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Cuban Greco-Roman wrestler (born 1982) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mijaín López Núñez (born 20 August 1982) is a Cuban retired Greco-Roman wrestler. Widely considered one of the greatest wrestlers of all time, López is a five-time Olympic gold medalist, five-time World Champion, and five-time Pan American Games champion. He is the younger brother of Michel López Núñez, a Cuban amateur boxer.[3] On 3 July 2024, he and the Cuban judoka Idalys Ortíz were designated as the flag bearers for Paris 2024 Olympic Games.[4]
You can help expand this article with text translated from the corresponding article in Spanish. (January 2020) Click [show] for important translation instructions.
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Personal information | |
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Full name | Mijaín López Núñez |
Nickname(s) | The Kid, El Terrible, The Giant of Herradura |
Born | Entronque de Herradura, Cuba | 20 August 1982
Height | 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) |
Weight | 131.5 kg (290 lb) |
Sport | |
Country | Cuba |
Sport | Wrestling |
Event | Greco-Roman |
Club | Cerro Pelado |
Coached by | Pedro Val |
Medal record |
Upon winning the gold medal championship match at the 2024 Paris Olympics in Greco-Roman wrestling at 130 kg, López became the first and only athlete in modern Olympics history to win five consecutive gold medals in the same individual event.[5]
López has represented Cuba at the 2004, 2008, and 2012 Summer Olympics in Athens, Beijing, and London, and was his country's flag bearer during the opening ceremonies in 2008 and 2012.[6] In both competitions, he won the gold medal in the men's Greco-Roman 120 kg category.[7] At the 2016 Rio Games, López won Gold in the 130 kg category. He again won gold at the 2020 Tokyo Games without losing a single point in the tournament, becoming the first male wrestler to win four Olympic gold medals, as well as only the fifth athlete to win four gold medals in the same individual event.[8] During the opening ceremony of the same Olympics, he also became the first Cuban representative to become the country’s flag bearer four times, breaking the tie between Teófilo Stevenson and himself.[9]
At the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, López won his fifth gold medal, becoming the first Olympic athlete in any sport to win five gold medals in the same individual event. He subsequently left his wrestling shoes in the center of the mat after his victory, signifying his retirement from the sport.[10]
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