Olympic wrestling champion Helen Maroulis was golden again Wednesday (17 September), capturing the 57kg freestyle crown at the 2025 World Wrestling Championships in Zagreb, Croatia.
Maroulis, who owns three Olympic medals including gold at Rio 2016, defeated the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s Son Il-sim 3-2 in the final. The win is a fourth world crown for the American, who previously won in 2015, 2017 and 2021.
Maroulis now has eight world medals to her résumé.
Olga Khoroshavtseva and the People’s Republic of China’s Hong Kexin shared the bronze medal.
In the 50kg division, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s Won Myong-gyong claimed the title, defeating China’s Zhang Yu. The score in the final was 8-2. Elizaveta Smirnova, who is representing United World Wrestling, and Türkiye’s Evin Demirhan Yavuz were the bronze medal winners.
Japan’s Morikawa Miwa scored a decisive 8-0 victory in the 65kg division over Alina Kasabieva, claiming her second global title after winning in 2022. The bronze medallists were Moldova’s Irina Ringaci, the 2021 world champion at 65kg, and Mongolia’s Tuvshinjargalyn Enkhjin.
Ecuador’s Génesis Reasco took the final gold medal of the day, capturing the 76kg title over Kyrgyzstan’s Aiperi Medet Kyzy. American Kylie Welker and Cuba’s Milaimys Marín, a Paris 2024 bronze medallist, rounded out the top three.
Competition in Zagreb continues Thursday (18 September) with the final day of women’s freestyle finals.