MIJAÍN LÓPEZ BIDS FAREWELL WITH THE GREATNESS OF A LEGEND

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MIJAÍN LÓPEZ BIDS FAREWELL WITH THE GREATNESS OF A LEGEND

Aug 06, 2024

Mijaín López already had a place in history, but this Tuesday at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games he achieved glory. The Cuban won the final of the 130 kg Greco-Roman wrestling category against the representative of Chile, Yasmani Acosta, and thus became the first athlete to win five Olympic gold medals in an individual event.

He left behind such great names as Michael Phelps, Carl Lewis, Alfred Oerter and Paul Elvstrom. There was no hesitation on Mijain Lopez’s road to glory. He gave up just two points in his four bouts in Paris and showed no mercy to his former teammate, whom he defeated 6-0.

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Una publicación compartida por The Olympic Games (@olympics)

After the bout, Lopez kissed the Champ-de-Mars canvas and tearfully left his boots on the mat as a sign that he had fought the last bout of a historic career. The veteran had already put his name in the record books as the first wrestler to compete in six Olympic Games.

After placing fifth at the 2004 Athens Games, he stood at the top of the podium at the next five Olympics: Beijing 2008, London 2012, Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020 and now Paris 2024. He leaves as the greatest wrestler in history, a gold medalist in five Pan American Games, six Central American and Caribbean Games, nine Pan American championships and five world championships.

At the age of 41, the athlete born in Pinar del Rio says goodbye to the discipline that made him a legend and does so as the best of all time.

“The journey came to an end, it’s my turn to rest. My body is asking for rest. I am happy with everything, happy with how I am and how I will continue to be,” said Lopez after his bout.

LOS HOMBRES RÉCORD DE CUBA 🇨🇺

Javier Sotomayor 🤝 Mijaín López #JuegosOlímpicos #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/bwvSo11t6l
— Los Juegos Olímpicos (@juegosolimpicos) August 6, 2024

He could not have had a better farewell: Lopez’s feat will be unforgettable and the Parisian public knew it, who gave him a standing ovation as he left in the arms of his coach.

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