Marsh Brings Gold Back To Indiana

RIO de JANEIRO, BRAZIL-Already a two-time All-American and three-time state champion, Pendleton Heights senior Maddie Marsh can now add international gold medalist to her growing list of accomplishments.

After escaping a tough early match, Marsh ran roughshod through the rest of the field, including a 10-0 rout in the final and claimed the Women's Wrestling 65-kilogram championship in the U-20 Pan American Games Friday afternoon in Rio de Janeiro.

Marsh was one of seven Americans to claim gold out of the 10 weight classes in the women's wrestling division.

Marsh defeated Colombia's Shantallee Bonalde 10-0 oli technical superiority in the final match of three on Friday before draping herself in the American flag afterward, as is custom.

Her toughest competition of the day turned out to be the opener against a wrestler competing in her home country.

Marsh earned her way to the final after taking a hard-fought 3-2 decision over Brazil's Beatriz Camargo in the opener and pinning Valeria Pacheco from Mexico in the second round. She had jumped out to a 6-0 lead on Pacheco before finishing off the match in the first period.

Bonalde had edged Pacheco by an 8-7 decision in the first round before dropping a 10-1 decision to Camargo in the second round.

The 65 kg - approximately 143 pounds - class included the four competitors in a round-robin style tournament. Marsh was the only athlete to win all three of her matches.