Story by Taylor Miller, USA Wrestling
 
BYDGOSZCZ, Poland – Americans Kayla Miracle and Amy Fearnside wrapped up their 2017 U23 World Championships on Friday night by each taking fifth place.
 
Both wrestlers dropped heartbreakers in their bronze-medal matches, losing by a combined three points.
 
Two-time Junior World bronze medalist and 2017 U.S. National Team member Miracle (Campbellsville, Ky./Sunkist Kids) fell to Tetiana Olmechenko of Azerebaijan, who won the 2017 Islamic Solidarity Games earlier this year, in the 60 kg/132 lbs. bronze match.
 
Miracle led 4-0 at the break, thanks to a double she shot, lifting her opponent in the air and putting her to her back for four. In the second period, she began to separate herself, going up 10-2 at one point.
 
Olmechenko closed in on Miracle's lead with a takedown and two sets of exposure. With 14 seconds left, Olmechenko was awarded four points and Miracle worked her way to a reversal for a point, but it was not enough as the clock ran out.
 
USA challenged the four-pointer but lost the challenge, resulting in an additional point for Olmechenko, who took the bronze medal with a 13-11 decision.
 
"It kind of seemed like I went into this autopilot mode," Miracle said. "I didn't know exactly what to do. Her stance was weird and her attacks were weird. I just didn't know how to react. I just didn't wrestle my match in the second period. It's all a process. You can do everything right, but you're not promised anything. My day will come. I just have to keep grinding it out, and one day it will happen."
 
Miracle had a solid first session, claiming wins over Therese Persson of Sweden, who won a Junior World bronze in 2015 and Cadet World silver in 2012, as well as Francesca Indelicato of Italy, who won bronze at the 2015 Senior Mediterranean Championships.
 
Earlier in the day, Kayla Miracle escaped Sweden's Therese Persson, a two-time age-group World medalist before advancing throughout the bracket.
 
Persson held off Miracle's offense in the first period, taking a 1-0 lead into the break. Early in the second period, Miracle scored with a snap down to a go-behind takedown. She was on the board again with less than 10 seconds on the clock whipping Persson over for two-point exposure, sealing a 4-1 victory.
 
The quarterfinals was a similar situation as Miracle was slow to get to her offense, carrying only a 2-0 lead into the break over 2015 Senior Mediterranean Championships bronze medalist Francesca Indelicato of Italy. In the second period, the American turned it up a notch with three takedowns and a set of exposure points for a 10-0 technical fall.
 
Miracle went head-to-head against 2011 Cadet World champion Yui Sakano of Japan in the semifinals. The two met earlier this year at the 20th Annual Dave Schultz Memorial International with Miracle taking the win.
 
This time, Sakano shut down Miracle's offense, emerging victorious, scoring on passivity, step out and a failed USA challenge for a 3-0 win.
 
Miracle will now return to the states and join the Lady Tigers for the Mid-South Conference Championship on Saturday, Dec. 2 in Williamsburg, Ky.