Greco-Roman wrestling champion Mijaín López wins his fifth Gold at the Paris 2024 Olympics!

Born in the municipality of Herradura (coincidence or causality), in the province of Pinar del Río, he became the protector of the island’s athletics teams from Beijing 2008 to the present, climbing to the top of the podium uninterruptedly until Paris 2024.

The six-time winner under the five rings is easy to say, but to give an idea of ​​the magnitude of the feat: he extended Cuba’s consecutive titles in this sport since the Barcelona 1992 event; he became the first athlete in the world to climb to the top of the podium in the same event, in five Olympic games; He broke his own record of golds in that discipline, separating himself by two from another legend, the Russian Alexandr Karelin (three); he became the Cuban with the greatest number of achievements, surpassing the legendary fencer Ramón Fonst (four golds and one silver).

Add to the above the greatest prize, having the love and admiration of an entire people, a medal that is not hung around the neck, but in the soul.

A crown is not exempt from other aspirants to the throne, and for almost two decades, there have been several challengers to the ‘Ebony Giant’ among them, a great like the Turk Riza Kayaalp, one of the few who could beat him in some competition, but who had to bow his head again and again to Mijain in this type of competition.

In the current Parisian contest, another challenger was looming, the young Iranian world champion Amin Mirzazadeh, but the experience of the “old king” prevailed over the talented opponent (3-1) in what seemed like an early final in the second outing on the mat.

Previously, he had defeated South Korean Seungcham Lee (7-0) and in the semi-finals, the bronze medalist in Rio de Janeiro 2016, the Azerbaijani Sabah Shariati (4-0).

You already know the result, the gods of wrestling could not commit such an affront, because Olympus has a monarch, and he is Cuban.