Rio Olympics 2016: Helen Maroulis wins wrestling gold for U.S., tops Japanese legend Saori Yoshida

RIO DE JANEIRO >> Helen Maroulis made a great run in women’s wrestling Thursday, reaching the gold medal match at 53-kg in the Rio Olympics.

Once there, she reached an entirely higher level, defeating a legend in the sport, Japan’s Saori Yoshida, 4-1.

It was the first Olympic gold medal for an American in women’s wrestling.

Maroulis lives in Huntington Beach, where she shares a room with teammate Elena Pirozhkova, who lost to Yekaterina Larionova of Kazakhstan 5-0 later Thursday in the bronze-medal match in the 63-kg class.

Yoshida, 33, a 13-time world champion, is a three-time Olympic gold medalist, her fame such that she has an award named after her in her hometown and made a cameo on a drama TV series in Japan. She was Japan’s flag bearer in London and the country’s delegation captain here, a first for a female athlete for Japan.

• PHOTOS: Team USA Thursday at the Rio Olympics

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