Gray first American to win five world titles

Denver’s Adeline Gray, who has dominated women’s wrestling for the better part of a decade, made history Thursday by becoming the first American to win five world championship titles.

Gray, a graduate of Bear Creek High School, defeated two-time bronze medalist Hiroe Minagawa Suzuki of Japan 4-2 at the world championships in Kazakhstan. With her fifth world gold, Gray broke a tie for most U.S. world titles at four with John Smith, Tricia Saunders and Jordan Burroughs. Burroughs could win another this weekend.

Gray, 28, figures to be a major player next year at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

“When you’re becoming that person that breaks records and (is) making legends instead of just hall-of-fame-type stuff, she’s making her mark again,” said her father George, a Denver police officer who was in Kazakhstan to watch Adeline compete. “She’s beat up and sore and hurting all the time, but we know that’s the sport. When you get this age, it hurts more and more. She’s 28, we still think that’s pretty prime (age). She was able to win early on in her career. The longevity of this is amazing.”

Gray previous won world titles in 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2018. She claimed bronze medals in 2011 and 2013.

The only thing she lacks is an Olympic medal. She failed to make the Olympic team in 2012 and was upset in the quarterfinals at the Rio Games in 2016. She didn’t make excuses that day, but disclosed months later that she injured one of her shoulders a month before Rio. Surgery to repair the damage prevented her from competing in the 2017 world championships.

Gray no longer is based at the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, her longtime home away from home. She has a home in Georgia with her husband, U.S. Army Capt. Damaris Sanders, but spends most of her time traveling.