Alli Ragan Makes 60kg World Finals

Alli Ragan of the New York Athletic Club will be wrestling in the 60kg world finals in Budapest, Hungary, on Sunday.

Dec 11, 2016 by Wrestling Nomad

Alli Ragan has made her first world finals and will wrestle Xingru Pei of China at the non-Olympic weight World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, on Sunday. Ragan's fourth trip to a senior world championships has her on the precipice of reaching the mountaintop. Finals start at noon Eastern time and can be viewed here.

After being the starter for three years at 58kg and 59kg, Ragan suffered a heartbreaking defeat in the Olympic Team Trials finals. She has bounced back in a huge way with four wins to make the 60kg finals, getting better with each victory and hitting on all cylinders when it mattered most.

The Sunkist Kids star began her day with a hard-earned 8-4 decision over Sarita of India. Ragan jumped out to a lead and never looked back on her way to the round of 16. There, she met Canada's Laura Morias, but Ragan's leg attacks were too much for her Canadian opponent and she claimed a 6-3 win.

In the all-important quarterfinals, Ragan faced off against Laura Mertens of Germany, but the two-time WCWA champion left no doubt to the tune of a 5-0 shutout.

This guaranteed Ragan a second career shot at a world medal -- she was fifth at the 2014 world championships in Tashkent. This time, though, she could not be denied, jumping out to an 8-0 lead over Ayaulym Kassymova of Kazakhstan. Although Kassymova would begin to battle back, Ragan emphatically finished the match with a four-pointer and a 14-4 tech to make the non-Olympic weight World Championship finals.

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On the men's freestyle side, hopes were high for the United States' James Green after Logan Stieber won a world title on Saturday. Green has looked great for two years at 70kg, winning a bronze medal last year in Vegas and dominating at this summer's World Cup.

However, it was not to be for the four-time All-American from Nebraska. He lost 3-3 on criteria in the quarterfinals to 2013 world bronze medalist Rashid Kurbanov of Uzbekistan. Typically a 74kg, Kurbanov scored on a shot-clock point and a takedown, while Green was able to muster a takedown and a stepout, resulting in Green losing on most cautions.

To make matters worse, Kurbanov lost in the semifinals 4-1 to Russia's Magomed Kurbanaliev, eliminating Green from repechage.

The Titan Mercury star looked great to start the day, dominating Azerbaijan's Gitinomagomed Gadhziyev 12-1 in the first round by hitting explosive doubles and working his leg lace well. A very tough match would come to follow though.

In the round of 16, Green faced Davit Tlashadze, a Georgian he dominated 10-0 at the World Cup. It would not come so easy this time around, as Green found himself locked in a close one. He led 1-0 at the break on a shot clock point and picked up a takedown midway through the second. But Green would go on the clock at the 5:15 mark, setting up a dramatic and controversial finish.

In the final five seconds, Tlashadze tried to hit a go-behind and ended up in a rear standing position. They went to the mat right as time expired and a takedown was awarded to Tlashadze. However, coach Bill Zadick fired in the challenge cube. After review, it was determined Green's knee had not hit (or at least there was inconclusive evidence), so Green moved on 4-1.

Greco ended with a disappointing day once again. Pat Martinez was teched 8-0 by Asian medalist Askhat Dilmukhamedov of Kazakhstan, who went on to lose in the quarterfinals and not pull Martinez back into repechage.

The United States ends the tournament with two medals in our six weight classes.