Rising US women's wrestling program poised to challenge Japan for supremacy
PARIS (AP) — Kennedy Blades was one match away from achieving her dream of wrestling for the United States at the Olympics.
For the dream to come true, the 20-year-old needed to get past Adeline Gray — a six-time world champion and a silver medalist at the Tokyo Olympics — at the trials in April.
Blades defeated Gray, one of the most decorated American women's wrestlers, to punch her ticket to Paris in the 76-kilogram category.
Blades remembered losing to eventual gold medalist Tamyra Mensah-Stock in the finals of the trials as a 17-year-old in 2021. Three years later, it was her time.
“I didn’t want to regret anything,” Blades said. “I didn’t want to regret not shooting. I didn’t want to regret letting my mind get in the way, stuff like that. So I just went in there confident and excited and ready to show off to the world what I’m capable of.”
Blades' breakthrough offers a snapshot of the sport's emergence in the United States. The depth is improving — spots aren't guaranteed anymore. And even without some of the big names of the past — Mensah-Stock, who moved on to World Wrestling Entertainment, and Gray — this team could exceed the U.S.-record four medals it won in Tokyo.
Eventually, the Americans hope to surpass Japan, the most successful country. Japan won four of the six women’s gold medals in Tokyo and in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games.
Terry Steiner, the U.S. women’s coach since 2002, said Japan probably doesn’t see the Americans as a rival yet, but that may change soon. Girls' wrestling is America’s fastest-growing high school sport, and the NCAA said women’s wrestling is on track to make the jump from emerging sport to championship-level sport in 2026.
“I do think because of our infrastructure and because of our growth and the opportunities within the U.S. at the high school and collegiate level that have grown at a rate that it had never projected, I think that we are in a position that it’s inevitable,” Steiner said of surpassing Japan. “I don’t know when that moment is going to happen when we overtake them. But I do see it happening at sometime in the not-so-distant future.”
Steiner said the depth started to take shape six years ago, and now, the U.S. is a world power. Blades and 20-year-old Amit Elor are threats for gold. Elor, the U.S. qualifier at 68 kg, already is a two-time world champion.
“I think that USA women’s wrestling is in a position that we shouldn’t ever be rebuilding, we should just be reloading,” he said. “And if you make the U.S. team, you’re ready to win.”
Sarah Hildebrandt (50 kg), an Olympic bronze medalist in Tokyo, said Elor and Blades bring energy and confidence to the team.
“The young’uns on our team are just so cool, calm and collected,” the 30-year-old Hildebrandt said. “I swear, they’re calmer than I am, and they show us cool TikTok dances. So it’s definitely added a lot to the team.”
While young talent has emerged, some veterans remain.
Helen Maroulis, the oldest member of the team at age 32, looks to become the first U.S. woman to win two gold medals. She won the first gold for a U.S. woman in 2016 and earned bronze in Tokyo, and she'll try again at 57 kg.
Hildebrandt has medaled in four world championship events.
Twenty-seven-year-old Dominique Parrish (53 kg) was a world champion in 2023. Twenty-eight-year-old Kayla Miracle (62 kg) won silver in the world championships in 2022 and 2023.
“I don’t think we have anyone on our team that’s going there to come home empty-handed,” Steiner said. "They’re going there for a reason, not just to enjoy the Games. And so we feel strong about it and we feel like, you know, this is inevitable. You know, you’re going to have superstars left behind because Father Time catches up. And the young ones are pushing.”
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AP Summer Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games
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