Article & Photo: USA Wrestling

DOHA, Qatar (USA Wrestling) – Shauna Isbell-Kemp (Jamestown, N.D./Titan Mercury WC), won a bronze medal at 60 kg in Beach Wrestling on Tuesday, giving the United States its first medal in Beach Wrestling at the ANOC World Beach Games.

Isbell-Kemp finished with an impressive 4-2 record for the day. She won her bronze-medal match by injury default over Kateryna Zhydachevska of Romania to secure her medal.

She had a 3-1 record in her pool. She opened with a 3-0 loss to Zhydachevska, then ran off three straight victories. In order, she beat Juliette Rondet of France, 3-0, Jeannie Kessler of Austria, 3-0 and Crystal Holder of Barbados, 3-1. Isbell-Kemp was beaten in the semifinals by Mehluk Ozturk of Turkey, 5-2.

Isbell-Kemp is the head coach for women’s wrestling at Jamestown University in North Dakota, and is a past member of the U.S. Senior Women’s National Team. Isbell was a five-time U.S. Open All-American. She was a 2012 WCWA college national champion and three-time finalist for Lindenwood University.

“Shauna came to win and wrestled aggressively the entire event. She has earned the first medal for the U.S. in wrestling at the Beach World Games, and that will be a milestone to remember in the years to come as Beach Wrestling becomes a fan favorite,” said U.S. team leader and coach Ed Duncan.

All three U.S. wrestlers who competed on Tuesday won at least one match in their pool competition, but Isbell-Kemp was the only American to qualify for the semifinals, which featured the top two athletes in each pool.