# 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.
International competition record :
| Res. | Opponent | Record | Score | Date | Event | Location | Venue |
| 2004 Athens 5th place at 120 kg ||||||||
| Won | Yuri Evseichik | 1-0 | 5-0 | 24 August 2004 | 2004 Summer Olympics | Athens, Greece | Ano Liosia Olympic Hall (now SUNEL Arena) |
| Won | Yekta Yılmaz Gül | 2-0 | 4-0 | 24 August 2004 | 2004 Summer Olympics | Athens, Greece | Ano Liosia Olympic Hall (now SUNEL Arena) |
| Lost | Khasan Baroev | 2-1 | 0-2 | 25 August 2004 | 2004 Summer Olympics | Athens, Greece | Ano Liosia Olympic Hall (now SUNEL Arena) |
| Won | Yannick Szczepaniak | 3-1 | WO | 25 August 2004 | 2004 Summer Olympics | Athens, Greece | Ano Liosia Olympic Hall (now SUNEL Arena) |
| 2005 World Championships at Men's Greco-Roman 120kg ||||||||
| Won | Ari Taub | 4-1 | 16-0 | 2 October 2005 | 2005 World Wrestling Championships | Budapest, Hungary | László Papp Budapest Sports Arena |
| Won | Yekta Yılmaz Gül | 5-1 | 16-0 | 2 October 2005 | 2005 World Wrestling Championships | Budapest, Hungary | László Papp Budapest Sports Arena |
| Won | Juha Ahokas | 6-1 | 12-0 | 2 October 2005 | 2005 World Wrestling Championships | Budapest, Hungary | László Papp Budapest Sports Arena |
| Won | Georgiy Tsurtsumia | 7-1 | 8-0 | 2 October 2005 | 2005 World Wrestling Championships | Budapest, Hungary | László Papp Budapest Sports Arena |
| Won | Mihály Deák-Bárdos | 8-1 | 7-1 | 2 October 2005 | 2005 World Wrestling Championships | Budapest, Hungary | László Papp Budapest Sports Arena |
| 2006 World Championships at Men's Greco-Roman 120kg ||||||||
| Won | Liu Hao | 9-1 | 11-0 | 27 September 2006 | 2006 World Wrestling Championships | Guangzhou, China | Tianhe Gymnasium |
| Won | Mindaugas Mizgaitis | 10-1 | 13-0 | 27 September 2006 | 2006 World Wrestling Championships | Guangzhou, China | Tianhe Gymnasium |
| Won | İsmail Güzel | 11-1 | 7-0 | 27 September 2006 | 2006 World Wrestling Championships | Guangzhou, China | Tianhe Gymnasium |
| Won | Mihály Deák-Bárdos | 12-1 | 9-0 | 27 September 2006 | 2006 World Wrestling Championships | Guangzhou, China | Tianhe Gymnasium |
| Lost | Khasan Baroev | 12-2 | 0-12 | 27 September 2006 | 2006 World Wrestling Championships | Guangzhou, China | Tianhe Gymnasium |
| 2007 World Championships at Men's Greco-Roman 120kg ||||||||
| Won | Anton Botev | 13-2 | 16-3 | 19 September 2007 | 2007 World Wrestling Championships | Baku, Azerbaijan | Heydar Aliyev Sports and Concert Complex |
| Won | Davyd Saldadze | 14-2 | 7-0 | 19 September 2007 | 2007 World Wrestling Championships | Baku, Azerbaijan | Heydar Aliyev Sports and Concert Complex |
| Won | Yuri Patrikeyev | 15-2 | 8-5 | 19 September 2007 | 2007 World Wrestling Championships | Baku, Azerbaijan | Heydar Aliyev Sports and Concert Complex |
| Won | Ioseb Chugoshvili | 16-2 | 13-0 | 19 September 2007 | 2007 World Wrestling Championships | Baku, Azerbaijan | Heydar Aliyev Sports and Concert Complex |
| Won | Khasan Baroev | 17-2 | 2-2 | 19 September 2007 | 2007 World Wrestling Championships | Baku, Azerbaijan | Heydar Aliyev Sports and Concert Complex |
| 2008 Beijing at 120 kg ||||||||
