Maryland native is first US woman wrestler to qualify for three Olympics

WASHINGTON - Rockville native Helen Maroulis is the first American female wrestler to qualify for three straight Olympics after qualifying for the Paris Olympics on Saturday. 

Maroulis defeated former Olympian Jacarra Winchester at the U.S. Olympic trials at Penn State on Saturday. 

The 32-year-old became the first U.S. female wrestler to win an Olympic gold medal in 2016 in Rio. 

"It just makes me think back to myself as a little girl, and if you told me that I was gonna do this, I don’t think I would’ve believed you," said Maroulis in an interview with the Associated Press.

Maroulis started making waves in the wrestling world as a student at Magruder High, where during her freshman year in 2006, she became the first female wrestler to place at the Maryland state championships.