Emily Shilson admitted she didn’t know what to expect this week, when she competed for the first time at the junior world wrestling championships. Thursday, she ended the tournament the way she often does: as a champion.
Shilson, of Maple Grove, won the 50-kilogram women’s freestyle title at the junior worlds with a dominant performance in Ufa, Russia. She defeated Enkhzul Batbaatar of Mongolia by technical fall in the gold-medal match, scoring 10 unanswered points in the first two minutes, 49 seconds. Shilson’s title expands an international resume that includes a 2018 cadet world championship and a gold medal at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games.
The Augsburg junior outscored her opponents 36-10 in four matches at the junior worlds, with victories by technical fall in the semifinals and finals. Shilson was among three U.S. women to win world championships, the first time Americans have won multiple titles at the junior worlds in women’s freestyle.
“I feel awesome,” Shilson told USA Wrestling. “That was a lot of fun.
“I always tell myself I’m the best in the world, but this is my first time ever wrestling at a junior worlds. It felt really good to get this one.”
Shilson will compete for another international crown at the under-23 world championships Nov. 1-7 in Belgrade, Serbia. Her junior season at Augsburg also begins in November.
Next month, she will wrestle at the U.S. world team trials in Lincoln, Neb., in the 53 kg class.
