Adeline Gray, a five-time world wrestling champion, finally won an Olympic medal after years of hard work, but the colour wasn’t what she had hoped for.
Freestyle 76kg Olympic Games Tokyo 2020
After getting down 7-0 early in the second session of the women’s 76 kg. gold-medal match at Makuhari Messe Hall, Gray ultimately lost 7-3 against Aline Rotter-Focken of Germany. Six of those points for Rotter-Focken came from successful counterattacks.
Gray responded, “You don’t come to lose, but I came out here to fight; and I gave it my all; and I took some shots; and I went in there and struggled; and she threw me off; and regrettably, I did not come out on top.
I’m Still Bringing Home Silver From the Olympics, and it Makes Me So Happy.
Rotter-Focken, who is 30 years old, had already stated that she would be leaving the Olympics after this one. As the first German woman to win an Olympic wrestling gold medal, she makes history. In 2014, she won the women’s 69-kilogram freestyle category at the World Championships.
Gray, a 30-year-old Denverite, advanced to the title match by beating Kyrgyzstan’s Aiperi Medet Kyzy, 3-2, in the semis. Gray had previously defeated Yasemin Adar of Turkey by a score of 6-4 in the final round and Zaineb Sghaier of Tunisia by technical fall.
Gray, who took the loss with class, expressed satisfaction with the progress made in women’s wrestling and stated she values her role as a role model for young women.
Sadly, “I didn’t dream large enough,” Gray admitted. I had no idea that I could still compete at a high level in sports after reaching my 30s. I had no idea it was possible to have a husband and a successful profession at the same time.
To be honest, I didn’t let myself go to my full potential when I was younger because I didn’t think these things were feasible.
Last Words
“So, I hope all the little girls watching truly realise that they can go and obtain master’s degrees, that they can go and win Olympic medals, that they can go and have balance in their lives, focusing on very significant things,” she said.
