Defending Champion Helen Maroulis has a point to prove at Tokyo Olympics

At one point, Helen Maroulis told her mother that she was quitting wrestling following her last concussion in 2018. The side effects of the injuries had taken a toll on her mentally.

But she battled her way back in 2020 and helped the USA get a quota in the 57kg women’s wrestling at the Pan American Olympic Qualifiers.

Earlier this year, during a conversation on UWW LIVE, she shared her mental state and desire to compete against the best.

“I do not want the medal for the sake of it, I want it to be the toughest competition. The point of being the best is you want to know that you have defeated everyone you think is incredible.”

In just 45 days, Helen Maroulis will get a chance to go up against the best and defend her title at the biggest stage of all, the Tokyo Olympics.

Shot to fame

At the 2016 Rio Olympics, Helen defeated the greatest women wrestler in the 53kg division, Saori Yoshida, in the finals. It marked the end of an era and the start of a new one. She became the first U.S. woman to win an Olympic gold medal in wrestling.

She carried her form into 2017, where she began her year with a bronze at the International Ukrainian Tournament in the 60kg category.

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It was followed by a gold medal at the Poland Open. But the icing on the cake came when she defeated Olympic bronze medallist Marwa Amri of Tunisia to become world champion.

From high to low for Helen Maroulis

After a high of 2017, she hit a low of 2018. Helen Maroulis pulled out of the Budapest World Championship due to an injury. The shocking defeat was attributed to a head injury she suffered during the now-defunct Pro Wrestling League in 2019.

In the post-match interview quoted by NBC, Helen Maroulis said:

“I feel responsible to do the right thing for my health, not for myself but to set an example because I get a lot of messages from kids on Instagram — I have a concussion, or my teammate has a concussion.There’s this wrestler mindset to just push through — you’re the toughest, find a way to win. But there’s just a lot more to it. I want a long life. I believe I’m doing everything in my power to get healthy. I also believe that if it ever came down to having to make that decision that I will do the right thing.”

Back to the wrestling mat for Helen Maroulis

After staying away from the mat for two years, Helen Maroulis made her comeback to the USA team in 2020. The two-time world champion won a silver medal at the Pan American Olympic Qualifiers, her first competition after comeback.

The finish in the top two meant a quota for the USA in 57kg for the Tokyo Olympics. But her comeback run was halted due to a forced break because of the pandemic.

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The one-year gap proved worthwhile for 30-year-old. She was stronger, and more positive mentally. Helen Maroulis grabbed first place at the French Grand Prix in January 2021.

Riding on the gold medal performance, all she needed was three wins to make a remarkable Olympic comeback. At the U.S. Olympic Team trials in April, the Maryland-born wrestler pinned Jenna Burkert in 24 seconds to claim the Olympic Team spot.

Helen Maroulis' possible opponents at the Tokyo Olympics

In Tokyo, although she will headline the 57kg bracket, it will be a tough road to the podium. Helen Maroulis is not amongst the top-ranked wrestlers in her weight class.

The USA wrestler is currently unranked as she missed out on all the ranking competitions of this Olympic cycle.

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This would mean she will not be seeded and might get a tough draw on the road to the Tokyo Olympics final.

Helen Maroulis' top competitors include current 57kg Olympic champion Risako Kawai of Japan, gold medalist Iryna Kurachkina of Belarus, and Odunayo Adekuoroye of Nigeria. She will also have to go through a slew of continental champions including India’s teen sensation Anshu Malik.