Russian press highlights Cuban Mijain Lopez’s Olympic victory

The feat by five-time Olympic champion in Greco-Roman wrestling, Cuban Mijain Lopez, made headlines in Russia, Prensa Latina reported on Wednesday.

The Russian media informed that the 41-year-old Cuban athlete managed this Tuesday in Paris 2024 to set one of the most complex records in the Olympic Games by winning the gold medal for the fifth consecutive time in Greco-Roman wrestling.

Lopez became the only athlete in the Olympic Games history to win five consecutive Olympic Games: Beijing 2008, London 2012, Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020, and Paris 2024, Gazeta.ru published.

RT channel highlighted that the notable achievement of “El Coloso”, as Lopez is known in Cuba, was achieved after defeating Cuban-Chilean Yasmani Acosta 6-0 in the men’s 130-kilogram Greco-Roman final.

Lopez’s record was considered by the Olympic Games’ official website “something extraordinary, at the height of his legend”, as he also became the first wrestler in history to participate in six Olympic Games.

Izvestiya newspaper, in turn, pointed out that with this victory, Lopez “has left behind other sports legends like Michael Phelps, Carl Lewis, Alfred Oerter, and Paul Elvstrom.”