When Adeline Gray stepped on the wrestling mat in high school against a male competitor, she got his attention pretty quickly.
She grabbed her opponent, and his “eyes opened up like saucers, like ‘holy cow, I’ve got to fight for my life,’” said her father, George.
Gray is all business on the mat, with a 38-0 winning streak the past two years against women. She started wrestling at 6, first coached by her dad and uncle near Denver, Colorado. She grappled with the boys in youth leagues through high school. Now, the three-time world champion will attempt to win the first gold for U.S. women’s wrestling on Aug. 18 in Rio.
“She has the ability to stay focused when the lights are on,” George Gray said. “She knows how to win.”
Gray won the majority of her high school matches against boys at 130-140 pounds. Now she’s coached by Terry Steiner, a former All-American wrestler at Iowa who leads the U.S. women’s national team.
To read the full article written by Melissa Murphy, please visit Associated Press.
