Thomas Gilman, Lauren Louive, and Kayla Miracle of the Hawkeye Wrestling Club all won the World Team Trials Challenge Tournament in Raleigh, NC. They have all now qualified for Final X. The winner of Final X will represent Team USA at the Senior World Freestyle Championships Astana, Kazakhstan August 14-22.
Gilman looked very good in capturing the title at 57 kg with a 4-0 and 5-2 win over Darian Cruz in the best of three finals. Gilman will now face Daton Fix at Final X in Lincoln, NE. Fix downed Gilman at the U.S. Open finals in April. I am picking Gilman to win this time and to gain a spot on Team USA for the World Championships.
It was an all-HWC finals at 59 kg where Lauren Louive topped fellow HWC teammate Michaela Beck in the best of three finals. Beck won the first mach 8-3 before Louive won the next two bouts 4-4 and 5-4. Beck then dropped a match for a true second. It will again be an all-HWC finals at Final X as Louive will face HWC teammate Alli Ragan.
Kayla Miracle continued a very good year of competition by defeating Desiree Zavala in the best of 3 finals with a fall and tech fall at 62 kg. Miracle will now have a rematch from last year’s Final X with reigning World Bronze medalist Mallory Velte where Velte won. Miracle pinned Velte in a tournament in Bulgaria in February.
Sammy Brooks placed third at 86 kg, Brandon Sorensen placed fourth at 70 kg, and Cory Clark did not place at 61 kg.
The HWC will now have five members competing in Final X in Thomas Gilman, Alli Ragan, Lauren Louive, Kayla Miracle, and Forrest Molinari.
I will keep you up to date as we approach Final X.
2019 WORLD TEAM TRIALS CHALLENGE TOURNAMENT
57 kg
1st – Thomas Gilman (TMWC/Hawkeye WC) df. Darian Cruz (TMWC/LVAV), two matches to none
Round one: Gilman dec. Cruz, 4-0
Round two: Gilman dec. Cruz, 5-2
59 kg
1st – Lauren Louive (NYAC/Hawkeye WC) df. Michaela Beck (NYAC/Hawkeye WC), two matches to one
Round one: Beck dec. Louive, 8-3
Round two: Louive dec. Beck, 4-4
Round three: Louvie dec. Beck, 5-4
True 2nd – Abigail Nette (Lion WC) TF Michaela Beck (Hawkeye WC), 11-0
62 kg
1st – Kayla Miracle (Sunkist Kids) df. Desiree Zavala (Choker WC), two matches to none
Round one: Miracle df. Zavala, fall 1:15
Round two: Miracle TF Zavala, 10-0
Final X Rutgers on June 9
65 kg: Forrest Molinari vs. Maya Nelson
Final X Lincoln on June 15
57 kg Thomas Gilman vs. Daton Fix
59 kg: Alli Ragan vs. Lauren Louive
62 kg: Kayla Miracle vs. Mallory Velte
Kayla Miracle (62kg) – Qualified for U23 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary October 28-November 3
Michaela Beck (59kg) – Qualified for the Junior World Championships in Tallinn, Estonia August 12-18
Final X Senior World Team Trials Piscataway, NJ June 8
Men’s Freestyle: 65kg, 79kg, 86kg, 92kg, 125kg
Women’s Freestyle: 50kg, 57kg, 65kg, 68kg, 72kg
Final X Senior World Team Trials Lincoln, NE June 15
Men’s Freestyle: 57kg, 61kg, 70kg, 74kg, 97kg
Women’s Freestyle: 53kg, 55kg, 59kg, 62kg, 76kg
Junior World Championships Tallinn, Estonia August 12-18
Senior World Freestyle Championships Astana, Kazakhstan August 14-22
U23 World Championships Budapest, Hungary October 28-November 3
It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.
Go Hawks!
