Within the annals of Olympic historical past, solely six athletes have achieved the exceptional feat of profitable 4 gold medals in the identical particular person occasion.
Amongst them are illustrious names similar to U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps, athletics icons Carl Lewis and Al Oerter, Denmark’s crusing legend Paul Elvstrom, Japan’s revered wrestler Icho Kaori, and Cuba’s greco-roman wrestling sensation, Mijain Lopez.
Amongst these distinctive athletes, just one stays in competitors with an opportunity to etch his title as essentially the most profitable athlete in Olympic historical past by securing a fifth gold medal in the identical particular person occasion at Paris 2024.
Mijain Lopez, following his fourth Olympic gold triumph at Tokyo 2020, launched into a hiatus of over two years to ponder his future within the sport. Hypothesis swirled throughout his break, with many speculating that the four-time Olympic champion and five-time world and Pan American champion had retired.
Return to rigorous coaching
Nonetheless, Lopez’s enduring ardour for wrestling and his unwavering dream of capturing a fifth Olympic gold medal compelled him to return to rigorous coaching, setting his sights firmly on the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Initially planning to compete on the Santiago 2023 Pan American Video games as a part of his preparations, unexpected circumstances, together with the passing of his father and different bodily elements, led him to withdraw from the Chilean occasion, focusing completely on the Olympic Video games.
On the outset of 2024, he launched into an intensive coaching routine, commencing with a coaching camp in Croatia. Within the weeks forward, he’ll proceed his preparations in Bulgaria.
Reflecting on his return to coaching, Lopez shared, “I’m very proud of this begin to the yr. As we are saying in Cuba, it began very heat. After a protracted relaxation, my physique feels superb. I’m very excited, motivated, and decided to go to Paris to win my fifth gold medal.”
Dagerly embraces the problem
The chance to develop into the athlete with essentially the most gold medals in a single Olympic occasion, surpassing luminaries like Carl Lewis and Michael Phelps, doesn’t daunt Lopez. He eagerly embraces the problem, stating, “That’s my nice purpose, to be the perfect. Paris 2024 will likely be one thing historic and completely different, an excellent problem that I wish to tackle.
“I hope that many individuals attend the competitors to look at and assist me in reaching this vital milestone for world sport. I need all of us to relish and have a good time a brand new gold medal for Cuba and for me.”
With retirement from elite competitors looming, Lopez has set a definitive timeline. He plans to bid farewell to over 20 years of victories and triumphs in greco-roman wrestling following his participation within the Paris Olympics. Lopez emphasised his want to assist and share his huge expertise and information with youthful athletes.
Whereas he doesn’t aspire to develop into a coach, he envisions a task as a pacesetter and mentor to nurture the event of Cuban wrestling and its athletes.
The greco-roman wrestling competitors at Paris 2024 is scheduled to happen on the Campo de Marte Area from August 5 to 11. Mijain Lopez, sometimes called the “Cuban Big,” is ready to headline the occasion as he pursues his historic quest to be topped not solely the world’s premier wrestler but in addition the best particular person athlete within the storied historical past of the Olympics.
