On Wednesday (Oct 5) at the 2021 World Wrestling Championships in Oslo, Norway, Gray won her sixth world title, becoming the first American wrestler (of any gender, in any style) to accomplish the feat.
Gray’s opponent in Wednesday’s 76kg gold medal match – Estonia’s Epp Mae – took the early lead and was winning 4-0 with two minutes remaining. Gray worked her way back to take a 6-4 lead, and then pinned Mae for the win in the final seconds of the match.
Gray is the first U.S. wrestler of any style or gender to win six Senior World titles in a career. Two nights ago (Oct 3), men’s freestyle superstar Jordan Burroughs won his fifth career Senior World title, to tie Gray in the standings. The ink in the record book did not even have a chance to dry before Gray set the record at six.
What excited Gray the most is that she pinned all four of her opponents in this tournament, the first time in her storied career that she got falls in all of her matches at a Senior World Championships.
Gray now has nine total World and Olympic medals. This includes her six Senior World titles, her 2020 Olympic silver medal and two Senior World bronze medals. A native of Denver, Colo., she is one of the greatest athletes produced in the history of the state.
Gray becomes the first U.S. woman to win a gold medal at the 2021 World Championships.
According to teamusa.org; onherturf.nbcsports.com. Source of photo: internet
