Mijain Lopez Retires as Wrestling Legend with Fifth Consecutive Olympic Gold

The 41-year-old Cuban wrestler defeated Chile's Yasmani Acosta Fernandez 6-0 in the 130-kilogram final at the Paris Olympics on Tuesday, clinching his fifth consecutive gold medal in Greco-Roman wrestling. Lopez is the first Olympic athlete to win gold in the same event at five straight Games and is also the first wrestler to achieve five gold medals.

“What’s great is the joy,” Lopez said through a translator. “It was a result I had been striving for, not only for myself but for the world and my country. I’m thrilled to join the ranks of the Olympic elite. It’s the reward for a lifetime of hard work, supported by everyone and my family. This is my greatest victory.”

After the match, Lopez placed his shoes in the center of the mat as a symbolic gesture of his retirement. He first competed in the Olympics in 2004, finishing fifth, and is now ready to pass the torch.