Since winning the Olympic Trials, life has has been a little crazy for world-champion wrestler, Adeline Gray. On a bright Tuesday afternoon Gray was running around to and from promotion events, interviews and sightseeing excursions—not to mention celebrations: She had just finished her business degree at DeVry. With all of the commotion, Gray hasn’t got her training in like she wanted to and she had a match on Thursday for an international wrestling exhibition in the middle of Times Square. She was nervous, but all of this running around was worth it because Gray was getting the chance to tell her story, and the attention is well-deserved.
Right now, Gray is the number one wrestler in the world and a three-time world champion. She has been undefeated in the 75-kilogram (165-pound) weight class since February of 2014, making her the Serena Williams or Ronda Rousey of women’s wrestling. At just 25 years old, she is the face of Team USA, and she could be the first American woman to win gold at the 2016 Olympics in Rio.
Gray sat for an interview with Excelle Sports afterrushing back from a meeting with Shape Magazine. She was finishing a phone calledwith the Associated Press. With a smile, Gray talked fast, wearing a black t-shirt that said “Gray to Gold.” She has already branded herself as an Olympic medalist. The sheen of her goldsneakers winked like the hint of a transformation.
“Hello!” As soon as she hung up, Gray sat down at the conference room table and opened up a bag of takeout. She hadn’t had food for most of the day and didn’t want to be “hangry” for this interview.
“Are you eating Thai food?” I asked.
“I think all I have to offer you is rice but…” she laughed—on the brink of hangry and yet stillfriendly.Her blue jeans and long, brown fishtail braids gave her the laid-back charm of a girl from Colorado.
Gray has been wrestling since she was six years old. She’s the eldest daughter of a Denver police officer who dreamt of being a t-ball dad or a football coach—or at least something involved with his boys’ sports.
But he had four girls instead.
To read the full article written by Adele Jackson-Gibson, please visit Excelle Sports.
