Mijaín López Celebrates Birthday Amidst Euphoria of Fifth Olympic Gold

Mijaín López, the stellar Cuban athlete, turns 42 this Tuesday, while the echoes of his victory in Paris 2024 still resonate, marking him as a five-time champion in the Greco-Roman style of Olympic wrestling.

This date is extremely special, as just a few days ago, he once again covered himself in glory and officially announced his retirement from the mats after more than two decades at the high competitive level.

Although no images of his celebrations have surfaced, the gladiator appeared on the officialist program Mesa Redonda the day before, where he reviewed his performance in the last contest under the five rings. "To beat me, you have to train more than I do, because fortunately in my 22 years in wrestling, I almost did not suffer any serious injuries, and that helped me a lot in my preparation. I managed to stay at the top because my mind is that of a champion, always positive and willing to give everything for Cuba," he pointed out, according to the site Cubadebate.

Upon his return to the island, the Cuban authorities called on friends, neighbors, athletes, and the general public to welcome López, whom the regime's propaganda has turned into one of the symbols of the so-called revolutionary sport.

It is worth remembering that Mijaín, one of the most active athletes in proclaiming his adherence to the regime, physically assaulted an activist who protested against the regime in a stadium in Chile during the past Pan American Games.

From a sporting perspective, in the capital of France, López defeated his compatriot Yasmani Acosta, representing Chile, in the final, closing the curtains on his almost unparalleled Olympic career. The emotion reached unprecedented levels when he was seen kneeling, placing his shoes in the center of the mat, and shedding tears among a bundle of emotions.

With a slow walk, López, dressed in red, tight leotard, returned to the competitive surface and offered a legendary farewell for the delight of the thousands of people present at the Champ de Mars Arena and the many more who watched him become the only athlete in history to win the same individual event five times under the shadow of the five rings.

To mention Mijaín is to speak of those chosen by glory, and it is understandable that he is labeled as the GOAT (Greatest of All Time) of wrestling, as he also has five world titles and four in multi-sport events at the continental level.

His only defeat in the Olympic Games occurred on August 24, 2004, against the Russian Kashan Baroev. After that, there were only smiles and dances in Beijing 2008, London 2012, Rio de Janeiro 2016, Tokyo 2020, and Paris 2024.