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Iowa Wrestling - Hawks fly together to World Championships

by:Tanner Lafever•10/21/24•

TannerLafever

Kylie Welker
2024 NCWWC champion Kylie Welker makes her return to the World Championships stage three years after her breakout summer as a 17-year-old. (Photo Credit: University of Iowa)

Before we turn our attention completely toward the college season for Iowa wrestling there’s a (final) pair of major international tournaments to sort out first.

Over the span of the next week (Oct. 23-30) in Tirana, Albania a quartet of Hawkeyes from the men’s and women’s programs will compete at either the Under-23 or Senior World Championships – or both – in hopes of bringing medals back home to Iowa City.

The group is headlined by a pair of double-entry Iowa women’s wrestlers – Macey Kilty and Kylie Welker – with plenty of past credentials on the international circuit. It’s also realistic to suggest that both will have a legitimate shot to win two world titles apiece across the separate divisions being contested in Tirana.

Meanwhile, Patrick Kennedy (U23 men’s freestyle) and Skye Realin (U23 women’s freestyle) will each be making their debut on the World Championships stage after earning their spots on Team USA via the World Team Trials back in June and April respectively.

This article will serve as a preview for both events. At the conclusion of U23’s I’ll have a recap of all four Hawkeye performances. That’ll be followed a few days later by a wrap up of the Senior division results for Kilty/Welker.

So, let’s get right to it.

Kylie Welker – U23/Senior Women’s freestyle (both at 72 kilograms)

The very first women’s recruit in the history of Iowa wrestling, Welker now makes her return to a stage she hasn’t competed on since before her days donning the Black & Gold.

2021 was the last time the now-20-year-old represented the United States at a World Championships event.

That was back during the breakout freestyle season for the Wisconsin native. Among her accomplishments over a seven-month span (all at the age of 17):

  • Olympic Trials finalist (76kg)
  • U20 World champion (76kg)
  • U23 World bronze medalist (76kg)
  • Senior World Championships participant (0-1 at 72kg)

Welker has been through a variety of adversities since – missing out on various US teams due to either injury or heartbreaking defeat(s) during the trials process.

But the 2024 NCWWC national champion is back now after earning her way onto the U23 and Senior teams with a pair of dominant performances during the latter half of the summer.

Speaking to Welker’s readiness to compete for titles against both 72-kilogram fields in Albania is her sterling performance at July’s Grand Prix of Spain. Over the course of a few hours on a Saturday in Madrid the Hawkeye redshirt sophomore twice pinned three-time reigning Senior World medalist Zhamila Bakbergenova (2023 bronze, 2022 silver, 2021 silver) from Kazakhstan en route to the tournament title.

There arguably isn’t a more credentialled opponent in either field, and if Welker performs at/near her best she’ll have as good a chance as anyone to bring home a coveted World Championship belt (or two).

Amongst a U23 bracket that will be littered with past age-level World medalists Ukraine’s Anastasiya Alpyeyeva and Croatia’s Veronika Vilk stand out as two of the top potential contenders.

Alpyeyeva is already a three-time U23 medalist – including gold in 2021. She also had a narrow 5-4 loss to Olympic silver medalist (and brand-new Hawkeye) Kennedy Blades this past January at the Zagreb Open.

Vilk – a reigning U17 World Champion – will be among the youngest entries in Albania.

The Senior field at 72kg has no shortage of experienced competitors either. But what it doesn’t have is a previous (Senior) World Champion.

Bakbergenova headlines a trio of former medalists on this stage that also includes 2022 podium placers Ami Ishii (68kg silver for Japan) and Alexandra Nicoleta Anghel (72kg bronze for Romania).

The aforementioned Ukrainian, Alpyeyeva, is also in the field, as is India’s Bipasha Bipasha – whom Welker defeated in her U20 gold medal match (10-0) back in 2021.

Macey Kilty – U23 women’s freestyle (62kg), Senior Women’s freestyle (65kg)

When Macey Kilty goes to a World Championship event it’s a pretty safe bet that she’ll be coming home with a medal.

That was the case during each of her first six trips – all to Europe (where she’ll compete twice again this week) – including a runner-up finish at Senior Worlds in 2023.

