U.S. women’s freestyle wrestler Kennedy Blades delivered a suplex so perfect during Saturday’s festivities in Paris that it would have brought a tear to Brock Lesnar’s eye.
While most of the world was talking about the gold medal-winning performance of Algeria’s Imane Khelif, the 20-year-old Blades stepped on the mat for her highly anticipated debut at this year’s Summer Olympics. Squaring off with Romania’s Catalina Axente in the women’s freestyle 76kg division, the 20-year-old Chicago native delivered one of the most dominant performances of the 2024 Games punctuated by landing a massive suplex on her opponent..
You may have see this in movies but this is reality. 🤯
Kennedy Blades hits Romania's Catalina Axente with an absolutely brutal German Suplex in their women's freestyle 76kg match.
I hope see is fine!#Paris2024 #wrestling pic.twitter.com/4BhPspnjMI
— Sports With Naveen (@sportscey) August 10, 2024
What followed was a scary scene as Axente was left badly injured. Olympic officials rushed in and eventually carried her off on a stretcher.
Blades won the match 11-0.
Kennedy Blades Takes Home Silver After Coming Up Short Against Japan’s Yuka Kagami
Following the win over Axente, Blades went on to defeat Milaimys Marin from Cuba in a tight 4-3 victory to move onto the semifinals where she bested Aiperi Medet Kyzy from Kyrgyzstan 8-6 and claimed her spot in the gold medal match.
Blades came up short of taking home gold, suffering a 3-1 loss to Japan’s Yuka Kagami on Sunday. Still, it was an impressive run for the Iowa Hawkeye’s first Olympics. She entered the 33rd Olympiad as the second youngest member of the U.S. Olympic wrestling team behind 2024 gold medalist Amit Elor, who is just four months younger.
#Silver for USA. 🇺🇸
Kennedy Blades takes second place in the women’s freestyle wrestling 76kg category.@TeamUSA | @wrestling | #Wrestling | #Paris2024 | #Samsung | #TogetherForTomorrow pic.twitter.com/Wa5aCLyICW
— The Olympic Games (@Olympics) August 11, 2024
Blades is coached by Izzy Martinez, one of MMA’s most prominent coaches, known for working with former world champions including Holly Holm and Jon Jones. Holm was in attendance on Saturday to show her support.
