Helen Louise Maroulis (/məˈrlɪs/ mə-ROO-liss; born September 19, 1991)[1] is an American freestyle wrestler who competes in the women's 55-kg, 53-kg, and 57-kg categories. She was a gold medalist at the 2015 World Wrestling Championships in Las Vegas, Nevada and a gold medalist at the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico. At the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, she became the first-ever American to win a gold medal in women's freestyle wrestling at the Olympic Games.[2][3][4]

Helen Maroulis
Maroulis in 2016
Personal information
Full nameHelen Louise Maroulis
BornSeptember 19, 1991 (1991-09-19) (age 33)
Rockville, Maryland, U.S.
Alma materSimon Fraser University
Height5 ft 3 in (160 cm)
Sport
CountryUnited States
SportWrestling
Weight class57 kg
EventFreestyle
ClubSunkist Kids Wrestling Club
Coached byTerry Steiner
Medal record
Women's freestyle wrestling
Representing the  United States
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2016 Rio de Janeiro 53 kg
Bronze medal – third place 2020 Tokyo 57 kg
Bronze medal – third place 2024 Paris 57 kg
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2015 Las Vegas 55 kg
Gold medal – first place 2017 Paris 58 kg
Gold medal – first place 2021 Oslo 57 kg
Silver medal – second place 2012 Canada 55 kg
Silver medal – second place 2022 Belgrade 57 kg
Bronze medal – third place 2014 Tashkent 55 kg
Bronze medal – third place 2023 Belgrade 57 kg
World Cup
Gold medal – first place 2013 Ulan-Baatar 55 kg
Silver medal – second place 2009 Taiyuan 51 kg
Pan American Games
Gold medal – first place 2011 Guadalajara 55 kg
Pan American Championships
Gold medal – first place 2012 Colorado Springs 55 kg
Gold medal – first place 2024 Acapulco 57 kg
Bronze medal – third place 2009 Maracaibo 55 kg
Golden Grand Prix
Gold medal – first place 2015 Baku 53 kg
Bronze medal – third place 2014 Baku 55 kg
Bronze medal – third place 2013 Baku 55 kg
Bronze medal – third place 2010 Klippan 55 kg
Golden Grand Prix Ivan Yarygin
Gold medal – first place 2022 Krasnoyarsk 57 kg
World Juniors Championships
Silver medal – second place 2011 Bucharest 55 kg
Bronze medal – third place 2010 Budapest 55 kg
Bronze medal – third place 2008 Istanbul 51 kg

Background

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Maroulis was born in Rockville, Maryland,[4] the daughter of Paula and Yiannis "John" Maroulis.[5] Her father is Greek.[6] She attended Magruder High School for three years, where as a freshman she became the first female wrestler to place at the Maryland state wrestling championships.[7] She was also named Most Outstanding Wrestler of a tournament, by pinning a senior boy who had won the year before, and finished high school with 99 career victories.[8]

She then moved to Marquette Senior High School in Marquette, Michigan and then went to join Missouri Baptist University women's wrestling team in Saint Louis, Missouri, before ultimately transferring to compete for Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada.[9] At the age-group level, Maroulis was a three-time Junior World medalist (bronze in 2008 & 2010, silver in 2011).[5]

As of 2014, she trained at the U.S. Olympic Education Center at Northern Michigan University.[5] Her grandparents emigrated to the United States from the Greek island Kalamos in the 1960s. Maroulis visited her father's island a few weeks after her victory at Rio, and was given an award by the local community.[10]

Rio Summer Olympics 2016

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Maroulis beat Japan's Saori Yoshida 4–1 to win a gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics. This was the first Olympic gold medal for the United States in a women's wrestling event.[11]

World Championship 2017

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Maroulis won her third consecutive gold medal at the world championships or Olympics defeating Olympic bronze medalist Marwa Amri of Tunisia in the finals of the 58-kilogram/128-pound weight class with an 11-0 technical fall.[12]

Pro Wrestling League

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On January 16, 2018, Pooja Dhanda defeated Maroulis in the Pro Wrestling League.[13][14]

World Championship 2018

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Maroulis was defeated in the first round by fall by Azerbaijan's Alyona Kolesnik, a shocking upset for the defending world and Olympic champion. The defeat has been attributed to a serious head injury (a concussion from a tournament in January 2018).[15] As Maroulis stated in post-match interview "I'm so used to telling someone, hey, don't touch my head." The injury was significant enough to cause Maroulis to delay her world team qualifier match, and significantly limited her live sparring prior to the event. It is reported that she was so limited by the injury that she only returned to live practice about 10 days before her rescheduled qualifying series.[16]

