Regina Doi of the USA controls Dinura Sulaimanova of Kyrgyzstan in the 40 kg semifinals at the Cadet Worlds. T.R. Foley photo ZRENJANIN, Serbia – Winning three matches in the morning session at 40 kg/88 lbs, Regina Doi of California became the first American to reach the gold-medal finals at the Cadet World Championships this year. Doi will face Svetlana Ankicheva of Kazakstan in the gold medal finals, which begin at 6:00 p.m. Serbia time (which is 12:00 noon in the Eastern USA). Ankicheva was a 2012 Cadet World silver medalist and a 2011 Cadet World bronze medalist. Doi started with a big win, defeating 2013 European Cadet champion Veronkia Gurskaya, 6-4. Doi came out early with two takedowns for the lead, and added another in the second period. Her next match was an 8-0 technical fall win over Maria Chia of Romania, 2:18 where she was able to display a variety of offensive attacks. Her semifinal win over Dinura Sulaimanova of Kyrgyzstan was much closer. Doi scored a pair of one-point counter takedowns in the first period. Sulaimanova was able to get a one-point counter takedown of her own in the second period, but could not score again, as Doi won, 2-1. This is Regina’s third appearance at the Cadet Worlds, and this year will be her first medal. She was fifth in the Cadet Worlds in 2012 and eighth in 2011 Yesterday, Regina’s twin sister Marina won a bronze medal at 38 kg, and is a three-time Cadet World medalist. All four of the other U.S. athletes competing on Friday were beaten, and did not get drawn back into the repechage Alyssa LaFrancis of California had a close first match against 2013 European Cadet bronze medalist Beste Altug of Turkey, winning 3-2 at 70 kg/154.25 lbs. LaFrancis had a passivity point and a takedown in the opening period. Altug added a second period takedown but could not score again. In the second match, LaFrancis was down just 3-2 at the break to Vanessa Yacarias Romero of Mexico. However, in the second period, Yacarias scored another takedown, then was able to get a three-point move out of a LaFrancis throw attempt to secure a 9-2 technical fall at 4:00. Yacarias was beaten in the semifinals, knocking out LaFrancis. In 2012, LaFrancis placed fifth at the Cadet Worlds. At 60 kg/132.25 lbs., Becka Leathers of Oklahoma had a nice start in her match with 2013 European Cadet bronze medalist Alexandra Sandahl of Sweden. The match was close in the first period, but Leathers scored a takedown, put in a leg, then turned and pinned Sandahl in 3:59. In her second match, Leathers got behind early and was unable to fight back, eventually losing by pin to Kriszta Incze of Romania in 3:18. Leathers was eliminated when the Romanian was defeated in the semifinals. At 52 kg/114.5 lbs., Gabrielle Garcia of California could not get an offense going, and lost to Viktorya Didkivska of Ukraine, 0-6. Garcia was eliminated when Didkivska was beaten in the third round. Dropping her first match at 46 kg/101.25 lbs. was Harriet Symington of Maryland, who was beaten by technical fall by Georgiana Burduf of Romania, 2-9 in 2:09. Burduf hit a five-pointer to end it at the start of the second period. Symington was eliminated when Burduf lost her next match. The USA will end the women’s competition with three medals, after Marina Doi and Teshya Alo took bronze medals on Thursday. CADET WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS At Zrenjanin, Serbia U.S. women’s freestyle performances so far 40 kg/88 lbs. – Regina Doi, Kingsburg, Calif. WIN Veronika Gurskaya (Russia), 6-4 WIN Maria Chia (Romania), tech. fall 8-0, 2:18 WIN Dinura Sulaimanova (Kyrgyzstan), 2-1 Gold Medal Match - Vs. Svetlana Ankicheva (Kazakstan) 46 kg/101.25 lbs. – Harriet Symington, Bethesda, Md. LOSS Georgiana Burduf (Romania), tech. fall, 2-9 (2:09) 52 kg/114.5 lbs. – Gabrielle Garcia, Anaheim, Calif. LOSS Viktorya Didkivska (Ukraine), 0-6 60 kg/132.25 lbs. – Becka Leathers, Choctaw, Okla. WIN Alexandra Sandahl (Sweden), pin 3:59 LOSS Kriszta Incze (Romania), pin 3:18 70 kg/154.25 lbs. – Alyssa LaFrancis, Vista, Calif. WIN Beste Altug (Turkey), 3-2 LOSS Vanessa Yacarias Romero (Mexico), tech. fall, 2-9 (4:00)