Wrestlers · Senior level
Adeline Gray
6x world champion; 2020 Tokyo Olympic silver medalist at 76 kg
Denver, CO · Bear Creek HS
By Joe Spisak, Pennsylvania state champion and 4x NCAA qualifier at Virginia · Published September 3, 2026
Adeline Gray was born January 15, 1991 in Denver, Colorado and started wrestling at six. She wrestled boys through high school, going 16-16 as a freshman on the Bear Creek High School varsity team. She went 20-10 at 135 pounds as a sophomore at Chatfield High School, then 20-7 as a junior, when she captained the boys' team.
Gray won the Junior World title at 67 kg in 2008 and Junior World silver at 67 kg in 2011. She skipped college wrestling and went straight to the senior circuit.
She took senior world bronze at 67 kg in 2011. In 2012 in Strathcona County she pinned Dorothy Yeats of Canada for her first world title at 67 kg. She won bronze at 72 kg in 2013. In 2014 in Tashkent she beat Aline da Silva of Brazil 2-1 for gold at 75 kg, and in 2015 in Las Vegas she beat Zhou Qian of China 13-2 to repeat. She placed seventh at 75 kg at the 2016 Rio Olympics, then won world titles at 76 kg in 2018 (13-1 over Yasemin Adar of Turkey) and 2019 (4-2 over Hiroe Minagawa of Japan). At the Tokyo Olympics on August 2, 2021 she lost the 76 kg final 7-3 to Aline Rotter-Focken of Germany for silver. On October 6, 2021 in Oslo she pinned Epp Mäe of Estonia at 5:58 for a sixth world title, a U.S. record.
After giving birth to twins in July 2022, she won world bronze at 76 kg in Belgrade in 2023 over Milaimys Marin Potrille of Cuba 10-6. At the 2024 Olympic Trials she lost the 76 kg final series to Kennedy Blades 11-6 and 8-3. She serves on USA Wrestling's Athlete Advisory Council as the women's freestyle representative through 2028, and on the USA Wrestling Board of Directors. On July 18, 2026 she won her Real American Freestyle debut over Skylar Grote 5-2 in Milwaukee.
Competing for Real American Freestyle, where she won her July 18, 2026 debut in Milwaukee. She serves on USA Wrestling's Athlete Advisory Council as the women's freestyle representative through 2028 and is a member of the USA Wrestling Board of Directors.
Results
| Season | Level | Event | Weight | Place | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HS | High school | Colorado high school varsity, boys' teams | 130-140 lb | 16-16 (Bear Creek, fr.), 20-10 (Chatfield, so., 135 lb), 20-7 (Chatfield, jr., team captain). Wrestled boys' teams | |
| 2008 | Age group | Junior World Championships | 67 kg | 1st | |
| 2011 | Senior | World Championships | 67 kg | 3rd | |
| 2012 | Senior | World Championships, Strathcona County | 67 kg | 1st | pinned Dorothy Yeats (CAN) in the final |
| 2013 | Senior | World Championships | 72 kg | 3rd | |
| 2014 | Senior | World Championships, Tashkent | 75 kg | 1st | def. Aline da Silva (BRA) 2-1 |
| 2015 | Senior | World Championships, Las Vegas | 75 kg | 1st | def. Zhou Qian (CHN) 13-2 |
| 2016 | Senior | Olympic Games, Rio de Janeiro | 75 kg | 7th | |
| 2018 | Senior | World Championships | 76 kg | 1st | def. Yasemin Adar (TUR) 13-1 |
| 2019 | Senior | World Championships | 76 kg | 1st | def. Hiroe Minagawa (JPN) 4-2 |
| 2021 | Senior | Olympic Games, Tokyo | 76 kg | 2nd | lost final 7-3 to Aline Rotter-Focken (GER), Aug. 2, 2021 |
| 2021 | Senior | World Championships, Oslo | 76 kg | 1st | fall over Epp Mäe (EST) at 5:58, 6-4; sixth world title, U.S. record |
| 2023 | Senior | World Championships, Belgrade | 76 kg | 3rd | def. Milaimys Marin Potrille (CUB) 10-6 for bronze; lost 4-1 to Yuka Kagami (JPN) |
| 2024 | Senior | U.S. Olympic Team Trials | 76 kg | 2nd | lost best-of-three final to Kennedy Blades 11-6, 8-3 |
| 2026 | Senior | Real American Freestyle RAF11, Milwaukee | Women's Cruiserweight | Win | def. Skylar Grote 5-2, July 18, 2026; first Women's Cruiserweight bout in RAF |
What we could not confirm
Anything not on this page, a high school record, a final score, a season, was left out because no primary source stated it when this was written. If you have a bracket, a program, or a clipping, send it and the page gets the number.
