Mijaín López’s gold rush continues at the 2024 Paris Games…
The 41-year-old Cuban wrestler used to be part of a very exclusive club of athletes with four individual gold medals in the same event at an Olympic Games. Only seven athletes have achieved the feat, including swimming legend Michael Phelps, former track hero Carl Lewis and now Katie Ledecky.
But, on Tuesday at the 2024 Summer Olympics, López launched into a new group of his own.
He achieved a record-breaking fifth straight individual title — a five-peat — as he won gold in the men’s Greco-Roman wrestling 130-kilogram category.
Two other athletes — U.S. basketball stars Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi — have achieved the feat in team events. On an individual basis, though, López’s achievement is unparalleled.
“What’s great is the joy,” Lopez said through an interpreter. “It was a result that I was craving, but also for the whole world and my country. So happy to reach the Olympic elite. The reward of a lifetime of working hard with the help of everyone and my family. It is my biggest win.”
Another remarkable part of López’s gold medal win on Tuesday: He hasn’t competed internationally since the 2020 Tokyo Games.
Whereas other wrestlers compete year-round, López decided he was too old to put his body through the rigors of repeated competition, instead preferring to ready himself at lengthy training camps.
His advantage comes from his size. López’s frame is just that much bigger than any of his opponents. Out of competition, he typically weighs around 150kg (330 pounds), meaning he is able to put a lot more back on after he makes weight. That advantage and his skill have resulted in an Olympic dominance unlike any other.
López made his Olympic debut aged 21 at the 2004 Athens Games, where he exited in the quarterfinals. His golden run started at the 2008 Beijing Games.
In Tokyo, López became the first male wrestler to win four gold medals, blowing through the field without letting up a point in four matches.
The Cuban wrestler similarly dominated in Paris, as if his 41-year-old body were defying time itself. He made light work of his first-round match, achieving a 7-0 victory over South Korea’s Lee Seungchan. Hours after that, he booked his place in the final with a 3-1 win over Iran’s Amin Mirzazadeh in the quarterfinals and a 4-1 victory over Sabah Shariati of Azerbaijan in the semifinals.
Tuesday’s final was a mismatch, too. López steamrolled his opponent, Chile’s Yasmani Acosta Fernandez, in a 6-0 victory.
Shortly after winning this gold medal, López embraced Fernandez, a Cuban who moved to Chile to give himself a better chance of competing in the big events. Fernandez is the first wrestling medalist for Chile.
As López continued to celebrate, he dropped to all fours and began to unlace his shoes on the mat. López had said he would retire Monday, adding that there needed to be room for new faces in the sport.
“I have a lot of inspiration for all the young people that come to me for guidance,” he said. “I have a lot of inspiration to give to the world. I would like to educate the younger generations.”
After he removed his shoes, he held both arms in the air and acknowledged the fans again.
“To get to this point, the first thing you need is to love your sport, love what you do and show to the world that you are capable of winning with so little,” López said.