By David Gerhart
USA Wrestling

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – 2024 Olympic champion Amit Elor and two-time World medalist Macey Kilty secured their 2026 Senior World Team Trials Challenge Tournament titles with pins in their championship bouts at the Norton Healthcare Sports & Learning Center.

Along with winning the tournament crowns, each of the seven World Team Trials champions punched their ticket to 2026 Final X, presented by Kerberos Capital Management.

After winning this tournament a year ago, which was her last competition until this weekend, Elor picked up where she left off in 2025 and bonused her way through the tournament. In the championship bout at 72 kg against Precious Wieser, Elor pushed her lead to 11-0, and she converted her final takedown into a fall with 29 seconds left to secure the title.

Following a technical fall in the semifinals, Kilty pinned Claire DiCugno 66 seconds into the championship match at 62 kg. With the victory, Kilty now sets up a rematch of the U.S. Open final against 2025 World Team member Adaugo Nwachukwu at Final X.

In a high-scoring affair at 53 kg, Elena Ivaldi teched Sydney Petzinger in a 23-12 contest. After Petzinger made it a 15-12 match in favor of Ivaldi, Ivaldi put the match away with eight-straight points to seal the World Team Trials title.

Fresh off her second U17 World title in 2025, Morgan Turner stepped up to the Senior level and collected the 50 kg title by knocking off 2025 World Team member Felicity Taylor. In a back-and-forth battle, Taylor grabbed an 8-7 lead with seven seconds to go with a takedown on the edge of the mat. On the ensuing restart, Turner scored two points off an ankle pick, and a lost challenge sealed the 10-8 victory and a spot in Final X.

Former World Team members captured titles at 55 kg and 65 kg. 2024 World Team member Areana Villaescusa won 6-0 over Alexandra Hedrick at 55 kg. In the 65 kg bout, two 2023 World Team members squared off, and 2023 World bronze medalist Jennifer Page outlasted Emma Bruntil in a 4-2 contest.

The final World Team Trials title went to three-time age-group World medalist Alexis Janiak, who was a finalist here a year ago. In her championship match at 59 kg, she edged out two-time age-group World medalist Amani Jones, 4-1.

Additionally, third place matches were held alongside the championship finals with U.S. National Team implications at stake. A complete list of medal match results in the Senior women’s freestyle division can be found below.

Each Senior World Team Trials champion is paired against the U.S. Open champion in a best-of-three series at Final X to determine the Team USA representative at the 2026 Senior World Championships. Final X will take place on June 19 at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.

Before this weekend, three Final X matchups were already determined in women’s freestyle, 57 kg, 68 kg and 76 kg, which removed those weight classes from the Senior World Team Trials Challenge Tournament field.

All the action from the Senior World Team Trials Challenge Tournament is available to watch on-demand on FloWrestling. Brackets and match-by-match results will be available through USA Bracketing.

2026 Senior World Team Trials Challenge Tournament

At Louisville, Ky., May 15

Quick Links

• Event Website

• Event Hub

• Brackets and Results

• Live Stream
  

Senior Women’s Freestyle Finals Results

50 kg

1st - Morgan Turner (All I see is Gold/TMWC) dec. Felicity Taylor (TMWC), 10-8

3rd - Samara Chavez (Army (WCAP)) tech. fall Erin Golston (NYAC), 10-0

53 kg

1st - Elena Ivaldi (California) tech. fall Sydney Petzinger (Lehigh RTC/NYAC), 23-12

3rd - Jaslynn Gallegos (Cardinal WC) dec. Kaelani Shufeldt (Cardinal WC), 9-6

55 kg

1st - Areana Villaescusa (Army (WCAP)) dec. Alexandra Hedrick (TMWC), 6-0

3rd - Sara Sterner (Cardinal WC) dec. Marissa Gallegos (TMWC), 7-0

59 kg

1st - Alexis Janiak (TMWC) dec. Amani Jones (TMWC), 4-1

3rd - Alexandra Szkotnicki (Bearcat WC) tech. fall Michaela Beck (TMWC), 14-4 (5:59)

62 kg

1st - Macey Kilty (IWWC/ TMWC) fall Claire DiCugno (CardinalWC/NYAC), 1:06

3rd - Alara Boyd (TMWC) dec. Hanna Errthum (USOPTC WM), 10-3

65 kg

1st - Jennifer Page (TMWC) dec. Emma Bruntil (TMWC), 4-2

3rd - Reese Larramendy (IWWC/ TMWC) dec. Katerina Lange (Laker WC), 8-0

72 kg

1st - Amit Elor (NYCRTC/ TMWC) fall Precious Wieser (TMWC), 5:31

3rd - Skylar Grote (TMWC) dec. Kaylynn Albrecht (USOPTC/ TMWC), 2-1