| Won | Siarhei Artsiukhin | 18-2 | 5-1 | 14 August 2008 | 2008 Summer Olympics | Beijing, China | China Agricultural University Gymnasium |
| Won | Yuri Patrikeyev | 19-2 | 4F-1 | 14 August 2008 | 2008 Summer Olympics | Beijing, China | China Agricultural University Gymnasium |
| Won | Jalmar Sjöberg | 20-2 | 9-0 | 14 August 2008 | 2008 Summer Olympics | Beijing, China | China Agricultural University Gymnasium |
| Won | Khasan Baroev | 21-2 | 6-1 | 14 August 2008 | 2008 Summer Olympics | Beijing, China | China Agricultural University Gymnasium |
| 2009 World Championships at Men's Greco-Roman 120kg ||||||||
| Won | Ali Nadhim | 22-2 | 7-0 | 27 September 2009 | 2009 World Wrestling Championships | Herning, Denmark | Messecenter Herning |
| Won | Rafael Barreno | 23-2 | 12-0 | 27 September 2009 | 2009 World Wrestling Championships | Herning, Denmark | Messecenter Herning |
| Won | Ioseb Chugoshvili | 24-2 | 4-5 | 27 September 2009 | 2009 World Wrestling Championships | Herning, Denmark | Messecenter Herning |
| Won | Rıza Kayaalp | 25-2 | 2-0 | 27 September 2009 | 2009 World Wrestling Championships | Herning, Denmark | Messecenter Herning |
| Won | Dremiel Byers | 26-2 | 6F-1 | 27 September 2009 | 2009 World Wrestling Championships | Herning, Denmark | Messecenter Herning |
| 2010 World Championships at Men's Greco-Roman 120kg ||||||||
| Won | Nie Xiaoming | 27-2 | 8-0 | 7 September 2010 | 2010 World Wrestling Championships | Moscow, Russia | Olympic Stadium |
| Won | Łukasz Banak | 28-2 | 4-0 | 7 September 2010 | 2010 World Wrestling Championships | Moscow, Russia | Olympic Stadium |
| Won | Marek Švec | 29-2 | 7-0 | 7 September 2010 | 2010 World Wrestling Championships | Moscow, Russia | Olympic Stadium |
| Won | Nurmakhan Tinaliyev | 30-2 | 2-0 | 7 September 2010 | 2010 World Wrestling Championships | Moscow, Russia | Olympic Stadium |
| Won | Yuri Patrikeyev | 31-2 | 4-0 | 7 September 2010 | 2010 World Wrestling Championships | Moscow, Russia | Olympic Stadium |
| 2011 World Championships at Men's Greco-Roman 120kg ||||||||
| Won | Johan Eurén | 32-2 | 3-0 | 13 September 2011 | 2011 World Wrestling Championships | Istanbul, Turkey | Sinan Erdem Dome |
| Won | Murat Ramonov | 33-2 | 6-0 | 13 September 2011 | 2011 World Wrestling Championships | Istanbul, Turkey | Sinan Erdem Dome |
| Won | Yuri Patrikeyev | 34-2 | 3-0 | 13 September 2011 | 2011 World Wrestling Championships | Istanbul, Turkey | Sinan Erdem Dome |
| Won | Bashir Babajanzadeh | 35-2 | 2-0 | 13 September 2011 | 2011 World Wrestling Championships | Istanbul, Turkey | Sinan Erdem Dome |
| Won | Łukasz Banak | 36-2 | 2-0 | 13 September 2011 | 2011 World Wrestling Championships | Istanbul, Turkey | Sinan Erdem Dome |
| Lost | Rıza Kayaalp | 36-3 | 0-4 | 13 September 2011 | 2011 World Wrestling Championships | Istanbul, Turkey | Sinan Erdem Dome |
| 2012 London at 120 kg ||||||||
| Won | Abdelrahman El-Trabely | 37-3 | 4-0 | 6 August 2012 | 2012 Summer Olympics | London, United Kingdom | ExCeL London |
| Won | Guram Pherselidze | 38-3 | 4-0 | 6 August 2012 | 2012 Summer Olympics | London, United Kingdom | ExCeL London |
| Won | Rıza Kayaalp | 39-3 | 3-0 | 6 August 2012 | 2012 Summer Olympics | London, United Kingdom | ExCeL London |
