LIMA, Peru — Campbellsville University women’s wrestling alum Kayla Miracle dominated her competition and won her first gold medal at the Pan American Games for Team USA.
She is the first graduate of Campbellsville University to claim a Pan American title.
In her first match at 62 kg, Miracle, a 2016 Junior World bronze medalist, handled two-time Pan American champion and 2018 fifth-place World finisher Lais Nunes de Oliveira of Brazil.
Miracle showed off with two four-point takedowns, putting Nunes to her back and eventually getting the fall in 2:29.
To advance to the finals, Miracle registered another first-period pin in the semifinals over two-time Pan Am Championships gold medalist and 2015 Pan Am Games silver medalist Yakelin Estornell Elizastigue.
In the gold medal match, Miracle took on two-time Olympic bronze medalist Jackeline Renteria Castillo of Colombia.
In the finals, Renteria was put on the shot clock and unable to score allowing Miracle to gain a 1-0 lead. Then it exploded to a 7-0 lead after Miracle used a cradle for a takedown and added in two tilts. Another takedown gave her a 9-0 lead and crotch lift extended it to 11-0. Team Columbia threw their challenge brick, but the call stood the same allowing Miracle to win 12-0.
Miracle, a 2018 graduate of Campbellsville University, won four national championships while a Lady Tiger and led CU to its first national championship at the WCWA level in 2018.