Tokyo Summer Olympics 2020

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Maroulis won a bronze medal by defeating Mongolia's Khongorzul Boldsaikhan after controversially losing to Risako Kawai of Japan in the 57 kg semifinals. With the bronze medal, Maroulis became the first female wrestler in U.S. history to win two Olympic medals.[17]

Ivan Yariguin Grand Prix 2022

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Maroulis won a gold medal in the 57 kg finals by forfeit as her opponent Olga Khoroshavtseva of Russia withdrew.[18][19]

2024

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In 2024, she won the gold medal in the women's 57 kg event at the Pan American Wrestling Championships held in Acapulco, Mexico.[20] She defeated Giullia Penalber of Brazil in her gold medal match.[20]

Also in 2024, she became the first female American wrestler to have qualified for three Olympics, upon qualifying for the 2024 Olympics.[21] She qualified for the Olympics at the 2024 United States Olympic trials held in State College, Pennsylvania.


Paris Summer Olympics 2024

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On 9 August, 2024, she won the bronze medal in the 57 kg women's freestyle wrestling event with a victory over Hannah Taylor of Canada.[22]

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu career

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Maroulis made her Brazilian jiu jitsu debut at the IBJJF No Gi World Championship 2024, where she competed in the lightweight blue belt division.[23] She won all five matches and a took a gold medal in her weight class.[24]

Match results

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World Championships & Olympics
Res. Record Opponent Score Date Event Location
2024 Olympic   at 57 kg
Win 35-8   Hannah Taylor 4-0 August 9, 2024 2024 Summer Olympics   Paris
Loss 34-8   Tsugumi Sakurai 4–10 August 8, 2024
Win 34-7   Alina Hrushyna 7-4
Win 33-7   Anshu Malik 7-2
2021 UWW world   at 57 kg
Win 32-7   Anshu Malik Fall October 7, 2021 2021 World Championship   Oslo
Win 31-7   Veronika Chumikova 10–1 October 6, 2021
Win 30-7   Jeannie Kessler Fall
2020 Olympic   at 57 kg
Win 29-7   Boldsaikhan Khongorzul 11-0 August 5, 2021 2020 Summer Olympics   Tokyo
Loss 28-7   Risako Kawai 1–2 August 4, 2021
Win 28-6   Tetyana Kit 8-0
Win 27-6   Rong Ningning 8-4
2018 UWW world 21st at 57 kg
Loss 26-7   Alyona Kolesnik Fall October 24, 2018 2018 World Championships   Budapest
2017 UWW world   at 58 kg
Win 26-6   Marwa Amri 11-0 August 23, 2017 2017 World Championship   Paris
Win 25-6   Michelle Fazzari 10-0
Win 24-6   Yessica Oviedo 11-0
Win 23-6   Elin Nilsson 10-0
Win 22-6   Hanbit Kim 10-0
2016 Olympic   at 53 kg
Win 21-6   Saori Yoshida 4-1 August 18, 2016 2016 Summer Olympics   Rio de Janeiro
Win 20-6   Sofia Mattsson Fall
Win 19-6   Jong Myong-suk 7-4
Win 18-6   Zhong Xuechun 10-0
Win 17-6   Yuliya Khalvadzhy 12-1
2015 UWW world   at 55 kg
Win 16-6   Irina Ologonova 11-0 September 10, 2015 2015 World Championship   Las Vegas, NV
Win 15-6   Pang Qianyu 5-0
Win 14-6   Evelina Nikolova fall
Win 13-6   Brenda Fernández 10-0
2014 UWW world   at 55 kg
Win 12-6   Katarzyna Krawczyk 10-0 September 10, 2014 2014 World Championship   Tashkent
Loss 11-6   Chiho Hamada 2-6
Win 11-5   Altansetsegiin Battsetseg fall
Win 10-5   Elverine Jiménez fall
2013 UWW world 7th at 55 kg
Loss 9-5   Mimi Hristova fall September 19, 2013 2013 World Championship   Budapest
Loss 9-4   Sofia Mattsson 6-7
Win 9-3   Phạm Thị Huệ fall
Win 8-3   Han Kum-ok fall
2012 UWW world   at 55 kg
Loss 7-3   Saori Yoshida fall September 28, 2012 2012 World Championship   Strathcona County, Alberta
Win 7-2   Brittanee Laverdure 5-0, 4-2
Win 6-2   Maria Prevolaraki 3-0, 2-0
Win 5-2   Nadzeya Mikhalkova fall
2011 UWW world 5th at 55 kg
Loss 4-2   Ida-Theres Nerell fall September 15, 2011 2011 World Championship   Istanbul
Win 4-1   Alma Valencia 5-0, 4-0
Win 3-1   Emriye Musta 6-2, 6-2
Loss 2-1   Saori Yoshida fall
Win 2–0   Valya Trandeva fall
Win 1–0   Aiyim Abdildina 6-0, 5-2

