Grand Valley State junior Sage Mortimer won the gold medal in the 50-kilogram weight class at the 2024 U23 World Championship in Tirana, Albania on Thursday, October 24th, 2024.

In the finals, Mortimer was determined to take control from the start. At 5:50, she scored her first point, and just 20 seconds later, she executed a perfect takedown, extending her lead to 3-0. Throughout the match, Mortimer maintained a steady pace, drawing on the momentum from her close victory the day before. With 4:07 remaining she pushed her advantage to 5-0. She extended her lead to 6-0 by the halfway point of the match, establishing her dominance. Throughout the remainder of the contest, she maintained control. As the final buzzer sounded, she celebrated her hard-fought victory, clinching the gold with a final score of 7-5.

In the semifinals, Mortimer faced Japan's Ito U in an exciting match. Although she found herself trailing 6-0 with 4:40 remaining, that's when Mortimer turned the match around. With determination, Mortimer executed a swift takedown, cutting Ito's lead to 6-2. As the clock ticked down to 3:30, Mortimer remained unfazed, rallying her energy and reversing the situation. Mortimer successfully pinned Ito U, exceeding an outstanding comeback and earning her place in the finals. To watch her interview after winning the semifinals to get into the World Finals, click this link: https://bit.ly/3BXOS2o

Competing in the Quarter Finals, Mortimer competed against Laura Ganikyzy from Kazakhstan. Right out of the shoot, she put up her first 4 points in the match. She stayed on top by moving the score to 6-0 but with Ganikyzy grabbing 2 points, Mortimer knew she had to keep staying on top. With 52 seconds left on the clock, she extended the lead to 10-4. She secured the win to head into the semifinals with a score of 14-4.

In her opening match in Tirana, Albania, Mortimer faced off against Slovakia's Khrystyna of Basych in the quarterfinal round. With a takedown right out of the gate, Mortimer quickly had a spurt of authority to make it a 4-0 lead. She maintained her momentum throughout the entire match. Ultimately, Mortimer dominated the match, capturing a 11-0 victory and advancing confidently in the tournament.

Grand Valley States Women's Wrestling Head Coach, Jake Short stated after she won gold, "I'm so proud of Sage, she had put in the time, the work, and effort to become a world champion." Coach Short added, "Sage is a perfect example of what it means to never stop wrestling and never stop believing. She made the most of her opportunities and now she gets to call herself a world champion. Congrats Sage Mortimer."