Helen Maroulis Wins USA's First Gold in Women's Wrestling

Helen Maroulis waves the flag in the air after her historic gold medal win in a women’s wrestling match during the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics on Thursday (August 18) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The 24-year-old wrestler won the Women’s Freestyle 53kg match against the clear favorite, Saori Yoshida of Japan.

Helen is the first female wrestler from the United States to win a gold medal

“I’ve been dreaming about wrestling Saori for so long,” Maroulis said (via USA Today). “She’s a hero. She’s the most decorated wrestler in the sport. It’s such an honor to wrestle her.”