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Kilty just misses Olympics

Kilty just misses Olympics Kilty just misses Olympics

Wrestling injury halts her path to summer games

By Casey Krautkramer

A shoulder injury derailed Stratford wrestler Macey Kilty’s shot at competing in this summer’s Olympic games in Tokyo, Japan.

Kilty won the U.S. Olympic Team Trials challenge tournament on Friday in Fort Worth, Texas, in order to advance to the finals match against Kayla Miracle on Saturday with a chance at qualifying for the Olympics on the line. Kilty lost the first bout, 8-4, but she bounced back to win the next bout, 4-3. Kilty battled Miracle in a third decisive bout to determine who’d win the match and represent the U.S. women’s freestyle wrestling team in this summer’s Olympics.

Unfortunately for Kilty, she suffered a dislocated shoulder in the third bout and she was in intense pain. She was unable to finish the bout, and thus her dreams of representing the U.S. in the Olympics were dashed for now.

“I’ve always imagined the moment I would be able to celebrate qualifying for the Olympics with my coaches and family who’ve helped me get to this point,” Kilty said in a phone interview on Tuesday. “The pain of losing Saturday’s match is going to burn inside of me for a while. My dream of competing in the Olympics was taken away from me when I got injured and I literally couldn’t do anything about it.

“I was ready and prepared to qualify for the Olympics and there really wasn’t anything I could’ve done differently. I’ve made great strides in my wrestling ability in the past year and I was no doubt a contender to compete in the Olympics this summer. I not only wanted to compete for the U.S. women’s wrestling team in the Olympics, but I also wanted to win a gold medal for the U.S.”

Kilty will continue to have medical personnel evaluate her shoulder injury and help her develop a recovery plan. After she’s fully recovered from injury, she will then continue training at the Regional Training Center on the University of North Carolina campus in Chapel Hill, N.C., in an attempt to qualify for the 2024 summer Olympics in Paris, France.

She’s thankful of the tremendous amount of support she’s receiving from people in her hometown of Stratford during her journey to one day wrestle in the Olympics.

“It means a lot to me to know I have the love and support from people in Stratford and central Wisconsin,” Kilty said.

Macey Kilty is the daughter of Pat and Keresa Kilty of Stratford. Her brother, Easton, plays football for Division 1-FCS North Dakota. Her youngest brother, Koehler, is a freshman at Stratford High School.


SHE’S A WINNER NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS- To the left, wrestler Macey Kilty of Stratford points that she’s No. 1 following her 4-3 win in the second bout against Kayla Miracle during Saturday championship match at the U.S. Olympic Wrestling Team Trials in Fort Worth, Texas. To the right, Kilty signs autographs for young fans after one of her matches last weekend.PHOTOS BY JUSTIN HOCH
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