New Ulm Sports Central - Preserving and Sharing New Ulm Area Sports History

Team USA wrestler Bernard earns bronze in Turkey

Posted December 29, 2011 The Journal

ISTANBUL - The U.S. women's wrestling team just missed out on getting a trophy in a tournament in Istanbul, Turkey, finishing in a tie for third with Mongolia, but losing the tiebreaker.

That became possible with a great effort in the upper weights, as Adeline Gray (67 kg) and New Ulm native Ali Bernard (72 kg) won their first career Senior World medals on the final day of women's action in Turkey.

Both had some memorable wins. Gray lost early but beat three-time World champion and six-time World finalist Martine Dugrenier in the consolation rounds and then beat a hometown hero, Burcu Orskaya of Turkey, for the medal.

Bernard defeated two athletes who had beaten her in the past, 2008 Olympic champion Jiao Wang of China and 2010 World silver medalist Ohenawa Akuffo of Canada along the way. In the win against Wang Bernard was down a period and just one point short of losing the second by technical fall, yet she kept coming back for the win.

In the bronze medal match, Bernard pinned Guzel Manyurova of Kazakhstan to finish with a flourish.

Team USA qualified for the Olympics in three of the four Olympic weight classes, giving the program a boost heading into the Olympic year.