Maroulis To Wrestle For Olympic Bronze

Helen Maroulis at Olympic Team Trials. Photo courtesy of Tony Rotundo / WrestlersAreWarriors.com

by Derek Levendusky

PARIS, FRANCE - After winning her first two matches, Team USA’s 57 kg Helen Maroulis fell to Japan’s Tsugumi Sakurai in the semifinals 10-4 and will wrestle tomorrow for bronze.

The two-time Olympic medalist controlled her first two opponents with a 7-2 win over India’s Anshu in the opening round and then a 7-4 win in the quarters over Ukraine’s Alina Hrushyna Akobiia.

In the finals, Maroulis got the first takedown but then gave up a string of points after getting taken down and leg laced. Down 10-2 late in the second, it was too little too late as she scored a second takedown but couldn’t score any turns as the clock expired.

The 2016 Olympic gold medalist and 2024 Olympic bronze medalist is in position to earn her third Olympic medal and add to her 10th overall world championship medal count.

Maroulis will wrestle her bronze match tomorrow at 2pm EST.