2022 USMC US Open Wrestling Championships

5 Women's Storylines To Follow At US Open

The women's field has plenty of talent at this year's U.S. Open in Las Vegas. Here are five storylines to follow.

Apr 25, 2022 by Kyle Klingman

5 Women's Storylines To Follow At US Open

There are plenty of high-level athletes competing at the 2022 US Open in Las Vegas this weekend. Here are five women’s storylines to follow.

Top-seed on the line

The United States had quite a performance at the 2021 Women’s Freestyle World Championships. Seven of 10 wrestlers won a medal, which means seven wrestlers an automatic berth into this year’s Final X.

Every champion earns the #1 seed at the World Team Trials Challenge tournament in Coralville, Iowa, on May 21-22 so there’s added incentive to win in Vegas. Earning the top seed is especially important in weight classes where medalists have accepted their Final X bids. Only the winner of the World Team Trials gets a bid to Final X in these weight classes, so seeding will be important since you’ll have to win to get in.

It’s A Miracle

Returning World silver medalist and 202One Olympian Kayla Miracle has already earned a spot in Final X, but she has registered to compete at 62 kilograms at the U.S. Open. Miracle has been a consistent force for the United States, winning a World medal at every age level.

Jacarra Winchester — a 2019 World champion and 202One Olympian — is entered at 55 kg. Winchester has more on the line, though. She has not qualified for Final X so a win here would give her the #1 seed at the World Team Trials in May. She has already earned a spot in the World Team Trials so her final results will only affect her seed.

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Helen Maroulis And Kayla Miracle Working Par Terre

Where Does 76 kg Go From Here?

Adeline Gray has been a force on the World stage since won a bronze medal at the 2011 World Championships. Since then, she has won six World titles, an Olympic silver medal, and she set the standard for the 76 kg weight class in the United States.

Gray is pregnant with twins so the weight class is wide open for someone else to take over — for now. Precious Bell faced Gray at Final X in 2019, Victoria Francis has made two Senior-level World teams, Yelena Makyed won a 2022 national collegiate title and Dymond Guilford is coming off an NAIA championship. Teenage stars Kylie Welker and Kennedy Blades aren’t entered so the field is wide open.

This is the first step to see which wrestler will replace a legend.

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Adeline Gray reflects on winning her sixth World title

She’s Back!

Tiare Ikei qualified for the 2021 U23 World Team but had to pull out due to concussions. Ikei has entered at 53 kg and should be one of the favorites to win the weight. She won in 2019 as the #4 seed with a 14-4 win over Katherine Shai in the finals.

We also get to see what 18-year-old star Amit Elor can do at the Senior-level. Elor won Cadet and Junior World titles last year but we haven’t her compete since. She is entered at 72 kg and should be the favorite to take home the title and the #1 seed at World Team Trials.

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Tiare Ikei wins the 2019 U.S. Open

Emma Bruntil vs Mallory Velte

There are no guarantees, but it’s highly likely that Emma Bruntil and Mallory Velte will meet in the 65 kg finals. This has become the domestic weight class to watch since Forrest Molinari, Bruntil, and Velte have battled it out at international tournaments all year.

Molinari won a bronze medal at the 2021 World Championships so she already has a spot in Final X. Velte won a bronze medal at 62 kg during the 2018 World Championships but has found success up a weight. Bruntil has won two international tournaments this year and has split with Molinari.