Helen Maroulis, who captured America’s heart by winning gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics, two-time World silver medalist Alli Ragan and U.S. World Team member Tamyra Stock will compete for Team USA against Team Nigeria at the annual Beat the Streets Benefit, May 17 at Pier 17/Seaport District in lower Manhattan.
Maroulis, who will be making her sixth straight Beat the Streets appearance, has a perfect 5-0 record in BTS competition and recently joined the staff as a Student-Athlete Mentor and Coach Educator. Her gold medal match victory came at 53kg against Japanese superstar Saori Yoshida, as Maroulis became the first American to win a gold medal in women’s wrestling. A Rockville, Md., native, Maroulis is also a two-time World champion and now lives and trains in New York.
Ragan, who has made five straight U.S. Senior World Teams, placed second in the Worlds the past two years while also winning the Pan American Championships in 2017. She is also a two-time U.S Open. Champion, a two-time Junior World medalist and two-time WCWA women’s college national champion at King University. The Carbondale, Ill., native now lives in Colorado Springs, Colo. and Iowa City, Iowa.
Stock, the reigning 2017 U.S. World Team Trials champion, also won the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials but did not compete in Rio because the U.S. did not qualify at her weight. She became the first American athlete to win back-to-back golds in the prestigious Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix in Russia. She won two WCWA titles for Wayland Baptist University. The Katy, Texas, native (nee Mensah) now resides in Colorado Springs, Colo.
“There is no greater American champion than Helen Maroulis, and we’re excited that she is making yet another appearance at Beat the Streets Annual Benefit,” said Brendan Buckley, Executive Director, Beat the Streets Inc. “Combined with her new, formal role with BTS New York, Helen is making a difference in the lives of young wrestlers, and this event will be another opportunity for fans to see her in action on the mat.”
Nigeria is the first African nation to compete at a Beat the Streets Benefit. The opponents from Nigeria for the U.S. trio will be as follows:
· 57 kg – Helen Maroulis vs. Odunayo Adekuoroye
· 59 kg – Alli Ragan vs. Bisola Makanjuola
· 68 kg – Tamyra Stock vs. Blessing Oborududu
2018 Beat the Streets Wrestling Schedule
The Seaport District/Pier 17, New York City, May 17, 2018
2:30 p.m. – Beat the Streets Youth Exhibition Matches
4:45 p.m. – New York City Girls Freestyle Dual Meet Championships Finals
6:00 p.m. – World Class Wrestling to include:
• Team USA vs. Nigeria in women’s freestyle
57 kg – Helen Maroulis (USA) vs. Odunayo Adekuoroye (Nigeria)
59 kg – Alli Ragan (USA) vs. Bisola Makanjuola (Nigeria)
68 kg – Tamyra Stock (USA) vs. Blessing Oborududu (Nigeria)
• Team USA vs. TBA in men’s freestyle
• Super Match – Jordan Burroughs (USA) vs. Frank Chamizo (ITA)
Followed by Annual Benefit Celebration, Pier 17