Mijaín López facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Mijaín López

López at the 2024 Summer Olympics
Personal information
Full name	Mijaín López Núñez
Nickname(s)	The Kid, El Terrible, The Giant of Herradura
Born	(1982-08-20) 20 August 1982 (age 42) Entronque de Herradura, Cuba
Height	1.96 m (6 ft 5 in)
Weight	131.5 kg (290 lb)
Sport
Country	Cuba
Sport	Wrestling
Event(s)	Greco-Roman
Club	Cerro Pelado
Coached by	Pedro Val
Medal record Men's wrestling Representing  Cuba Event 1st 2nd 3rd Olympic Games 5 0 0 World Championship 5 3 0 World Cup 3 0 0 World University Championship 1 0 0 Pan American Games 5 0 0 Central American and Caribbean Games 3 0 0 Pan American Championship 9 1 0 Grand Prix Ivan Poddubny 0 0 1 Junior Pan American Wrestling Championship 2 0 0 Men's Greco-Roman wrestling Olympic Games Gold 2008 Beijing 120 kg Gold 2012 London 120 kg Gold 2016 Rio de Janeiro 130 kg Gold 2020 Tokyo 130 kg Gold 2024 Paris 130 kg World Championships Gold 2005 Budapest 120 kg Gold 2007 Baku 120 kg Gold 2009 Herning 120 kg Gold 2010 Moscow 120 kg Gold 2014 Tashkent 130 kg Silver 2006 Guangzhou 120 kg Silver 2011 Istanbul 120 kg Silver 2015 Las Vegas 130 kg World Cup Gold 2005 Tehran 120 kg Gold 2006 Budapest 120 kg Gold 2009 Clermont-Ferrand 120 kg World University Championships Gold 2005 Izmir 120 kg Pan American Games Gold 2003 Santo Domingo 120 kg Gold 2007 Rio de Janeiro 120 kg Gold 2011 Guadalajara 120 kg Gold 2015 Toronto 130 kg Gold 2019 Lima 130 kg Central American and Caribbean Games Gold 2014 San Juan 130 kg Gold 2014 Veracruz 130 kg Gold 2018 Barranquilla 130 kg Pan American Championships Gold 2002 Maracaibo 120 kg Gold 2004 Guatemala City 120 kg Gold 2005 Guatemala City 120 kg Gold 2006 Rio de Janeiro 120 kg Gold 2007 San Salvador 120 kg Gold 2008 Colorado Springs 120 kg Gold 2009 Maracaibo 120 kg Gold 2012 Colorado Springs 120 kg Gold 2014 Mexico City 130 kg Silver 2003 Guatemala City 120 kg Junior Pan American Championships Gold 2002 Bogota 120 kg Men's freestyle wrestling Junior Pan American Championships Gold 2002 Bogota 120 kg

Mijaín López Núñez (born August 20, 1982) is a famous Cuban Greco-Roman wrestler. He is known as one of the greatest wrestlers ever. Mijaín has won five gold medals at the Olympic Games. He also won five World Championships. This means he has a total of 10 world gold medals! He is the younger brother of Michel López Núñez, who is also a Cuban boxer.

Mijaín López was chosen to carry Cuba's flag at the opening ceremonies of the 2008, 2012, 2016, and 2020 Summer Olympics. He was also a flag bearer at the closing ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics.

At the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, Mijaín won his fifth gold medal in the Greco-Roman 130 kg event. This made him the first and only athlete in modern Olympic history to win five gold medals in the same individual event! After his victory, he left his wrestling shoes in the middle of the mat, showing that he was retiring from the sport.

Mijaín López's Amazing Career

Mijaín López has represented Cuba in many Olympic Games. He competed in 2004 (Athens), 2008 (Beijing), and 2012 (London). He was Cuba's flag bearer at the opening ceremonies in 2008 and 2012.

In 2004, he finished fifth. But in 2008 and 2012, he won the gold medal in the men's Greco-Roman 120 kg category. At the 2016 Rio Games, Mijaín won another gold medal, this time in the 130 kg category.

He continued his winning streak at the 2020 Tokyo Games. He won gold without losing a single point! This made him the first male wrestler to win four Olympic gold medals. He was also only the fifth athlete ever to win four gold medals in the same individual event. During the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics, he became the first Cuban to be the country's flag bearer four times.

In 2016, Mijaín López also won his tenth gold medal at Cuba's national wrestling championships.

Mijaín's Olympic Gold Medals

Mijaín López has an incredible record at the Olympic Games:

• In the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, he won the gold medal in the 120 kg weight class. He outscored his opponents by a lot!
• At the 2012 Olympics in London, he won another gold medal in the 120 kg weight class. He didn't let his opponents score any points against him.
• In the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, he won gold in the 130 kg weight class. Again, he didn't allow his opponents to score.
• At the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, he won his fourth gold medal in the 130 kg weight class. He was unbeatable, not losing a single point!
• In the 2024 Olympics in Paris, he won his fifth gold medal in the 130 kg weight class. This made history!

World Championship Wins

Mijaín López has also had great success at the World Championships:

• In the 2005 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, he won the gold medal in the 120 kg weight class. He was amazing, outscoring his opponents 52-0 before the final match!
• In the 2007 World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan, he won another gold medal in the 120 kg weight class.
• He won gold again at the 2009 World Championships in Herning, Denmark, in the 120 kg weight class. He didn't let his opponents score any points before the final.
• At the 2010 World Championships in Moscow, Russia, he earned his fourth gold medal in the 120 kg weight class.
• In the 2014 World Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, he won his fifth gold medal, this time in the 130 kg weight class.

See also

In Spanish: Mijaín López Núñez para niños

• List of multiple Olympic gold medalists in one event