References

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  1. ^ "MAROULIS Helen Louis". Paris 2024 Olympics. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  2. ^ "Helen Maroulis to face Venezuela's Marcia Andrades at Beat The Streets". The Open Mat. May 4, 2014. Archived from the original on May 8, 2014. Retrieved May 7, 2014.
  3. ^ Goldich, Mitch (July 19, 2021). "Q&A: Helen Maroulis's Difficult Path Back to the Olympics". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved March 19, 2022.
  4. ^ a b Woodyatt, Amy (April 11, 2023). "Helen Maroulis: Concussions left her on the 'edge of insanity.' Now, this Olympic wrestler is back and has titles in her sights". CNN. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  5. ^ a b c "Athlete Bio: Helen Maroulis". TeamUSA.org. Archived from the original on November 2, 2016. Retrieved May 7, 2014.
  6. ^ Chrysopoulos, Philip (August 19, 2016). "Who Is Olympic Gold Medalist Helen Maroulis". USA.GreekReporter.com. Retrieved August 28, 2016.
  7. ^ "Magruder's Maroulis Makes Maryland History".
  8. ^ "Rockville's Maroulis eyes spot on U.S. Olympic women's wrestling squad - Washington Times". The Washington Times.
  9. ^ "Simon Fraser University | Canada Clan Alumna Helen Maroulis Wins Wrestling Gold for USA at Rio 2016". Athletics.sfu.ca. August 18, 2016. Retrieved August 28, 2016.
  10. ^ "Ο Κάλαμος τίμησε την Ολυμπιονίκη Ελένη Μαρούλη - aromalefkadas - Ενημερωτική ιστοσελίδα της Λευκάδας".
  11. ^ "Helen Maroulis Wins First Gold Medal for U.S. in Women's Wrestling". Time. Archived from the original on September 17, 2016. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
  12. ^ "Helen Maroulis' dominance continues as she wins gold at world championships". USA Today.
  13. ^ "Pro Wrestling League: Pooja Dhanda stuns Olympic champion Helen Marouli as Punjab Royals beat Haryana Hammers - Firstpost". www.firstpost.com. January 17, 2018. Retrieved April 13, 2018.
  14. ^ Scroll Staff. "PWL: Pooja Dhanda stuns Olympic champion Helen Maroulis again as Punjab Royals defend title". Scroll.in. Retrieved April 13, 2018.
  15. ^ "Helen Maroulis wrestled in the dark with concussion". May 16, 2018.
  16. ^ "Helen Maroulis' world championships streak ends after life-altering year". October 24, 2018.
  17. ^ "Helen Maroulis didn't need history-making bronze to prove Olympic success isn't measured in medals". USA Today. August 5, 2021.
  18. ^ "Maroulis Wins Gold, Kilty Silver, Snyder and Nolf Advance to Yariguin Finals". January 29, 2022. Archived from the original on January 30, 2022.
  19. ^ "Golden Grand Prix Ivan Yarygin 2022 Results Book" (PDF). United World Wrestling. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 16, 2022. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  20. ^ a b "2024 Pan American Wrestling Championships Results Book" (PDF). United World Wrestling. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 28, 2024. Retrieved March 5, 2024.
  21. ^ "Maroulis makes history, reaches Olympics again". ESPN.com. April 21, 2024.
  22. ^ "Helen Maroulis Wins Bronze at the 2024 Paris Olympics". August 9, 2024.
  23. ^ de Souza, Diogo. "Olympic Champion Wrestler Helen Maroulis Enters IBJJF No Gi World Championship 2024 At Blue Belt". Jits Magazine. Retrieved December 1, 2024.
  24. ^ Burne, Kathrine. "Olympic Champion Helen Maroulis Wins IBJJF No Gi World Championship 2024 At Blue Belt". Jits Magazine. Retrieved December 13, 2024.
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