Cuban Mijaín López became the first athlete in any sport to win a fifth Olympic title in the same discipline at five different Olympic Games on Tuesday, August 6 at the Arena Champ-de-Mars. He dominated Chilean Yasmani Acosta in the final of the Greco-Roman wrestling in the 130kg category to claim this historic record in the final fight of his career.
3 min
From our special correspondent at the Arena Champ-de-Mars,
Mijaín López is now alone in the world. At 41, the Cuban wrestler won the fifth Olympic title of his career in Greco-Roman wrestling in the premier category – and the fifth in a row after those in 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2021 – against Chilean Yasmani Acosta at the Arena Champ-de-Mars. He is the first athlete, of any sport and gender, to achieve this feat in the history of the Olympic Games.
Until now, the Cuban shared his total of four titles won with other legendary Olympians: Americans Carl Lewis (long jump), Michael Phelps (swimming, 200m medley), Katie Ledecky (swimming, 800m freestyle) and Alfred Oerter (discus throw), as well as Denmark’s Paul Elvstrom (sailing) and Japan’s Kaori Icho (wrestling). But thanks to his performance in the final on Tuesday, he sent that record to the mat.
On Monday, after his semi-final victory against Azerbaijani Sabah Saleh Shariati, the Cuban colossus confirmed that this Olympic final in Paris would be the last fight of his career: ” We need to make room for the young people who are coming, to ensure continuity. Wrestling has been my whole life, wrestling has been the love of my life. ” This love was mutual until the end.
Against his Chilean opponent this Tuesday evening, the weight of his legend was never disturbed. Under the eyes of Thomas Bach, the president of the International Olympic Committee who also came to witness this moment of history, the Cuban did not waste time in making his exit. From the first phase on the ground, he easily turned the Chilean over to score his first points and take the lead (3-0). The rest of the fight was a formality, as López seemed to control his opponent from start to finish (6-0).
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” At the highest level for 24 years »
As the minutes ticked by, the Cuban fans in the room began to chant ” The quinta, the quinta ! » (« the fifth “). Nothing seemed to be able to prevent Mijaín López from entering the legend of the Olympic Games and of sport. Once the victory was in his pocket, his 22nd consecutive in five editions of the Games, and a new Olympic crown on his head, the Cuban colossus first celebrated his feat with his coach Raul Trujillo by throwing him on the floor of the arena under the applause of the spectators.
” He is an athlete with exceptional longevity, who has been at the highest level for 24 years. “, he explained to AFP on Monday. He had four herniated discs, we had to take care of him, do very careful planning, with a lot of medical and psychological control. That’s what allowed us to preserve him. » To ensure this final Olympic victory, the Cuban wrestler came out of retirement after the Tokyo Olympics to compete one last time and beat this almost unreal record that he is now the only one to hold.
Amidst the general ovation of the Arena Champ-de-Mars, the Cuban did not deviate from the rule: before leaving the arena, he knelt down to remove his shoes and leave them in the center of the circle, as is the tradition for every wrestler who definitively retires. A masterful swan song that will undoubtedly remain among the strong images of this Olympic fortnight.