Photo of Mensah-Stock courtesy of United World Wrestling

NUR-SULTAN, Kazakhstan – The final two U.S. women’s freestyle wrestlers, and the first two U.S. men’s freestyle wrestler have received their draws for the World Wrestling Championships, and will start their competition on Thursday.

Returning World bronze medalist, Tamyrah Mensah-Stock, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Titan Mercury WC/OPTC), drew Oceania champion Michelle Yvonne Montague of New Zealand in the first round. 

Mensah-Stock is the No. 2 seed in the bracket. Should she advance to the semifinals, it’s possible she would see No. 3 seed, 2019 European champion, Maria Mamashuk of Belarus.

Competing at her first senior World Championships, Kayla Miracle Iowa City, Iowa (Sunkist Kids/Hawkeye WC), opens with 2018 Junior World silver medalist Nabria Esenbaeva of Uzbekistan. 

If she wins, she will face No. 2 seed Lais Nunes de Oliveira of Brazil. Miracle pinned Nunes de Oliveira on her way to a Pan American Games title in August. Nunes de Oliveira finished fifth at the 2018 World Championships, losing in the bronze medal match to American Mallory Velte.

Miracle is a three-time age-group medalist taking bronze at the 2014 and 2016 Junior World Championships at 59 kg and silver at the 2012 Cadet World Championships at 56 kg.

Two-time World Team member Zain Retherford, State College, Pa. (Nittany Lion WC), will face two-time World bronze medalist Alejandro Valdes Tobier of Cuba. Valdes Tobier is a 2019 Pan American Games champion and has taken bronze at the last two World Championships at 65 kg.

Retherford placed 11th at the 2017 Senior World Championships and is a 2011 Cadet World champion at 63 kg.

Daton Fix, Sand Springs, Okla. (Titan Mercury WC/Cowboy RTC) is another American competing in his first Senior World Championships. He will wrestle Vladimir Egorov, a former Russian now competing for Northern Macedonia. Egorov is a 2019 European Championships bronze medalist. 

If Fix wins, he will most likely face 2017 World champion and 2018 World bronze medalist Yuki Takahashi of Japan.

Fix has three Junior World medals including a Junior World gold in 2017 and two bronzes from 2016 and 2018. Additionally, he is a 2015 Cadet World bronze medalist and a 2014 Youth Olympic Games silver medalist.

U.S. Women's freestyle draw for Thursday

62 kg/136.5 lbs. - Kayla Miracle, Iowa City, Iowa (Sunkist Kids/Hawkeye WC)
Vs. Nabria Esenbaeva (Uzbekistan), 2018 Junior World 2nd

68 kg/149.75 lbs. - Tamyra Mensah-Stock, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Titan Mercury WC/OPTC)
Michelle Yvonne Montague (New Zealand), 2019 Oceania 1st, 2017 Oceania 1st

U.S. Men's freestyle draw for Thursday

57 kg/125.5 lbs. - Daton Fix, Sand Springs, Okla. (Titan Mercury WC/Cowboy RTC)
Vladimir Egorov (Northern Macedonia), 2019 European Championships 3rd

65 kg/143 lbs. - Zain Retherford, State College, Pa. (Nittany Lion WC)
Alejandro Valdes Tobier (Cuba), 2019 Pan American Games 1st, 2018 World Championships 3rd, 2017 World Championships 3rd