Kennedy Blades was only 17 when she reached the 2020 Olympic Trials finals. She fell in straight matches to eventual Olympic gold medalist Tamyra Mensah-Stock in the 68-kilogram best-of-three series, 12-4 and 8-1.

The 20-year-old star returned to wrestling's biggest domestic stage three years later.

Blades bested Skylar Grote 11-0, Dymond Guilford 11-1, and Yelena Makoyed 11-0 for the right to face six-time World champion Adeline Gray, 33, in the 76-kg finals. Blades bested Gray 12-2 in the 2023 US Open finals before Gray turned the tables at Final X with a come-from-behind 7-5 win and a second-period fall to make her 10th World team.

The 2020 Olympic silver medalist eventually won a bronze medal at the 2023 World Championships to earn a spot in the best-of-three finals. Blades won a silver medal at the 2023 U23 World Championships and a bronze in the U20 division after winning a Junior World title in 2021. 

Gray is seeking her third straight Olympic team.

Click here for full Olympic Trials results and brackets

Watch scoring highlights from the best-of-three series at 2023 Final X