Sports Media Report
2016 Olympic champion and three-time World champion Helen Maroulis (Rockville, Md./Sunkist Kids) has officially accepted her 57 kg women’s freestyle berth in Final X
Maroulis will battle for a spot on the 2022 U.S. World Team in Final X New York. presented by Tezos, on Wednesday, June 8 at Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Maroulis is a history-maker for Team USA in women’s wrestling. She became the first U.S. woman to win an Olympic gold medal in wrestling with her victory at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She became the first U.S. women’s wrestler to win two Olympic medals with her bronze medal at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan. Maroulis has won three World gold medals (2015, 2017, 2021) and boasts five Senior World medals. Maroulis also won three Junior World medals. She was a four-time WCWA college national champion, winning three titles for Simon Fraser and one for Missouri Baptist. Maroulis is a native of Rockville, Md.
This will serve as the 12th Beat the Streets Annual Benefit. These unique and electrifying annual events help Beat the Streets New York raise millions of dollars to support local youth wrestling programs which empower young people in New York City.
There are a variety of ticket options for Final X New York, with prices beginning at $65. Purchase your wrestling-only event tickets on Ticketmaster (https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/3B005C8B9CD81033) or Benefit tickets with access to Final X New York and the Benefit celebration (after party) tickets at btsny.org (https://give.btsny.org/event/annual-benefit-2022/e396736), so you don’t miss the first in-person Benefit since 2019. For more information on Benefit tickets and sponsorship packages that also provide the best seats for watching the wrestling, email Fund Development Manager Kerry Doyle at [email protected].
The Final X series will determine the 2022 U.S. Senior World Teams in men’s freestyle, women’s freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling which will compete in Belgrade, Serbia, Sept. 10-18.
The Team Selection procedures for the U.S. World Teams in each style allows for 2021 Senior World medalists and 2020 Olympic medalists to advance directly to Final X at a specified weight class. Maroulis has met this requirement and accepted her qualification.
There are 15 weight classes contested in Final X New York, five in each discipline. The weight classes assigned to the Final X New York are:
- Men’s freestyle: 65 kg, 74 kg, 79 kg, 86 kg, 125 kg
- Women’s freestyle: 50 kg, 53 kg, 57 kg, 62 kg, 72 kg
- Greco-Roman: 60 kg, 67 kg, 77 kg, 87 kg, 97 kg
The Final X opponent for Maroulis will be determined at the World Team Trials Challenge Tournament, set for Coralville, Iowa, May 20-22.
The Beat the Streets Annual Benefit, a fan-favorite, is a major showcase of the best of international wrestling. These competitions have been at iconic locations across New York City.
This will be the seventh time that Maroulis has competed in a Beat the Streets Annual Benefit event, and she is undefeated in her previous Beat the Streets matches. Her first came in 2012, where she beat U.S. wrestler Ashley Hudson. Her most recent came in 2108, with a victory over Odunayo Adekuoroye of Nigeria.
In addition to Final X New York, Final X Stillwater will be held Friday, June 3 at Gallagher-Iba Arena on the campus of Oklahoma State University. There will be 15 other weight classes contested in Stillwater.
FloWrestling will serve as the host broadcasting partner for both Final X Stillwater, presented by Tezos, and Final X New York, presented by Tezos
FINAL X NEW YORK, presented by Tezos
At Madison Square Garden Hulu Theater, Wednesday, June 8
Declared Qualifiers to date
Women’s Freestyle 57 kg – Helen Maroulis (Rockville, Md./Sunkist Kids) vs. winner at World Team Trials Challenge Tournament
Men’s Freestyle 79 kg – Jordan Burroughs (Philadelphia, Pa./Sunkist Kids/Pennsylvania RTC) vs. winner at World Team Trials Challenge Tournament
HELEN MAROULIS
Residence: Rockville, Md.
Club: Sunkist Kids
College: Simon Fraser Univ., Missouri Baptist
High School: Marquette, Mich., Rockville, Md. (Colonel Zadock Magruder)
Born: Sept. 19, 1991
- 2016 Olympic champion (first U.S. woman to win an Olympic wrestling gold medal)
- 2020 Olympic bronze medalist (first U.S. woman to win two Olympic medals)
- Three-time World champion (2015, 2017, 2021)
- 2012 World silver medalist
- 2014 World bronze medalist
- Three-time Junior World medalist (2008, 2010, 2011)
- 2011 Pan American Games champion
- Four-time WCWA women’s college national champion (2009, 2010, 2011, 2013)
Maroulis Beat the Streets Annual Benefit History (6-0 record)
2012: Ashley Hudson (USA), 4-0, 2-1
2014: Marcia Andrades (Venezuela), Fall
2015: Yamilka del Valle Alvarez (Cuba), 10-0
2016: Samantha Stewart (Canada), Fall
2017: Yuzuru Kumano (Japan) 7-4
2018: Odunayo Adekuoroye (Nigeria), 4-1
