Cuban Mayen Lopez cemented his legend by winning his fourth consecutive Olympic gold.
Georgian Lopez defeated Iakobi Kagaya 5-0 in the 130kg Greco-Roman wrestling final, ousting Russia’s Alexander Karelin, who won three consecutive Olympic gold medals between 1988 and 1996.
And that is that Lopez’s victory, 38, is full of exploits.
He won the Olympic titles in Beijing 2008, London 2012 and Rio 2016. Since Beijing is unbeaten at the Olympics and in Tokyo has not resulted in a single point in the entire tournament.
In this way, it is equal to the mentor of the Japanese fighter Kaori Iko who He also won four consecutive gold medals in Athens 2004, Beijing 2008, London 2012 and Rio 2016.
Minutes earlier, Luis Orta of Havana also claimed the long-awaited gold medal after defeating Japan’s Kenichiro Fumita 5-1 in the 60kg class. It was the first gold medal in these games.
Monday was a fruitful day for medals for the island as it started with silver and bronze for Juan Miguel Echevarria and Michael Masso in the men’s long jump. Silver followed by shooter Leuris Pupo in a 25-meter rapid fire.
Cuba currently has seven medals in the Tokyo Olympics.
Cuba’s medals contributed to a successful day for the region after Puerto Rico’s Yasmine Camacho Quinn gold in athletics and silver and bronze by Tamara Salazar and Chrismre Santana for Ecuador and Dominican Republic in women’s weightlifting.
Most anticipated gold
Tamara Gill, Special Envoy to Tokyo
Upon entering Tokyo’s Makuhari Messe, there was no doubt as to the identity of the protagonist on Monday.
I heard the phrase “Cuba, Cuba, Cuba …!” In the background, before going up the stairs to enter the battlefield. A worker from the competition said to me: “Fortunately, the Cubans arrived, and set everything on fire … What a thrill!”
Waiting for Megan Lopez to expand his legend, the Cubans greeted with excitement and surprise the gold of Luis Orta, who raised his medal after some great games and laughed apologizing to the press for “taking the first gold medal” from the country that was going to Megan.
The history of Greco-Roman wrestling did not care about the progress of his compatriot: he came to make history and his great experience and preparation allowed him to stand in the middle of the fight to cheer the audience, which he has been since he left. Fully dedicated.
They asked Megan to send a message to the Cuban people, thanking everyone for the strength they had imparted to him, and went straight to thank the “Commander-in-Chief” – a reference to the late leader Fidel Castro – who came from him. To say that he brought the sport to Cuba and mentioned it again on various occasions in his first words.
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