PARIS: Cuban wrestling great Mijain Lopez became the first Olympian to win five golds in the same individual event on Tuesday after winning the men's 130kg Greco-Roman final at the Paris Games, before immediately retiring.
The 41-year-old has not lost a match since his long-time rival Riza Kayaalp of Turkey beat him in the final of the 2015 World Championships.
Lopez's 6-0 victory over silver medallist Yasmani Acosta of Chile at the Champ de Mars arena is still remarkable because the Cuban had not competed since winning his fourth gold in Tokyo three years ago. Lopez pinned his former training partner Acosta in the first period and then added a takedown in the second to secure victory before removing his shoes and leaving them on the mat signalling his retirement.
"It's a moment to demonstrate that someone has retired officially from the sport of wrestling and that also leaves a path wide open for the younger generation to continue inspiring others," said Lopez.
"To achieve all of these results, one has to love their sport, love their job, and demonstrate to the world that with so little you can achieve great things," he said of his career.
His celebration also included a takedown of one of his coaches and lifting the other.
Lopez touched the mat with his head, gleaming with beads of sweat, before taking off his shoes. Agencies
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