(Paris) Medal hopes abruptly evaporated for Hannah Taylor on Friday at the Paris Olympics.
The 26-year-old Albertan was beaten in just 24 seconds by American Helen Maroulis in the bronze medal match in wrestling in the 57 kilogram category.
“It was kind of like an idol versus rival situation, so it’s pretty cool to have that experience of going up against him,” Taylor said. “I wish I could have given him a little bit more.”
“I mean, she grabbed me from the start, so it sucks for me.”
Taylor was still in high school when she watched Maroulis win the 53kg weight class at the 2016 Rio Games, denying Japan’s Saori Yoshida a fourth consecutive gold medal.
“I sat there and cried watching,” Taylor recalled. “I thought it was amazing. To follow her since then has been really cool, but I wanted to beat her. It would have been great to score some points.”
PHOTO EUGENE HOSHIKO, ASSOCIATED PRESS
The suspense was short-lived, as the American quickly overcame Taylor.
Maroulis, a bronze medallist in the 57kg category in Tokyo, won the match by fall while leading 4-0.
Taylor had a tough draw in her Olympic debut in Paris, losing her first bout 6-1 to world number one Sakurai Tsugumi of Japan.
The Japanese beat Maroulis in the semi-finals, opening the door to the repechage for Taylor, who advanced with a 13-0 win over Ecuadorian Luisa Elizabeth Valverde Melendres.
Maroulis, 32, is ranked fifth in the world, while Taylor is 18e. Sakurai beat Moldovan Anastasia Nichita 6-0 for the gold medal.
Taylor was a three-time university champion from 2018 to 2020. She won a silver medal at the 2023 Pan American Games.
“I’ve been saying since I was a kid that I wanted to go to the Olympics, so being here is super special for me and my whole family,” said the Canadian. “However, I would have liked to have had a better performance.”