• durgesh dubey
• 07 Aug, 2024

gold

Mijain Lopez has made history by retiring at the pinnacle of his sport. The 41-year-old Cuban wrestler triumphed over Chile's Yasmani Acosta Fernandez with a decisive 6-0 victory in the 130-kilogram final at the Paris Olympics on Tuesday. This win marks Lopez's fifth consecutive gold medal in Greco-Roman wrestling, making him the first athlete ever to win gold in the same event at five successive Games, and the first wrestler to achieve this remarkable feat.

Lopez expressed his joy through a translator, saying, “What’s great is the joy. It was a result I was craving, not just for myself but for the entire world and my country. I’m so happy to have reached the Olympic elite. This is the reward for a lifetime of hard work, supported by everyone and my family. It’s my greatest victory.”

Following his victory, Lopez symbolically placed his shoes in the center of the mat, marking his retirement. Having first competed in the Olympics in 2004 and finishing fifth, Lopez is now ready to pass on his legacy. “I have a lot of inspiration to offer the young people who come to me for guidance,” he said. “I would like to educate the younger generations.”

Immediately after securing the gold medal, Lopez embraced Acosta Fernandez, who had moved from Cuba to Chile to enhance his chances of competing at major events. Acosta Fernandez, Chile’s first wrestling medalist, expressed his mixed emotions: “I wanted to win gold, but at the same time, I’m honored to be facing Mijain, a global wrestling legend.”

As Lopez celebrated, the crowd erupted in applause to the tune of “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” by the Eurythmics. Lopez, overcome with emotion, knelt and then stood up briefly before unlacing his shoes amid cheers from the audience.

In the previous Olympics, Lopez became the first male wrestler to win four Olympic gold medals, achieving dominance in Tokyo with an unscored performance in four matches. This time, he conceded only two points in four matches.

With his victory at the Paris 2024 Olympics, Lopez broke the record for four successive individual Olympic golds, previously shared with athletes like Carl Lewis, Michael Phelps, Katie Ledecky, Al Oerter, Paul Elvstrom, and Kaori Icho.