Helen Maroulis Added Paris Bronze to Her Olympic Legacy
Helen Maroulis earned her third Olympic wrestling medal in Paris on August 9, 2024. The American’s bronze at 57 kg followed gold at Rio 2016 and bronze at Tokyo 2020, making her the first U.S. woman wrestler with three Olympic medals.
A groundbreaking Olympic record
Maroulis became the first American woman to win Olympic wrestling gold when she defeated Japan’s Saori Yoshida in the 53 kg final in Rio. She later competed at 57 kg in both Tokyo and Paris.
The Paris podium extended her Olympic success across three appearances. Her earlier gold remained a national breakthrough, while the two subsequent bronze medals demonstrated her ability to return to medal contention over successive Olympic cycles.
A fourth world title in Zagreb
Maroulis continued her international career after Paris. At the 2025 World Championships in Zagreb, she won four matches, including three by fall, before finishing with gold at 57 kg.
In the final, she defeated North Korea’s Son Il Sim 3–2. An inside-trip takedown with six seconds remaining supplied the winning points, securing her fourth senior world championship.
Recognition for the 2025 season
USA Wrestling named her its 2025 Women’s Wrestler of the Year in an announcement published on June 24, 2026. It was her second selection for the award, following recognition for her Olympic championship season in 2016.
The award recognized the Zagreb performance alongside another successful international season. By the end of 2025, Maroulis’s major achievements included four senior world titles and three Olympic medals, linking her Rio breakthrough with sustained success on the sport’s largest stages.
Sources
- USA Wrestling: Olympic weights, medals and career history
- Team USA: Maroulis’s Olympic championship background
- USA Wrestling: 2025 world-title final and award announced in 2026
