• Football
  • Boxing
  • UFC
  • Home
  • Football
    • England
    • Transfer News
    • Premier League
    • Champions League
    • Lionel Messi
    • Cristiano Ronaldo
    • EA FC 25
    • Wrexham
  • Boxing
    • Tyson Fury
    • Anthony Joshua
    • Oleksandr Usyk
    • Mike Tyson
    • Jake Paul
    • Logan Paul
  • UFC
    • Dana White
    • Conor McGregor
    • Khabib Nurmagomedov
    • Jon Jones
    • Paddy Pimblett
    • Joe Rogan
  • Other Sport
    • Athletics
    • Formula 1
    • MMA
    • Motorsport
    • NBA
    • Darts
    • NFL
    • Snooker
    • Wrestling
    • Tennis
    • Cricket
    • Golf
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • UNILAD
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube
Athlete immediately retires after setting stunning Olympic record which may never be broken

Home> Other

Updated 12:27 7 Aug 2024 GMT+1Published 12:26 7 Aug 2024 GMT+1

Athlete immediately retires after setting stunning Olympic record which may never be broken

Cuban wrestler Mijain Lopez left his shoes on the mat after setting a new record which may never be beaten.

Josh Lawless

Josh Lawless

An Olympic wrestler bowed out at the very top after setting a record which may never be topped.

On Tuesday, Mijain Lopez experienced one of the greatest send-offs in all of sport.

The Cuban beat Yasmani Acosta Fernandez of Chile in the 130-kilogram final and secured his fifth gold medal at the age of 41.

Advert

Incredibly, Lopez becomes the first ever athlete to win gold in the same individual event at five consecutive Olympics - a record which may well remain intact for years to come.

Lopez debuted at the 2004 Olympics in Athens and finished fifth. But then embarked on a period of dominance in his weight class in Greco-Roman wrestling.

He claimed gold in 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2020 - his win in Tokyo seeing him come through without giving up a single point.

Advert

This time around he conceded two points across four matches but still got the job done and signed off with another medal.

“What’s great is the joy," Lopez said afterwards, with help from a translator.

“It was a result that I was craving, but also for the whole world and my country. "So happy to reach the Olympic elite. The reward of a lifetime of working hard with the help of everyone and my family. It is my biggest win."

Image: Getty
Image: Getty

Advert

Following the triumph, Lopez dropped to all fours and then proceeded to remove his wrestling boots and in an emotional moment, placed them in the centre of the mat to signify his retirement from the sport.

He signs off as one of the greatest wrestlers of all time and will now let someone else have the opportunity to succeed.

Image: Getty
Image: Getty

“I have a lot of inspiration for all the young people that come to me for guidance," he added.

Advert

"I have a lot of inspiration to give to the world. I would like to educate the younger generations.”

Featured Image Credit: Getty

Topics: Olympics

Josh Lawless
Josh Lawless

Josh is a sports journalist who specialises in football and WWE. He has been published by Curzon Ashton FC, Late Tackle, Manchester City FC, The Mirror, Read Man City and Manchester Evening News. He provides coverage of professional wrestling and has covered two WrestleMania events for SPORTbible.

X

@joshlawless_

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

2 days ago
7 days ago
13 days ago
  • NBC Sports PhiladelphiaNBC Sports Philadelphia
    2 days ago

    Baseball Fan Branded ‘Disgusting’ After Child Incident Caught on Camera

    The young fan ended up with a brilliant gift after the home run ball ordeal.

    Other
  • GettyGetty
    7 days ago

    IOC issue statement on banning Israel from Olympic Games over Gaza war

    The IOC have released a fresh statement on Israel.

    Other
  • NBC SportsNBC Sports
    7 days ago

    MLB commentators stunned after x-rated crowd moment forced cameras to cut away

    The baseball commentators were silenced by bad behaviour on the bleachers

    Other
  • IWBF EuropeIWBF Europe
    13 days ago

    Israel file complaint after British team turn backs on Israeli national anthem

    The snub happened before a Basketball Nations Cup game in Cologne, Germany on August 16.

    Other
  • Olympic pole vaulter sends whole stadium wild by setting insane world record that may never be beaten
  • Olympic athlete immediately disqualified from Games after 'scandalous behaviour' against French star
  • Paris 2024 organisers respond after furious athlete claims Olympic Village conditions 'cost her world record'
  • Olympic star 'faints' after being brutally disqualified from Paris Games and stripped of medal