TAMPERE, Finland – The first four U.S. women’s freestyle representatives weighed in for day one of women’s action at the Junior World Championships in 2017.

At 44 kg/88 lbs., Asia Ray (Arlington, Texas/Arlington Storm WC) will compete in her first World tournament. She drew Tukry’s Ersa Koc, who took fifth at this year’s Junior European Championships.

Should Ray advance, she’ll face the winner of Beata Kosla of Poland and Yu-Syuan Chang of Chinese Taipei. Kosla won bronze in her continental championships, while Chang took fifth at Asian Championships.

Cameron Guerin (Yakima, Wash./Team Takedown) sits at the top of the 51 kg/112 lbs. bracket. The 2016 Fargo champion will face Yeonseo Choi of Korea in her opening round. Both are competing in their first World Championships.

With a win, Guerin will move on to face either returning World champion Kseniia Nezgovorova of Russia or Jayd Davis of Canada. Nezgovorova won the Junior European Championships, while Davis took silver at the 2017 Junior Pan American Championships and finished fourth at the Senior Pan Ams.  

2016 Cadet World bronze medalist Gracie Figueroa (Selma, Calif./Titan Mercury WC) drew South Africa’s Leanco Stans to begin her first Junior Worlds at 59 kg/130 lbs. Stans finished fourth in both the Junior and Senior African Championships this year. She was a 2016 Senior African Championships bronze medalist.

Her next potential match would be the winner of Maria Matyushenko of Russia and Ilona Prokopevniuk of Ukraine. Both won bronze at this year’s European Championships. Additionally, Matyushenko was the 2015 Cadet World silver medalist.

At 67 kg/147 lbs., University Nationals runner-up Alex Glaude (West Sacramento, Calif./Bearcat WC) will make her Worlds debut against Hyeonyeong Park of Korea, who claimed bronze at the 2017 Senior Asian Championships.

An American win would put Glaude against either Alexandra Anghel of Romania or Davaanasan Enkhamar of Mongolia. Anghel has won bronze in the last four international tournaments she has competed in, including the 2017 Junior and U23 European Championships, 2017 Yasar Dogu and 2016 Henri Deglane Challenge.

Enkhamar has competed at two Cadet World Championships (2014, 2015).

The first session, which includes preliminary rounds through semifinals and repechage, will begin at 10 a.m. local time. The medal matches will take place at 6 p.m. local time.

Tampere, Finland is seven hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Time, meaning those wishing to watch live can tune in at 3 a.m. (ET). A live stream of the event, as well as brackets, can be found at Trackwrestling.com.

JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Aug. 1-6, 2017

Schedule
Thursday, Aug. 3
10 a.m. – Preliminaries and repechage
6 p.m. – Medal matches

44 kg/88 lbs. – Asia Ray (Arlington, Texas/Arlington Storm WC)
vs. Ersa Koc (Turkey), fifth at Junior European Championships

51 kg/112 lbs. – Cameron Guerin (Yakima, Wash./Team Takedown)
vs. Yeonseo Choi (Korea), no international credentials

59 kg/130 lbs. – Gracie Figueroa (Selma, Calif./Titan Mercury WC)
vs. Leanco Stans (South Africa), bronze in 2016 Senior African Championships

67 kg/147 lbs. – Alex Glaude (West Sacramento, Calif./Bearcat WC)
vs. Hyeonyeong Park (Korea), bronze in 2017 Senior Asian Championships