Kennedy Blades is a young wrestler who was just 20-years-old at the time of the Paris Olympics 2024, however, she won a silver medal at the games in the women’s 76 kg freestyle competition. The doubles of her wrestling prowess that saw her reach the finals as well as the subsequent silver medal have assured her a special mention as the emerging American star to watch out for within the sporting fraternity.
Journey to the Finals
Kennedy Blades was part of the Paris Olympics 2024 tournament as an Arizona State University player, qualifying for the finals without being seeded. In close contests, she was able to defeat some of the leading players in the tournament. It started with a comprehensive 11-0 win against Romania's Catalina Axente, a bout in which Blades retained her footing and thrilled the spectators with her lifting and throwing prowess; a performance that was captured on video and shared on social media.
After this magnificent performance, Blades went on to duel with Milaimy Marin Potrille of Cuba in a closely fought match 4–3. Her biggest triumph was the victory against the first-seeded Aiperi Medet Kyzy of Kyrgyzstan, which she clinched in the last bout of the match, 8-6, and made her entry into the final.
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The Gold Medal Match
In the final, Blades was up against Japan’s Yuka Kagami, the current world champion and the No. 2 seed. The match was quite intense, and the audience could see that both participants were skillful as well as persistent. The final points of the bout were scored with only 1:22 left on the clock when Kagami executed a takedown that gave her two points and the win. Despite all the tough fights, though, Blades was unable to get the final points to reduce the deficit, and in the end, Kagami emerged as a 3-1 winner.
Looking at her silver medal, Blades had this to say, “It’s still a cool medal... I did want gold, of course. But second-best thing."
Kennedy Blades’ Background
Kennedy Blades' wrestling career started at the age of 7, where she began wrestling and was even defeating boys in Illinois youth wrestling tournaments. She remained a forceful wrestler during her youth and secured a place on the U.S. Olympic Trials team after she pinned Adeline Gray, the Olympic silver medalist from Tokyo.
Impact and Future Prospects
The silver medal won by Blades also gives her recognition as one of the most popular wrestlers from America and, more to that, young Latina athletes. She enrolled and will carry on with her wrestling career at the University of Iowa and has lofty dreams of participating in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Blades knows from personal experience in her career that there is a great future ahead of her with hard work, persistence, and determination for achievement in wrestling. She intends to store her silver medal, as she plans to give it to her parents upon completion of her next task.
the takaway
The Paris 2024 Olympic Games and silver medal for Kennedy Blades are historic victories that are making a new wrestling star. Even as she continues with her exercises, encouraging those around her, all will be waiting with bated breath for her future competitions, especially the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.