| Won | Heiki Nabi | 40-3 | 3-1 | 6 August 2012 | 2012 Summer Olympics | London, United Kingdom | ExCeL London |
| 2014 World Championships at Men's Greco-Roman 130kg ||||||||
| Won | Murodjon Tuychiev | 41-3 | 10-2 | 13 September 2014 | 2014 World Wrestling Championships | Tashkent, Uzbekistan | Gymnastics Sport Palace |
| Won | Eduard Popp | 42-3 | 8-0 | 13 September 2014 | 2014 World Wrestling Championships | Tashkent, Uzbekistan | Gymnastics Sport Palace |
| Won | Behnam Mehdizadeh | 43-3 | 6c-0 | 13 September 2014 | 2014 World Wrestling Championships | Tashkent, Uzbekistan | Gymnastics Sport Palace |
| Won | Bilyal Makhov | 44-3 | 1-0 | 13 September 2014 | 2014 World Wrestling Championships | Tashkent, Uzbekistan | Gymnastics Sport Palace |
| Won | Rıza Kayaalp | 45-3 | 2-0 | 13 September 2014 | 2014 World Wrestling Championships | Tashkent, Uzbekistan | Gymnastics Sport Palace |
| 2015 World Championships at Men's Greco-Roman 130kg ||||||||
| Won | Bilyal Makhov | 46-3 | 2-1 | 8 September 2015 | 2015 World Wrestling Championships | Las Vegas | Orleans Arena |
| Won | Mindaugas Mizgaitis | 47-3 | 3-0 | 8 September 2015 | 2015 World Wrestling Championships | Las Vegas | Orleans Arena |
| Won | Heiki Nabi | 48-3 | 2-0 | 8 September 2015 | 2015 World Wrestling Championships | Las Vegas | Orleans Arena |
| Won | Robby Smith | 49-3 | 8-0 | 8 September 2015 | 2015 World Wrestling Championships | Las Vegas | Orleans Arena |
| Lost | Rıza Kayaalp | 49-4 | 0-1 | 8 September 2015 | 2015 World Wrestling Championships | Las Vegas | Orleans Arena |
| 2016 Rio de Janeiro at 130 kg ||||||||
| Won | Heiki Nabi | 50-4 | 3-0 | 15 August 2016 | 2016 Summer Olympics | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | Carioca Arena 2 |
| Won | Johan Eurén | 51-4 | 4-0 | 15 August 2016 | 2016 Summer Olympics | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | Carioca Arena 2 |
| Won | Sergey Semenov | 52-4 | 3-0 | 15 August 2016 | 2016 Summer Olympics | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | Carioca Arena 2 |
| Won | Rıza Kayaalp | 53-4 | 6-0 | 15 August 2016 | 2016 Summer Olympics | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | Carioca Arena 2 |
| 2021 Tokyo at 130 kg ||||||||
| Won | Alin Alexuc-Ciurariu | 54-4 | 9-0 | 1 August 2021 | 2020 Summer Olympics | Tokyo, Japan | Makuhari Messe |
| Won | Amin Mirzazadeh | 55-4 | 8-0 | 1 August 2021 | 2020 Summer Olympics | Tokyo, Japan | Makuhari Messe |
| Won | Rıza Kayaalp | 56-4 | 2-0 | 1 August 2021 | 2020 Summer Olympics | Tokyo, Japan | Makuhari Messe |
| Won | Iakobi Kajaia | 57-4 | 5-0 | 2 August 2021 | 2020 Summer Olympics | Tokyo, Japan | Makuhari Messe |
| 2024 Paris at 130 kg ||||||||
| Won | Lee Seung-chan | 58-4 | 7-0 | 5 August 2024 | 2024 Summer Olympics | Paris, France | Grand Palais Éphémère |
| Won | Amin Mirzazadeh | 59-4 | 3-1 | 5 August 2024 | 2024 Summer Olympics | Paris, France | Grand Palais Éphémère |
| Won | Sabah Shariati | 60-4 | 4-1 | 5 August 2024 | 2024 Summer Olympics | Paris, France | Grand Palais Éphémère |
| Won | Yasmani Acosta | 61-4 | 6-0 | 6 August 2024 | 2024 Summer Olympics | Paris, France | Grand Palais Éphémère |