Kennedy Blades named USA Wrestling Athlete of the Week presented by U.S. Air Force Special Warfare

Kennedy Blades (Chicago, Ill./Sunkist Kids WC) has been named the USA Wrestling Athlete of the Week, presented by U.S. Air Force Special Warfare, on April 24, 2024.

Blades earned a spot on her first Olympic Team at just 20 years old after sweeping Adeline Gray in the best-of-three championship series. She won the matches 11-6 and 8-3 over 2020 Olympic silver medalist and six-time Senior World Champion Gray.

In the challenge tournament, Blades dominated her competition at 76 kg. She won all three matches by technical fall, outscoring her opponents a combined 33-1. Her wins included an11-0 quarterfinal win over Skylar Grote, an 11-1 semifinal win over Dymond Guilford, and an 11-0 challenge tournament finals win over Yelena Makoyed.

In 2023, Blades won two age-group World medals, including a U20 bronze and a U23 silver. This is the first Olympic berth for the Chicago native.

Blades has long been one of the United States’ brightest young women’s wrestlers. In addition to her 2023 medals, she won a U17 World gold medal in 2018 and a U20 World gold medal in 2021. She also reached the best-of-three championship finals at the 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Fort Worth, Texas.

To nominate a wrestler for this honor please email the athlete's name, wrestling program, weekly accomplishments, and career accolades to communications@usawrestling.org.