High School Wrestling: Blades Outscores Opponents 30-0, Five Win Gold at Russian Vorobyeva Cup

by Derek Levendusky, AWW staff writer

Team USA is bringing home nine medals from the Vorobyeva Cup in St. Petersburg, Russia, including five gold medals from 40 kg Virginia Foard, 43 kg Alex Szkotnicki, 61 kg Kylie Welker, 69 kg Kennedy Blades and 73 kg Tristan Kelly.

Team USA won 9 total medals at the 2019 Vorobyeva Cup. (pc: Chad Vandiver)

Four other wrestlers also secured medals. 65 kg Reese Larramendy won silver, and bronze medals were won by 49 kg wrestler Abby Duke, 49 kg Ava Bayless, and 57 kg Korina Blades.

USA Wrestling reports that U.S./Wyoming Sem Coach Erin Vandiver said of her star wrestler Kennedy Blades, "[She] was impressive, outscoring her opponents 30-0 to win gold. Her offensive attacks were solid, precise, and effective.”

Wyoming Sem wrestlers had six medals. (pc: Chad Vandiver)

National team members Sterling Dias and Amit Elor did not wrestle. Mia Macaluso went 1-1, getting a first round fall, but was not brought back into repechage after the Russian opponent she lost to in the second round did not make the finals. The Russian lost to eventual gold medal winner in semis, U.S. National Champion Kylie Welker.

The event was named after Olympic Champion Natalia Vorobyeva, who was on site to watch the event and hand out awards.

All Team USA athletes will participate in a camp following the tournament, an event that will feature multiple nations, including Russia, Estonia, and Norway.