PARIS, Aug 07 (AFP): Cuban wrestler Mijain Lopez made Olympic history on Tuesday when he became the first athlete to win five consecutive individual golds in the same event, bettering the records of Games icons such as Carl Lewis and Michael Phelps.
Lopez, who turns 42 in two weeks' time, defeated fellow Cuban Yasmani Acosta, representing Chile, in the final of the 130kg Greco-Roman event.
When asked to describe each Games success, he said: "Beijing - youth; London - transcendence, Rio - effort; Tokyo - sacrifice; Paris - joy."
"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 added.
A legend of wrestling, Lopez had retired after the 2021 Tokyo Games before returning to the sport to achieve his landmark triumph.
Wrestler Lopez rides off into the sunset
Becomes the first athlete to win five consecutive individual Olympic gold medals in same event
FE Team | Published: August 07, 2024 22:12:39
Cuba's Mijain Lopez Nunez celebrates after defeating Chile's Yasmani Acosta Fernandez during their men's Greco-Roman 130kg wrestling final match, at Champ-de-Mars Arena, during the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France on Tuesday — AP
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