Woolfolk takes 14th at weightlifting worlds

Two Colorado Springs residents had top-20 finishes today in the 138.8-pound division at the World Weightlifting Championships in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Natalie Woolfolk, a bronze medalist at the Pan American Games, took 14th place with a total of 462.9 pounds. She had a top snatch of 218.2 pounds and a clean and jerk of 244.7 pounds.

After missing last year's world championships because of an injury, Carissa Gump placed 16th with a 449.7-pound total. She posted a snatch of 191.8 pounds and a clean and jerk of 257.9 pounds.

The results of the world championships, combined with the results of the 2006 world championships and a Pan American qualification event April 22-26 in Lima, Peru, will determine the size of the U.S. squad for the 2008 Beijing Games.

Colorado Springs weightlifter Doreen Fullhart will compete Tuesday in the 165.3-pound division. On Wednesday, four Colorado Springs weightlifters will compete: Two-time Olympian Cheryl Haworth and Pan American Games silver medalist Emmy Vargas at 165.3-plus pounds and Casey Burgener, also a Pan American Games silver medalist, and Zach Schluender at 231.4-plus pounds.

Pair of OTC wrestlers win medals

Two Olympic Training Center residents won medals Sunday in the women’s freestyle competition at the World Wrestling Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Kristie Marano won her fifth world silver medal, dropping a 3-0, 3-0 decision to 2006 world champion Stanka Zlateva of Bulgaria in the 158.5-pound gold-medal match. Her nine world medals ties the U.S. record held by Bruce Baumgartner.

Katie Downing won her second world bronze medal, beating Japan’s Yoshiko Inoue 1-0, 1-1, 1-0 in the 147.5-pound bronze-medal match. She lost to China’s Ruixue Jing 2-0, 2-0 in the semifinals.

Asked about the record, Marano said, “I didn’t know that. But (Baumgartner) was pretty good, so it’s definitely a good accomplishment. It’s not the medal I wanted, but it’s still a medal, and that’s good.”

Said Downing: “It’s disappointing because I came here for gold. But bronze is probably better than silver because you get that chance to rectify your situation.”

Aided by Sara McMann’s bronze medal at 138.75 pounds, the U.S. finished fifth. Japan won the team title and was followed by Kazakhstan, Ukraine and China.

The U.S. has qualified three weight classes – 105.5, 138.75 and 158.5 pounds – for the Beijing Games. It has three more chances to qualify the 121-pound weight class, starting with the Pan American Championships, which are Feb. 29 to March 2 in Colorado Springs.

OTC resident takes 9th at judo World Cup

OTC judo player Josh O’Neil placed ninth Saturday in the 132.3-pound division of a World Cup in Birmingham, England.

O’Neil was pinned by 2005 world champion Craig Fallon of England in his first-round match, then rallied to beat Spain’s Javier Fernandez in the repechage round. He was eliminated by Russia’s Dzheykhun Eyyubov.

OTC resident Ryan Reser, a gold medalist at the Pan American Games, won his 160.9-pound opener against China’s Rongrong Shi before losing to Poland’s Krzystof Wilkomirski in overtime. He was eliminated when Wilkomirski lost in the next round.

Blount, Thompson win at shooting junior nationals

Emily Blount and Frank Thompson won skeet titles Saturday at the USA Shooting Junior Olympic National Championships at Fort Carson.

Blount, the world clay target champion in junior women's skeet, beat Caitlin Connor and Amber English with 137 targets. Thompson had 143 targets, edging Jon McGrath and Thomas Bayer.