WILLIAMS, BACHER AND STENGLEIN QUALIFY FOR GOLD-MEDAL FINALS AT WOMEN'S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS IN CLERMONT-FERRAND, FRANCE 
  Three members of the U.S. Women's World Team qualified for the gold-medal finals at the 1997 Women's World Wrestling Championships in Clermont-Ferrand, France, with victories on Friday, July 11. 
 The U.S. wrestlers who will compete in the gold-medal finals on Saturday, July 12 are: Shannon Williams (Simi Valley, Calif./Sunkist Kids) at 123.25 pounds, Sandra Bacher (San Jose, Calif./Dave Schultz WC) at 149.75 pounds and Kristie Stenglein (Albany, N.Y./ATWA) at 165.25 pounds. 
 Williams scored a 2-1 overtime win over Elena Egoshina of Russia in the semifinals on Friday. She will face Joanna Piasaecka of Poland in the championship finals. 
 Williams, a three-time World silver medalist, is competing in her seventh World Championships. 
 Bacher pinned Zhang Qing of China in 1:50 in the semifinals on Friday. She will battle two-time World Champion Christine Nordhagen of Canada in the gold-medal finals on Saturday. 
 Bacher was ninth in the 1995 World Championships and fourth in the 1996 World Championships at 154 pounds. 
 Stenglein edged Anna Ghamova of Russia in the semifinals, 9-7 on Friday. Her opponent in the gold-medal finals on Saturday will be Kyals Hamaguchi of Japan. 
 Lauren Wolfe (Okemos Mich./ Michigan WC) had a 1-1 record on Friday at 136.5 pounds, and still has a chance to win a bronze medal. 
 Wolfe won her quarterfinals match on Friday, stopping former World Champion Wendy Yzaguirre of Venezuela by referee's decision, 1-0 in overtime. In the semifinals, she was defeated by Stephanie Gross of Germany, 3-0. 
 Wolfe will compete in the consolation rounds on Saturday afternoon. The best that she can place is third, and the lowest that she can place is sixth. 
 Wolfe was fifth in the 1995 World Championships and eighth in the 1996 World Championships, competing at 143 pounds. 
 Two U.S. wrestlers were defeated twice on Friday and eliminated from the competition: Afsoon Roshanzamir (Davis, Calif.) at 101.25 pounds and Stephanie Murata (Phoenix, Ariz./Sunkist Kids) at 123.25 pounds. 
 The U.S. Women's World Team is led by head coach Mike Duroe of Deerfield, Ill., assistant coach Doug Reese of Morris, Minn. and National Development Coach Roye Oliver of Colorado Springs, Colo.  
 Based upon the first two days of competition, Japan, France and the United States are the three nations that have a chance to claim the team title. The United States was third in the 1996 World Championships, its best ever finish, and hopes to place even higher this year. 
  WOMEN'S WORLD WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS 
 July 11, 1997 
 U.S. results 
 51 kg/112.25 lbs. - Shannon Williams, Simi Valley, Calif - won by ref. dec. over Elena Egoshina, Russia, 2-0, ot, 7:00 
 62 kg/136.5 lbs. - Lauren Wolfe, Okemos, Mich. - won by ref. dec. over Wendy Yzaguirre, 1-0, ot, 7:00; lost dec. to Stephanie Gross, Germany, 3-0 
 68 kg/149.75 lbs. - Sandra Bacher, San Jose, Calif. - pin Zhang Qing, China, 1:50  
 75 kg/165.25 lbs. - Kristie Stenglein, Albany, N.Y. - dec. Anna Ghamova, Russia, 9-7