On the second day of the Pan American Olympic Qualifiers, some of the leading women wrestlers of the world will fight for Tokyo 2020 tickets. Without any doubt, the highlight of the night will be battle between 2016 Rio Olympic Champion Helen Maroulis and 2019 world champion Linda Morais. The fight is billed as ‘Clash of Titans’ between USA and Canada in the 57kg category.
Helen is the 2016 Rio Olympics gold medallist in 53kg. She is also the two-time world championship winner in the year 2015 & 2017 and is making her comeback to the international arena with the Olympic Qualifiers.
On the other hand, Morais recently won the world championship crown in Nur-Sultan in 2019 world championship in the 59kg. The Canadian has moved down to 57kg to have a go at the Tokyo 2020. After moving down to 57kg the 26-year-old Canadian recently bagged bronze in 2020 Rome Rankings.
In the 57kg, wrestlers have been divided into two groups in a round-robin format. It means, even if either of the two wrestlers loses, they would have a chance to reach the finals.
Brazil’s Giullia Oliveira and Lisette Castillo of Ecuador are the other two wrestlers in Maroulis and Morais’ group.
If the two wrestlers qualify, they would next meet in the finals and therefore will confirm their Tokyo berth.
Other top contenders who have already qualified for Tokyo in 57kg are Risoko Kawai of Japan, Odunayo Adekuroye of Nigeria and Rong Ningning of China.
