NUR-SULTAN, Kazakhstan – Linda Morais won gold and was crowned World Champion in the 59 kg weight-class at the 2019 Senior World Championships.

Morais, 26, defeated Liubov Ovcharova of Russia in the gold medal match with a pin to claim victory.

“You put your heart and your soul into this sport, you dream about this moment, but when it happens, I don’t know how to act, I don’t know it feels amazing,” said the Montreal Wrestling Club athlete.

Ovcharova appeared to be in control of the match and held a 6-1 lead at the two-minute mark. Morais scored on an exposure and was able to secure the victory by fall.

“I caught her on her back, I was honestly just thinking just wait it out. I just tried to hold it and breathe.”

Linda Morais’ comeback win to become World Champion 👑 #WrestleNurSultan https://t.co/A8up7TSzzl

— Wrestling Canada Lutte (@WrestlingCanada) September 19, 2019

On Wednesday, Morais, of Tecumseh, Ont., defeated Shoovdor Baatarjav of Mongolia in the semifinals to earn a spot in the gold medal match.

The medal is Morais’ second at the World Championship level. In 2016, Morais captured bronze at 60 kg.

Lappage drops back-and-forth quarterfinal

Danielle Lappage of the Calgary Dinos Wrestling Club lost a close 68 kg quarterfinal bout with Alla Cherksova of Ukraine, in which the lead changed five times.

Lappage, a silver medallist at 65 kg at the 2018 World Championships, was unable to hang onto her 7-6 lead, and was taken down with 16 seconds to go to lose the match 7-8.

“I felt so good today, so I was so certain that I was not only going to make the finals but win the finals. I’m really disappointed in myself,” said the 28-year-old. “At the very end there I let her get on my legs too easily. It sucks.”

Lappage on her back-and-forth quarterfinal loss to Alla Cherkasova of Ukraine.

“I felt so good today, so I was so certain that I was not only going to make the finals but win the finals. I’m really dissapointed in myself.”

She’s hoping to get back into tomorrow’s repechage. pic.twitter.com/HJFbpyuxSo

— Wrestling Canada Lutte (@WrestlingCanada) September 19, 2019

Lappage, of Old, Alta., defeated Feng Zhou of China 9-4, and Bulgaria’s Sofiya Georgieva 10-0 to secure her spot in the quarterfinal.

The three other Canadians competing on Thursday, Ana Godinez, Darthe Capellan, and Dillon Williams made it to the 1/8 finals in in their weight-classes, but failed to advance to the quarterfinals.

Godinez just missed out on a spot in the 62 kg quarterfinals. The Burnaby Mountain Wrestler lost the 1/8 final 2-1 to Mongolian Gantuya Enkhbat. The 19-year-old senior team rookie defeated Vietnam’s Thi My Hanh Nguyen 10-4 to advance.

Capellan, also of Burnaby Mountain, lost to Serbian Stevan Micic 11-1 in the 57 kg 1/8 final. In the 1/16 final, the 23-year-old took down Junjun Asebias of Micronesia by technical superiority 11-0.

Williams, 24, fell to the top-seeded wrestler at 65 kg, Selahattin Kilicsallayan of Turkey 11-1. The Team Impact wrestler defeated Dzhamshed Sharifov 6-0 in his first match of the day.

The competition resumes tomorrow with three more men competing for Canada. Vince De Marinis (70 kg), Jasmit Phulka (74 kg), and Korey Jarvis (125 kg) will step on the mats tomorrow.

Complete results and webcasts are available here.