2015-16 FloWrestler Of The WeekAug 22, 2016 by Ryan Holmes
FloWrestler of the Week: Helen Maroulis, USA
FloWrestler of the Week: Helen Maroulis, USA
It was a completely monumental performance. Against all odds, Helen Maroulis took out reigning world and Olympic champion Saori Yoshida of Japan in the 53kg
It was a completely monumental performance. Against all odds, Helen Maroulis took out reigning world and Olympic champion Saori Yoshida of Japan in the 53kg final at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro.
Maroulis wrestled flawlessly throughout the tournament to become the first-ever women's Olympic champion. She started with two dominant technical fall wins followed by a grueling 7-4 victory over Myong Suk Jong of North Korea. Then, in what was expected to be one of her toughest matches in the tournament, Maroulis pinned 2015 world silver medalist Sofia Mattsson of Sweden.
It set her up for her historic win over Yoshida. Maroulis did exactly what she needed to do to keep Yoshida from claiming her fourth straight Olympic title and making history of her own. In the end, it was all Maroulis as she came out on top with a 4-1 victory.
Helen Maroulis' masterful run to become the first-ever women's freestyle Olympic champion for the U.S. makes her our FloWrestler of the Week.
Other FloWrestler of the Week Nominees:
Kyle Snyder, USA: First, he was the youngest world champion in U.S. history; now, he's also he the youngest Olympic champion in U.S. history. Snyder did it all in his run to an Olympic title: a great comeback, dominant wins, and a smart victory over Khetag Gazyumov of Russia to avenge a loss from earlier this year.
J'Den Cox, USA: It was a great run through the tournament by the 21-year-old who was on the cusp of making the finals. But in the end, Cox was the one to have a completely legendary finish as he collected the final takedown late in closing seconds of his bronze medal match to get the win over Reineras Salas Perez of Cuba. He didn't give up a single takedown the entire tournament.
Kaori Icho, JPN: Made history as she became the first-ever four-time Olympic gold medalist with her comeback win over Valeria Koblova of Russia in the 58kg finals.
Mijan Lopes, Cuba: Avenged his 2015 world finals loss to Riza Kayaalp of Turkey to become a three-time Olympic champion.
Abdulrashid Sadulaev, RUS: The golden boy continued his winning ways as he won his first Olympic title. He only gave up one point on the way to his title.
Maroulis wrestled flawlessly throughout the tournament to become the first-ever women's Olympic champion. She started with two dominant technical fall wins followed by a grueling 7-4 victory over Myong Suk Jong of North Korea. Then, in what was expected to be one of her toughest matches in the tournament, Maroulis pinned 2015 world silver medalist Sofia Mattsson of Sweden.
It set her up for her historic win over Yoshida. Maroulis did exactly what she needed to do to keep Yoshida from claiming her fourth straight Olympic title and making history of her own. In the end, it was all Maroulis as she came out on top with a 4-1 victory.
Helen Maroulis' masterful run to become the first-ever women's freestyle Olympic champion for the U.S. makes her our FloWrestler of the Week.
Other FloWrestler of the Week Nominees:
Kyle Snyder, USA: First, he was the youngest world champion in U.S. history; now, he's also he the youngest Olympic champion in U.S. history. Snyder did it all in his run to an Olympic title: a great comeback, dominant wins, and a smart victory over Khetag Gazyumov of Russia to avenge a loss from earlier this year.
J'Den Cox, USA: It was a great run through the tournament by the 21-year-old who was on the cusp of making the finals. But in the end, Cox was the one to have a completely legendary finish as he collected the final takedown late in closing seconds of his bronze medal match to get the win over Reineras Salas Perez of Cuba. He didn't give up a single takedown the entire tournament.
Kaori Icho, JPN: Made history as she became the first-ever four-time Olympic gold medalist with her comeback win over Valeria Koblova of Russia in the 58kg finals.
Mijan Lopes, Cuba: Avenged his 2015 world finals loss to Riza Kayaalp of Turkey to become a three-time Olympic champion.
Abdulrashid Sadulaev, RUS: The golden boy continued his winning ways as he won his first Olympic title. He only gave up one point on the way to his title.