Olympic wrestling champion Helen Maroulis has responded to criticism about her decision to compete at blue belt level in the upcoming IBJJF No-Gi World Championships, explaining that she only started practicing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu five weeks ago.
The accomplished wrestler addressed concerns on social media after being accused of “sandbagging” – a term used to describe competing at a lower skill level than one’s actual abilities.
“I started jiu-jitsu exactly five weeks ago, it was the first time I ever took a class,” Maroulis explained. “I have friends that do it, but like, never really watched it, don’t, like, didn’t even know the rules, nothing.”
Maroulis revealed that she began training in jiu-jitsu while recovering from a back injury that prevented her from wrestling, dancing, and playing golf. Her interest in competing was sparked when her roommate and her roommate’s boyfriend mentioned they would be participating in the Las Vegas tournament.
Before registering, Maroulis consulted with multiple professors and coaches about competing, emphasizing that her primary concern was avoiding injury rather than being competitive. “I asked around, and not once did anyone say this probably wouldn’t be appropriate for you to compete at Blue Belt,” she stated.
The Olympic gold medalist also emphasized her respect for the sport’s culture and traditions. “I deeply, deeply, deeply care about the culture of the environment that I enter into. I know that it’s not wrestling, and I’m not trying to bring my expectations or experiences with wrestling solely into this,” she said.
Responding directly to the sandbagging accusations, Maroulis revealed she had to look up the term’s meaning, as it had never been associated with her before. “I don’t run from any challenge. I don’t hide from anything. Like, that’s not me. I love learning. I love being challenged,” she affirmed.
The IBJJF No-Gi World Championships is one of the most prestigious tournaments in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu’s competition calendar, attracting competitors from around the globe.
Maroulis is far from the only elite level athlete to encounter sandbagging accusations. Previously Pat Downey and Demetrious Johnson encountered similar accusations for their decisions to compete at blue and brown belt level.