The only occasion on which she didn’t place third or higher was last October at U23 Worlds, where a 5-4 defeat in both the semifinal and bronze medal matches kept her just off the podium.

A year ago, there was about a month-long gap between Senior Worlds and U23’s. This time around the order is flipped and the gap shrunk to a mere four days – a point Kilty noted last week during Media Day for the Iowa women’s team when asked about contesting both tournaments again.

“In my head I was like, ‘Man, last time I did both it wasn’t good,’” said Iowa’s other Wisconsin native (along with Welker).

“But this is my last year of U23’s (eligibility) and to be able to do both in the same country back-to-back within a week’s span – why not? It’s a cool opportunity. It’s my last opportunity to wrestle U23’s. I’ve never won a World Championship at U23’s or Seniors so I’m ready and prepared.”

A pair of recent Olympians will be in Kilty’s U23 bracket in Esther Omolayo Kolawole (Nigeria) – 14th out of 16 competitors in Paris – and Mongolian Khongorzul Boldsaikhan – 0-1 in 2024 after losing in the bronze medal match back in 2021.

They’ll be joined by a plethora of past age-level World Champions and medalists. The most notable of the bunch is probably Iryna Bondar. The Ukrainian won U20 gold a few months ago in Spain and has finished runner up in each of the past two editions of the U23 event.

(Oh, and as always, don’t ever forget about anyone wrestling for Japan.)

On the Senior side of the ledger things look exactly as you’d expect for a tournament of this caliber.

Bondar (Ukraine) is in this field as well, along with a host of heavy hitters with experience and/or medals on the grandest stages the sport has to offer.

Azerbaijan’s Elis Manolova (bronze in 2019) and China’s Jia Long (silver in 2022) are both familiar with the podium, but the top name to know is unquestionably Miwa Morikawa from women’s wrestling powerhouse Japan.

The 25-year-old has medals from all eight World Championship events at which she’s competed – a list that includes a 2-1 victory over Kilty in the U20 final back in 2019. It’s been silver-gold-bronze for Morikawa on the Senior level (2021-23). Because of that she must be considered the favorite heading into Albania.

But make no mistake, Kilty is very much a threat herself – especially with the full might of Iowa wrestling resources at her disposal after having committed to Clarissa Chun and the women’s program back in mid-July.

Here’s the brand-new Hawkeye (and back-to-back Olympic Trials finalist) after making her second Senior World team in as many years:

Skye Realin – U23 Women’s Freestyle (59kg)

The third and final Hawkeye women’s wrestler trekking across the Atlantic does so with far less prior World Championship experience compared to Kilty/Welker – as in none whatsoever.

Skye Realin will be making her World Championships debut when she takes the mat in the U23 59-kilogram division on Wednesday (Oct. 23rd). The Hawaiian native earned her spot on Team USA by winning a razor-thin, best-of-three series back in April at the World Team Trials.

A two-time All-American on the collegiate scene before joining the Hawkeyes this summer, the 21-year-old really saw her results on the mat take a jump over the past 10 or so months when she adjusted her mindset toward the sport.

“Instead of seeing wrestling as a job or work I kind of made it, I guess, fun again. I took the seriousness out of it,” Realin told Hawkeye Report at Iowa’s Media Day event last week.

“And so, coming to this school (Iowa) it kind of just promotes the enjoyment of wrestling.”

“Even though this is a team where we take care of business, at the end of the day we’re giggling with all our friends and we’re just trying to have fun with each other – so that part alleviates the stress of ‘I have to win. I have to do good.’

“Instead, it’s ‘I want to do well. I worked hard and I’m having fun while doing it.’”

That growth in mindset and its manifestation on the mat will be critical as Realin takes on the best U23 wrestlers in the world.

I count no fewer than five previous age-level World champions amongst the field at 59 kilograms – one of whom also competed at the Paris Olympics a few months ago. And that group doesn’t even include 2023 Senior World bronze medalist Othelie Annette Hoeie of Norway.

Realin can expect major tests against any of entries from Belarus, Italy, Japan, Russia and Ukraine, just to name a few.

Regardless of the steep challenge ahead of her, the first-year Hawkeye enters this week with a positive attitude toward the entire experience to come.

