Cuban wrestling legend Lopez wins 5th straight gold, retires after 20-year Olympic career

PARIS, France – Cuban wrestling great Mijain Lopez became the first Olympian to win five golds in the same individual event on Tuesday, August 6, after winning the men’s 130kg Greco-Roman final at the Paris Games, before immediately retiring.

The 41-year-old has not lost a match since his longtime rival Riza Kayaalp of Turkey beat him in the final of the 2015 World Championships.

Lopez’s 6-0 victory over silver medalist Yasmani Acosta of Chile at the Champ de Mars arena is still remarkable because the Cuban had not competed since winning his fourth gold in Tokyo three years ago.

Lopez pinned his former training partner Acosta in the first period and then added a takedown in the second to secure victory before removing his shoes and leaving them on the mat signaling his retirement.

“It’s a moment to demonstrate that someone has retired officially from the sport of wrestling and that also leaves a path wide open for the younger generation to continue inspiring others,” said Lopez.

“To achieve all of these results, one has to love their sport, love their job, and demonstrate to the world that with so little you can achieve great things,” he said of his career.

His celebration also included a takedown of one of his coaches and lifting the other.

Lopez touched the mat with his head, gleaming with beads of sweat, before taking off his shoes.

Cuba-born Acosta was left with mixed emotions.

“I wanted to win gold but at the same time, not so much because it’s Mijain, a legend in wrestling worldwide,” he said.

“We have known each other for a long time now. We did the trials together for this year’s Olympic Games. He has been giving me advice in every phase, so he’s everything, a rival, a friend, he’s a brother.”

Also in the Greco-Roman section, in which holds below the waist are prohibited, Japan’s Kenichiro Fumita won the 60kg gold with a 4-1 win against Cao Liguo of China, who took silver.

In the women’s 68kg final, Amit Elor of the Unites States won the gold, while Meerim Zhumanazarova of Kyrgyzstan won silver.

Buse Tosun Cavusoglu of Turkey and Nonoka Ozaki of Japan took bronze.

In the women’s 50kg freestyle, India’s Vinesh Phogat upset defending champion Yui Susaki in what was only the Japanese wrestler’s fourth loss in her career and first to a foreigner. – Rappler.com