Olympics wrestling results: August 18 – Helen Maroulis wins gold for USA

Here are the full results from Olympics freestyle wrestling in the women’s 53 kg, 63 kg, and 75 kg competitions for Thursday, August 18.

When Japan won three gold medals in the first women’s freestyle tournament, the United States was hoping to replicate that success. They sent a strong contingent out to Rio, with both Adeline Gray and Helen Maroulis coming off of first place finishes at the World Wrestling Championships.

After watching Kaori Icho win her fourth consecutive gold medal, Saori Yoshida no doubt came into today hoping to duplicate that feat. Yoshida had no trouble getting to the gold medal match, collecting three shutouts during the day. Maroulis, meanwhile, almost lost in the quarterfinal to Myong Suk Jong, but she came back from 4-1 down to win 7-4. There’s no doubt that a gold medal for either woman would’ve been the biggest accomplishment of their respective careers.

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The gold medal match was a very exciting contest. After losing a point due to passivity, Maroulis came out like a house on fire by getting two takedowns in the second period. While we learned from the first day of women’s wrestling to never count out the Japanese, Maroulis stifled her at every turn to win a 4-1 contest. Maroulis handed Yoshida just the third defeat in her career, and for the 24-year-old, the future is bright.

In the bronze medal matches, Sofia Mattsson and Natalya Sinishin won their respective bouts, with the former doing so after getting a pin in the first 30 seconds.

MEDAL RESULT | Women's freestyle 53 kg

Just minutes after Maroulis’ triumph, fellow compatriot Elena Pirozhkova was looking to add to USA’s medal tally in the bronze medal match. But after Elena built a 3-0 first period lead, Yekaterina Larionova threw her on her back and got the pin to capture the medal. It was a heartbreaking end to the Olympics for Elena, who fell agonizingly short in her last two matches. Monika Michalik of Poland was the other bronze medal winner.

At 21 years old, Risako Kawai probably got into wrestling because of Yoshida, and seeing her come up short in the gold medal match only motivated her even further. That’s why she put on a virtuoso performance in the final, pitching a 6-0 shutout to win another gold for her country. Japan is always a powerhouse when it comes to female wrestling, but Kawai represents the new generation that will keep them at the summit for years to come.

MEDAL RESULT | Women's freestyle 63 kg

While Adeline Gray’s Olympics ended in disappointment, the gold medal match still featured a North American wrestler — it just came from north of the border. Erica Wiebe came into the Olympics as Canada’s best shot at a wrestling medal. With two shutouts and a 5-2 win over eventual bronze medalist Zhang Fengliu, she looked very impressive on her way to the final. But Guzel Manyurova was even more impressive, blasting two of her opponents inside the distance.

The gold medal match was a passive affair, which played into Wiebe’s advantage. A turn off a takedown gave her a 2-0 advantage after the first period. After a quick takedown to start the second, the rest of the match was characterized by Wiebe’s stifling defense with Manyurova, who was so explosive earlier on in the day, unable to get anything going. Wiebe rode it all the way to a 6-0 shutout win in the final, and she’ll no doubt be around for a long time in the wrestling circuit.

In the bronze medal matches, Fengliu beat Vasilisa Marzaliuk while Ekaterina Bukina added another wrestling medal to Russia’s growing tally.

MEDAL RESULT | Women's freestyle 75 kg

Even though Americans haven’t dominated wrestling in the same vein that they have every other sport at these Olympics, Maroulis’ gold medal win is a moment that will be forever cherished.