Mijaín López

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, for a total of 10 world gold medals (second highest, behind Aleksandr Karelin's twelve), and a five-time Pan American Games champion. He is the younger brother of Michel López Núñez, a Cuban amateur boxer. López was Cuba's flag bearer at the opening ceremony of the 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2020 Summer Olympics, and one of the country's flag bearers at the closing ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics.

Upon winning the gold medal in the Greco-Roman 130 kg event at the 2024 Paris Olympics, López became the first and only athlete in modern Olympics history to win five consecutive gold medals in the same individual event.

Career 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. In 2004, he placed fifth, whereas in 2008 and 2012, he won the gold medal in the men's Greco-Roman 120 kg category. 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. 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.

In 2016, López won his tenth gold medal at the national wrestling championships of Cuba.

At the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, 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.

International competition record

World Championships

In the 2005 World Championships he won the gold medal in the 120 kg weight class, outscoring his opponents 52-0 up to the final, before winning the final 7-1 vs Mihaly deak-bardos (HUN), in Budapest (Hungary). In the 2006 World Wrestling Championships he won the silver medal in the 120 kg weight class, outscoring his opponents 40-0 up to the final, before losing the final 0-12 vs Khasan Baroev (RUS), in Guangzhou (China). In the 2007 World Wrestling Championships he won the gold medal in the 120 kg weight class, outscoring his opponents 49-9 up to the final, before winning the final 2-2 vs Khasan Baroev (RUS), in Baku (Azerbaijan). In the 2009 World Wrestling Championships he won the gold medal in the 120 kg weight class, outscoring his opponents 25-0 up to the final, before winning the final 6-1 vs Dremiel Byers (USA), in Herning (Denmark). In the 2010 World Wrestling Championships he won the gold medal in the 120 kg weight class, outscoring his opponents 21-0 up to the final, before winning the final 4-0 vs Yury Patrikeyev (ARM), in Moscow (Russia). In the 2011 World Wrestling Championships he won the silver medal in the 120 kg weight class, outscoring his opponents 16-0 up to the final, before losing the final 0-4 vs Rıza Kayaalp (TUR), in Istanbul (Turkey). In the 2014 World Wrestling Championships he won the gold medal in the 130 kg weight class, outscoring his opponents 25-2 up to the final, before winning the final 2-0 vs Rıza Kayaalp (TUR), in Tashkent (Uzbekistan). In the 2015 World Wrestling Championships he won the silver medal in the 130 kg weight class, outscoring his opponents 15-1 up to the final, before losing the final 0-4 vs Rıza Kayaalp (TUR), in Las Vegas (United States).

Olympic Games In the 2004 Olympics he placed fifth in the 120 kg weight class in Athens. In the 2008 Olympics he won the gold medal, outscoring his opponents 24-3 in the 120 kg weight class in Beijing. In the 2012 Olympics he won the gold medal, outscoring his opponents 14-0 in the 120 kg weight class in London. In the 2016 Olympics he won the gold medal, outscoring his opponents 16-0 in the 130 kg weight class in Rio de Janeiro. In the 2020 Olympics he won the gold medal, outscoring his opponents 24-0 in the 130 kg weight class in Tokyo. In the 2024 Olympics he won the gold medal, outscoring his opponents 20-2 in the 130 kg weight class in Paris.

Res. Opponent Record Score Date Event Location Venue

Won

1-0 5-0

Won

2-0 4-0 Lost

2-1 0-2

Won

3-1 WO

Won

4-1 16-0

Won

5-1 16-0 Won

6-1 12-0 Won

7-1 8-0 Won

8-1 7-1

Won

9-1 11-0

Won

10-1 13-0 Won

11-1 7-0 Won

12-1 9-0 Lost

12-2 0-12

Won

13-2 16-3

Won

14-2 7-0 Won

15-2 8-5 Won

16-2 13-0 Won

17-2 2-2

Won

18-2 5-1

Won

19-2 4F-1 Won

20-2 9-0 Won

21-2 6-1

Won

22-2 7-0

Won

23-2 12-0 Won

24-2 4-5 Won

25-2 2-0 Won

26-2 6F-1

Won

27-2 8-0

Won

28-2 4-0 Won

29-2 7-0 Won

30-2 2-0 Won

31-2 4-0

Won

32-2 3-0

Won

33-2 6-0 Won

34-2 3-0 Won

35-2 2-0 Won

36-2 2-0 Lost

36-3 0-4

Won

37-3 4-0

Won

38-3 4-0 Won

39-3 3-0 Won

40-3 3-1

Won

41-3 10-2

Won

42-3 8-0 Won

43-3 6c-0 Won

44-3 1-0 Won

45-3 2-0

Won

46-3 2-1

Won

47-3 3-0 Won

48-3 2-0 Won

49-3 8-0 Lost

49-4 0-1

Won

50-4 3-0

Won

51-4 4-0 Won

52-4 3-0 Won

53-4 6-0

Won

54-4 9-0

Won

55-4 8-0 Won

56-4 2-0 Won

57-4 5-0 2 August 2021

Won

58-4 7-0

Won

59-4 3-1 Won

60-4 4-1 Won

61-4 6-0 6 August 2024