The 2024 Paris Olympic Games forever changed how the University of Iowa's Kennedy Blades approached her stardom.
Before the opening ceremony, the unranked wrestler in her first Olympic Games tried to meet all of her favorite iconic athletes, asking for pictures and autographs.
She saw an athlete she had idolized for a long time and asked to take a picture, but the athlete glared at her and told her "no pictures," turning around and walking away.
"I was sad because I really looked up to this person, and it hurt me so bad. So, yeah, I went back to my room and cried a lot," she said.
After drying her tears, Blades made a promise to herself.
"That feeling I had, I just would never wish it upon anyone else," she said. "So every single time anyone comes up to me asking for an autograph or a picture, I always do it."
Kennedy Blades takes time to meet with every single fan who approaches her, even if there are up to 100 people lined up after her matches.
Blades went on to win a silver medal in Paris, an accomplishment building on her budding status as an icon in women's wrestling. After returning from the Games, she dominated her junior year at Iowa with an undefeated record, a national collegiate title and the USA Wrestling Women's College Wrestler of the Year award. Up to 100 people waited in line to request autographs after every match.
Years before Blades achieved wrestling stardom, her parents, Saul Pulido and Cindy Ramos, had a problem: Their daughters, Kennedy and Korina, would not stop fighting.
At first, Saul taught Kennedy, 4, and Korina, 3, how to box. This led to giving each other black eyes and bloody noses, plus some concerned calls from their day care provider.
"We weren't the greatest kids," Kennedy said. "We would get into trouble, so my parents needed to figure out how to basically get our energy out because we were so hyper. They thought a combat sport would be perfect."
Saul and Cindy enrolled the girls in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, a mixed martial arts practice. Saul would run the girls through drills every day. Within a year, Kennedy and Korina were winning national tournaments in competitions against boys — not many girls participated in combative sports at age 5.
When Kennedy was 7, Saul and Cindy decided the girls should try wrestling because it offered opportunities like the Olympics and college scholarships.
Within the first week, Kennedy became a wrestler.
Cindy worked overtime to fund tournament fees and competition trips. Saul took the girls on the hourlong drive to practice and ran them through two extra hours of drills when they returned home.
"As much of an individual sport as wrestling is, it really takes a team to accomplish a lot of success, especially success that I've had. The backbone really is my family,??" Blades reflected.
In high school, two years out from the 2024 Olympics, Blades decided to pursue college wrestling, committing to Arizona State.
"I knew education was so important, no matter what. My parents always said your career could end any time, so you still need a backup plan for education," she said.
At Arizona State, Blades trained for her college season and the Olympics. In 2024, Blades earned a bid to Paris and made it to the final match in the 76-kilogram freestyle.
"I took silver, which I wish I got gold, but I'm very happy I still brought a medal," she said.
When Blades returned from the Olympics, her club at Arizona State shut down, forcing her to transfer schools. She looked for a school that would challenge her work ethic, dedication and goals.
"University of Iowa is perfect. Coach (Clarissa) Chun's an Olympic bronze medalist. Coach Tonya (Verbeek) is a three-time Olympic medalist. Coach Gary (Mayabb) has worked with multiple senior world athletes. And then there's a lot of great girls here, so I was like, 'OK, is this the place I want to be?' And my answer, before I even finished my question, was 'yes.'"
Blades earned her spot as the top women's collegiate wrestler, becoming a role model. For Blades, "Wrestling is for everyone, no matter the age, no matter the race, no matter the gender."
For Blades, the decision to go to Iowa changed her career trajectory.
"It was such an amazing decision, and it still is," Blades added.
Recently, another goal has been added to her list.
"Then the best news ever, which is the NCAA is to make women's wrestling the 91st sport for NCAA Championships," Blades said of the milestone she did not think would be accomplished during her college eligibility.
"So when that was announced, I was like, 'Oh my gosh, we can win the iconic trophy one day.'"
As a coach, Chun also welcomes the championship, which will take place in Coralville, Iowa, in March.
"Every one of our women want the opportunity to compete on the biggest stage and have the notoriety of the ability to be considered an NCAA champion," Chun said. "Kennedy, I admire. She's an Olympic silver medalist and a world bronze medalist at the senior age group and aspiring to be an Olympic gold and world gold medalist. Yet she still wants to have that NCAA national champion title behind her."
The road to the NCAA championship is another step in an illustrious career for the wrestler.
"It just gets even better, year after year. I took silver, but then now I came to this amazing school and now I actually get to accomplish a dream that I've seen ever since I was a little girl, the iconic NCAA championship."
Last season, Blades won the 160-pound title in the National Collegiate Women's Wrestling Championship, which was organized by the Women's Collegiate Wrestling Coalition and will be replaced by the NCAA championship this season.
For Blades, competing in an NCAA championship symbolizes the growth and popularity of women's wrestling.
"When I was a girl, there were only guys to compete against. There was no choice. It's either you wrestle against guys or forget the sport. So seeing how far it came and how many sanctioned states there are for women's wrestling is mind-blowing," Blades said. "I'm just so happy to be a part of it."
But Blades is not just a part of it. She is helping to lead it, a role she did not expect.
"Since women's wrestling boomed, obviously girls want to see who they can look up to, what wrestling style they can adapt to."
Blades' style of aggressive offense, earning points through throws and double leg takedowns, creates a fast pace that has earned her success at all levels.
Chun has relished the growth of women's wrestling — with Blades front and center.
"It's bigger than any one of us. She's doing it for the growth of women's wrestling, being who she is. I love that. I love that she has a lot of eyes on her, a lot of visibility because she's earned it. She deserves that. She works hard to be able to pour a lot of who she is out there to showcase what women's wrestling looks like."
Blades' drive to become a positive role model stems from not necessarily seeing others like her growing up — tall, Afro-Latina followers of Christ. She also hopes her discipline guides others. A business and marketing major, she prioritizes turning in class assignments on time, studying every day and sleeping eight hours a night.
"I carry the sport in my lifestyle," she said.
Blades points to a fan during a packed college wrestling match.
After her matches, Blades typically greets those waiting to meet her, get her signature and make a TikTok video with her. She said Iowa students and visitors will see her from across campus and run over to her to take a picture, and a line usually forms.
Even though her celebrity status has been an adjustment, she makes time for every fan.
"I can relate to many stories and give them my opinions or advice," she said. "Honestly, every single time I do it, it just makes me want to become a better person."
Blades continues to be intentional with each fan interaction, keeping the vow she made after her Olympic idol turned her away.
"I don't want them to feel the way I did. Even though sometimes it does get overwhelming, I'm still like, 'No, I want to do this for them 'cause they're amazing people and they're my fans. They're people that help me become a better person, so let me give back to them, too.'"
For now, Blades has her eyes set on a gold medal at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and, of course, chasing that iconic NCAA championship trophy.
