By Gary Abbott
USA Wrestling
MAKUHARI, Chiba, Japan – Adeline Gray (Colorado Springs, Colorado/New York AC/USOPTC) claimed the first wrestling medal for the United States at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 with a silver medal at 76 kg in women’s freestyle at Makuhari Messe Hall A on Monday night.

Gray was defeated in the gold-medal finals by 2014 World champion Aline Rotter Focken of Germany, 7-3. She becomes the sixth U.S. wrestler to earn an Olympic medal in women’s freestyle since the sport joined the Olympic program in 200

Rotter Focken scored first to lead 1-0, after Gray was placed on the shot clock and could not score in the required 30 seconds. Late in the period, Gray secured a single leg but Rotter Focken was able to counter the move and score two points and take a 3-0 lead into the break.

In the second period, Rotter Focken extended her lead with a four-point takedown to lead 7-0. Gray got things rolling later in the period, forcing a stepout for a point, then adding a takedown with 26 seconds to close it to 7-3. Gray was unable to turn Rotter Focken after the takedown, and did not score in the closing seconds with the wrestlers on their feet.

Rotter Focken became Germany’s first women’s freestyle Olympic medalist after her victory in the semifinals on Sunday, then became its nation’s first women’s freestyle Olympic champion tonight.

Gray won three matches on Sunday to qualify for the gold-medal bout. She opened with a pin over Zaineb Sghaier of Tunisia in 2:11, then stopped 2017 World champion Yasemin Adar of Turkey, 6-4 in the quarterfinals. Her semifinals win was over Aiperi Medet Kyzy of Kyrgyzstan, 3-2.

This is Gray’s second Olympic appearance, after placing seventh at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Gray won World titles in 2012, 2014, 2015, 2018 and 2019, and also boasts two World bronze medals. She is the only U.S. wrestler to own five Senior World titles. Add in her Olympic silver medal, and Gray now has eight World or Olympic medals during her illustrious career.Gray also boasts University and Junior World titles.

She is a native of Denver, Colo., and lives in Colorado Springs, Colo. She also trains with the Beaver Dam RTC.

The United States clinched a second women’s freestyle medal for the Tokyo Games earlier in the evening when 2019 World champion Tamyra Mensah Stock powered her way into the 68 kg finals with a victory in Monday night’s semifinals.

OLYMPIC GAMES WRESTLING
At Makuhari, Chiba, Japan, August 2

U.S. women’s freestyle results
76 kg – Adeline Gray (Colorado Springs, Colorado/USOPTC/New York AC/Beaver Dam RTC), silver medal
WIN Zaineb Sghaier (Tunisia), pin 2:11
WIN Yasemin Adar (Turkey), 6-4
WIN Aiperi Medet Kyzy (Kyrgyzstan), 3-2
LOSS Aline Rotter Focken (Germany), 7-3

Group One women’s freestyle final results
76 kg
Gold – Aline Rotter Focken (Germany)
Silver - Adeline Gray (USA)
Bronze - Zhou Qian (China)
Bronze - Yasemin Adar (Turkey)
5th - Aiperi Medet Kyzy (Kyrgyzstan)
5th - Hiroe Minagawa (Japan)
7th – Natalia Vorobieva (ROC)
8th - Epp Maee (Estonia)
9th - Vasilisa Marzaliuk (Belarus)
10th - Samar Amer Ibrahim Hamza (Egypt)
Gold – Aline Rotter Focken (Germany) dec. Adeline Gray (USA), 7-3
Bronze – Yasemin Adar (Turkey) pin Aiperi Medet Kyzy (Kyrgyzstan), 1:24
Bronze - Zhou Qian (China) pin Hiroe Minagawa (Japan), 2:304.