2024 Olympian Blades to Wrestle for Iowa

For the second consecutive week, the University of Iowa’s women’s team announced a massive addition. Last week it was 2023 World silver medalist Macey Kilty. Today, Clarissa Chun’s team has signed 2024 Olympian Kennedy Blades. 

Blades earned her place on the 2024 Olympic Team by unseating the legendary Adeline Gray for the spot at 76 kg. She was able to defeat the 10x World/Olympic medalist in two straight matches, 11-6 and 8-3. 

Though the upcoming Olympic Games represent Blades’ first Senior World-level event, she has plenty of international experience. Blades has made world teams at the Cadet, Junior/U20, and U23 levels. Along the way, she won a gold medal at the 2021 Junior World Championships. Two years later, she returned and captured a bronze medal. Also in 2023, Blades was a silver medalist at the U23 World Championships. 

Blades and Kilty join an Iowa team that won an NCWWC national title in 2024, their first year of attached competition. 

The Hawkeyes captured all three national titles between 143 lbs and 170 lbs in 2024 - which is presumably where Blades would compete for Iowa. 

Blades has primarily trained at Arizona State with the Sunkist Kids but is originally from Chicago, Illinois, so a move to Iowa is much closer to home.