Sources
- https://www.themat.com/profiles/adeline-gray · Born Jan. 15, 1991 in Denver; Bear Creek HS, Lakewood, three years varsity under Steve Burdick; Junior Nationals titles 2007-09; Junior Worlds gold 2008 (67 kg), 9th 2009, silver 2011 (67 kg); University Worlds gold 2012 (72 kg); senior worlds placements by year and weight; Rio 7th at 75 kg; did not compete collegiately; UCCS and DeVry
- https://www.teamusa.com/profiles/adeline-gray · Hometown Denver; six world golds (2012, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021), three bronzes (2011, 2013, 2023); Tokyo silver 76 kg, Rio 7th 75 kg; listed role assistant women's wrestling coach at Wyoming Seminary; married Damaris Sanders 2017
- https://uww.org/athletes/gray-adeline-maria · UWW results: Tokyo silver 76 kg, Rio 7th 75 kg, world golds 2014/2015 (75) and 2018/2019/2021 (76), bronze 2023; Pan Am titles
- https://www.usawmembership.com/senior_national_teams?bio=1033 · Residence Colorado Springs; Junior World champion 2008; ninth 2009; Junior World silver 2011; wrestled varsity three years at Bear Creek for Steve Burdick
- https://espn.com/espn/wire?id=17190565§ion=oly · High school records vs boys: 16-16 freshman at Bear Creek, 20-10 at 135 lb sophomore at Chatfield, 20-7 junior as captain of boys' team; started wrestling at 6, coached by father and uncle
- https://www.themat.com/news/2019/october/24/throwback-thursday-adeline-grays-first-world-title-bout · 2012 world final: pinned Dorothy Yeats (CAN) at 67 kg, Strathcona County
- https://www.win-magazine.com/2014/09/11/gray-grabs-first-gold-medal-for-united-states-at-worlds/ · 2014 world final in Tashkent: def. Aline da Silva (BRA) 2-1 at 75 kg
- https://www.flowrestling.org/articles/14542755-every-us-womens-freestyle-world-olympic-gold-medal-run · World final scores: 2015 Zhou Qian 13-2; 2018 Yasemin Adar 13-1; 2019 Hiroe Minagawa 4-2; 2021 Epp Mae fall
- https://www.teamusa.com/news/2021/august/02/wrestler-adeline-gray-comes-up-short-in-76-kg-final-earns-first-olympic-medal · Tokyo final Aug. 2, 2021: lost 7-3 to Aline Rotter-Focken, 76 kg, first Olympic medal
- https://uww.org/article/wrestleoslo-gray-grabs-6th-world-title-teen-fujinami-lives-hype · Oslo Oct. 6, 2021: fall over Epp Maee at 5:58, 6-4, sixth world title, U.S. record, four pins
- https://www.teamusa.com/news/2021/october/06/adeline-gray-makes-history-with-record-sixth-wrestling-world-title · Oslo 2021 sixth title, first U.S. wrestler man or woman with six; from Colorado Springs
- https://www.themat.com/news/2023/september/20/kilty-wins-silver-maroulis-gray-hildebrandt-get-bronze-elor-qualifies-for-finals-bruntil-to-go-for-bronze · 2023 Belgrade bronze at 76 kg: def. Milaimys Marin Potrille 10-6, lost to Yuka Kagami 4-1; medal after giving birth to twins; nine world medals
- https://www.nbcolympics.com/news/adeline-gray-us-wrestling-legend-and-mother-hopes-inspire-others-even-after-olympic-trials · 2024 Olympic Trials: lost to Kennedy Blades 11-6 and 8-3 at 76 kg; twins born July 2022
- https://nwhof.org/national-wrestling-hall-of-fame/bio/15669 · National Wrestling Hall of Fame Colorado chapter Outstanding American award, 2025; wrestled on boys' team in Colorado; third child
- https://www.themat.com/news/2026/may/14/gray-smith-receive-aac-athlete-leadership-award-presented-by-the-greg-strobel-leadership-academy · AAC Athlete Leadership Award May 14, 2026; serves on USA Wrestling's Athlete Advisory Council as the women's freestyle representative through 2028; current member of the USA Wrestling Board of Directors; hometown given as Colorado Springs
- https://www.themat.com/news/2026/july/21/ben-askren-concludes-historic-wrestling-career-adeline-gray-and-trent-hidlay-pick-up-victories-at-raf11 · RAF11 July 18, 2026, Milwaukee: def. Skylar Grote 5-2, first RAF Women's Cruiserweight bout
- https://www.realamericanfreestyle.com/athletes/adeline-gray · RAF record 1-0; RAF11 win over Grote 5-2, takedowns 2-0
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