“I’m a little nervous, but I’m more excited than anything because this is my first World team and I’ve been wanting to be a part of one since I first figured out what freestyle (wrestling) was,’ describes Realin with a smile on her face.

“The fact that it’s going to be reality next week is crazy to me. I don’t really care if I do well or do poorly. I’m just really happy that I got myself there, and I hope this won’t be my last World team.”

Patrick Kennedy – U23 Men’s Freestyle (79kg)

Last but certainly not least, Patrick Kennedy rounds out the Iowa wrestling contingent bound for Albania as the school’s lone representative on the men’s side.

The fifth-year junior ran roughshod over his bracket at 79 kilograms back in June at the World Team Trials – outscoring seven foes by a combined margin of 75-4.

U23’s will mark the Minnesota native’s first foray onto the World Championship stage, though he did win an international tournament in the summer of 2023 at the Sassari City Matteo Pellicone Memorial in Rome, Italy.

PK will be competing at 79 kilograms (~174.2 pounds) this week – making for intrigue well beyond these World Championships as this year’s Hawkeye men’s lineup appears set for at least a two-man ‘battle royale’ for the starting spot at 174 pounds.

Kennedy’s path to a medal might also be the least fraught with surefire elite international competition of any of the Hawkeyes heading to Albania.

Feng Lu (China) was just a Paris Olympian at 74kg – though I’m not exactly sure how based on my understanding of the qualification process. He also took seventh at Seniors Worlds back in 2023 (74kg).

Japan’s Masaki Sato has World Championship experience at the Senior level as well – going 1-1 at 74kg in 2021 to finish in 13th place.

No competitor in the field with Kennedy has previously earned better than an age-level World bronze medal. Perhaps that plays in favor of the Hawkeye given his own lack of experience at a tournament of this sort.

We won’t get the chance to speak with PK until Iowa’s Media Day on October 31st. Regardless of how U23’s goes it’ll be interesting to learn if/how he feels it may have helped prime him for the rapidly approaching college season – now just 12 days away.

When/How to Watch

Thanks to the ever-reliable Mike Smit (@mikesmit49 on Twitter) we’ve once again got a beautiful, all-encompassing schedule for Team USA and the four athletes who will be representing Iowa wrestling programs at U23’s this week.

I’ve also highlighted the Hawkeye quartet for fans to more easily identify when they’ll be taking the mat in Albania (all times Central Daylight Savings Time):

Skye Realin’s 59kg bracket will run from Wednesday (Oct. 23) to Thursday (Oct. 24).

Her teammates Macey Kilty (62kg) and Kylie Welker (72kg) – Oct. 24-25 – will overlap with Realin as they go on Thursday/Friday.

Patrick Kennedy ‘bats cleanup’ for the Hawkeyes as his men’s freestyle field at 79kg gets underway on Saturday (Oct. 26) and concludes the following morning.

As for the Senior World Championships event to follow, both Kilty (65kg) and Welker (72kg) will wrestle on October 29-30.

Mike Smit doesn’t have a handy table published for Seniors yet, but I will attach it to this article as soon as he does.

For now, here’s a rough outline of things:

Tuesday, October 29th

3:30 a.m. – Women’s Freestyle qualification rounds

9:45 a.m. – Women’s Freestyle semifinals

Wednesday, October 30th

3:30 a.m. – Women’s Freestyle repechage (consolations)

11:00 a.m. – Women’s Freestyle finals/medal matches

All the action over the next week-and-change will be streaming live on FloWrestling (subscription required) at THIS LINK.

Every match will also be archived, so if the early start times mean you miss some matches live you can always go back and catch up later.

Short Time

Alright, enough from me.

I hope you guys all enjoy the wrestling going on across the pond as these Hawkeyes pursue several ‘firsts’ for themselves on the World Championship stage(s).

I’ve got a feeling that Iowa wrestling will be adding a few more medals to its collective trophy case in the days to come – and it wouldn’t shock me if one or more of those were gold.

Thanks as always for reading. I’ll be back with recap articles for both events, and when that’s all over we turn our attention full steam ahead toward the impending NCAA seasons for the men’s and women’s programs.

What a wonderful time of year to be a fan of wrestling.

I’ll talk to guys again real soon.

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