2024-08-07 15:38:21
Michael Phelps is said to be the greatest athlete in Olympic history. However, Cuban wrestler Mihain Lopez threatened that question. He made history in Paris Olympics. He became the first athlete in Olympic history to win five consecutive gold medals in the same event.
Previously in Olympic history, five men had won four golds in the same event. Lewis (athletics/long jump), Michael Phelps (swimming/200m medley), Katie Ledecky (swimming/800m freestyle), Al Wert (athletics/discus), Paul Elvestrom (sailing) and Cowrie won four consecutive individual golds in an event. Ichor (wrestling).
Lopez spread them all. The Cuban boxer defeated another Cuban-born Yasmani Acosta representing Chile in the final of the 130kg Greco-Roman event. However, 41-year-old Lopez retired on record.
However, Lopez had retired once before. He retired from boxing after the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. After being out of wrestling for three years, he returned again. That’s just for the record. On the way to the final, Lopez stunned Iran’s world champion Amin Mirzazadeh.
Lopez’s record, however, may be broken. Ledecky is the only remaining athlete to win four consecutive individual gold medals in an event at the Olympics. Ledecky, 27, will have a chance to break Lopez’s record at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.