, 2:38
 
59 kg/130 lbs. – Alli Ragan, Carbondale, Ill., (NYAC/King College), silver medal
WIN Ayako Ito (Japan), 4-2
WIN Elizabeth Milotich-Sera (Canada), tech fall, 7-0
WIN Emese Barka (Hungary), 9-3
LOSS Yuliya Ratkevich (Azerbaijan), tech fall, 0-7

67 kg/145.5 lbs. – Veronica Carlson, Colorado Springs, Colo., (NYAC), 5th
WIN Zarina Kunangarayeva (Kazakhstan), 5-0
LOSS Nasanburmaa Ochirbat (Mongolia), pin, 1:30
LOSS Alina Stadnik (Ukraine), tech fall, 0-7

U.S. Greco-Roman draws for Monday

55 kg/121 lbs. – Max Nowry, Wheeling, Ill. (NYAC/USOEC)
Vs. Harutyun Hovhannisyan (Armenia)

66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Joe Locksmith (Navy Mat Club)
Vs. Afshin Byabangard (Iran)
 
 84 kg/185 lbs. – Dan Olsen, Algonquin, Ill., (Team Thunder)
Vs. Alaev Manukchekhr (Tajikistan)
 
120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Tyrell Fortune, Portland, Ore., (Titan Mercury WC/Grand Canyon WC)
Vs. Amir Aliakbari (Iran)