Kylie Welker of the University of Iowa pinned Vianne Rouleau (Canada) in 1:12 in the finals to win the world title at 72kg at the U23 World Championships in Tirana, Albania.
Welker won by a tech fall in the Round of 16 and quarterfinals before topping Anastasiya Alpyeyeva (Ukraine), 3-1 in the semifinals.
This is the second world title that Welker has won in her career. She was also a 2021 Junior World champion, 2021 U23 World Bronze medalist, and placed 10th at the 2021 Senior World Championships.
Welker, a redshirt sophomore from Franksville, Wisconsin, won an NCWWC national title at 170 lbs. last season for the Hawks and is listed at 180 on the new roster.
Welker and Macey Kilty will also be competing at the Senior World Championships in Tirana, Albania on Tuesday-Wednesday (October 29-30).
Macey Kilty won silver at 62kg. Kilty started with two falls and two tech falls before dropping the finals match 12-3 to Iryna Bondar (Ukraine).
Kilty transferred into the program this summer with one year of eligibility remaining and is listed at 145 on the roster. She won silver at 65kg at the 2023 Senior World Championships and was a 2018 Cadet World champion. Kilty has now won six age-level World medals for Team USA.
Skye Realin(59kg) dropped her first round match and was eliminated from the tournament when her opponent failed to make the finals.
Realin transferred in this summer from Central Methodist University where she placed fifth in NAIA at 130 lbs. in 2023 and is listed as a junior at 131 on the roster.
This was the first time in our history that Team USA won the Women’s U23 team title.
Patrick Kennedy(79kg) of the University of Iowa will compete on Saturday-Sunday at the U23 World Championships.
2024 U23 World Championships in Tirana, Albania
72 kg – Kylie Welker (Franksville, Wis./Iowa Women’s WC), Gold medal
WIN Anastassiya Panassovich (Kazakhstan), tech. fall, 11-0
WIN Haticenur Sari (Turkey), tech. fall 10-0
WIN Anastasiya Alpyeyeva (Ukraine), 3-1
WIN Vianne Rouleau (Canada), fall, 1:12
62 kg – Macey Kilty (Stratford, Wis./Iowa Women’s WC), Silver medal
WIN Tynys Dubek (Kazakhstan), fall, 2:33
WIN Esther Kolawole (Nigeria), fall, 5:30
WIN Astrid Montero Chirinos (Venezuela), tech. fall, 10-0
WIN Viktoria Vesso (Estonia), tech. fall, 12-2
LOSS Iryna Bondar (Ukraine), 12-3
59 kg – Skye Realin (Mililani, Hawaii/Iowa Women’s WC), 15th place
LOSS Alesia Hetmanava (Individual Neutral Athlete), tech. fall, 10-0
It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.
Go Hawks!
