Cuban Mijaín Lopez is officially the greatest wrestler in the history of the world of wrestling.
At the Olympic Games in Paris, the Greco-Roman-style wrestling competition for athletes up to 130 kg has ended. World Wrestling legend and four-time Olympic champion Cuban Mijaín Lopez and Yasmani Acosta Fernandez, an ethnic Cuban representing Chile who changed his sports citizenship due to the impossibility of competing with Lopez in his homeland, competed against each other in the final match.
The 41-year-old Cuban giant won a convincing 6-0 victory over his compatriot and became the only five-time Olympic champion in the history of wrestling.
After the victory, Lopez demonstratively took off his wrestling shoes, kissed them and placed them in the center of the mat, symbolizing the end of his greatest career since the Paris Olympics.
López, up to his 5th Olympic gold, was one of eight athletes to win 4 golds: now the Cuban is the leader of one-man elite rating and group.
Achievements
The only five-time Olympic champion in the history of men’s wrestling in all styles (2008, 2012, 2016, 2020, 2024). Five-time world champion (2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2014) and three-time silver medalist of the world championships (2006, 2011 and 2015), five-time champion of the All-American Games (2003, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019).
Mijaín López was the flag bearer of the Cuban national team at the opening ceremonies of the 2008 Beijing, 2012 London and 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games.
An interesting fact is that Mijaín’s older brother, Michel López Núñez, has taken up boxing and is a bronze medalist in the heavyweight category at the 2004 Athens Olympics.
