Rockville native Helen Maroulis, 32, became the first United States woman wrestler to qualify for three Olympics games . In 2016 she was the first U.S. woman to win a gold medal in wrestling and won a bronze medal in 2020. On Friday, she became Team USA’s first-ever three-time Olympic medalist in women’s wrestling
Maroulis attended Cashell Elementary School, Redland Middle School, and then Magruder High School for three years before heading to the Olympic Training Center in Michigan in her senior year. On Friday, she was able to pin Canada’s Hannah Taylor in 24 seconds to claim the bronze medal in the 57-kilogram freestyle category.
Per the state of Maryland, “Maroulis began wrestling at the age of eight. In early competition, especially in high school, she wrestled mostly against males. Competing against males in a male-dominated sport was not easy, but her passion for the sport and her thirst for knowledge propelled her to continue. She helped change the landscape of wrestling in Maryland. Early in her high school wrestling career, some opposing coaches would forfeit the competition to Helen rather than send out their wrestler. Eventually, her determination and grit helped transform the attitudes of many coaches toward female wrestlers. As a high school freshman, Helen was the first female to place in the Montgomery Region 3A/4A West, and the Maryland State Wrestling Tournaments. At one tournament, she made such an impression on the coaches that she was awarded the Outstanding Wrestler award even though she placed only third in the competition. She finished her three-year high school career at Magruder with a record of 99 – 26.”
Maroulis hasn’t been beaten for an Olympic or world team spot since the 2012 Olympic Trials. She initially planned to retire following the 2024 Olympics, but stated after the match that she doesn’t know what the future will hold.