RIO DE JANEIRO: American Helen Maroulis denied Saori Yoshida a fourth straight Olympic wrestling gold with a stunning upset of the Japanese great in the 53kg final at Rio de Janeiro on Thursday.

Maroulis, a first-time Olympian, made the United States’ first ever women’s wrestling gold one to remember with her victory over the 13-time world champion, calling it “an honor” just to meet Yoshida on the mat.

Bronze went to Azerbaijan’s Natalya Sinishin and Sovia Magdalena Mattson of Sweden.