Mijaín López

López (blue jersey) at the 2009 World Cup against Dremiel Byers

Mijaín López Núñez medal table
Wrestler
Cuba
Olympic games
gold	2008 Beijing	up to 120 kg
gold	2012 London	up to 120 kg
gold	2016 Rio de Janeiro	up to 130 kg
World Championship
gold	2005 Budapest	up to 120 kg
silver	2006 Guangzhou	up to 120 kg
gold	2007 Baku	up to 120 kg
gold	2009 Herning	up to 120 kg
gold	2010 Moscow	up to 120 kg
silver	2011 Istanbul	up to 120 kg
gold	2014 Tashkent	up to 130 kg
silver	2015 Las Vegas	up to 130 kg
Pan American Games
gold	2003 Santo Domingo	up to 120 kg
gold	2007 Rio de Janeiro	up to 120 kg
gold	2011 Guadalajara	up to 120 kg
gold	2015 Toronto	up to 130 kg
gold	2019 Lima	up to 130 kg
Pan American Championship
gold	2002 Maracaibo	up to 120 kg
silver	2003 Guatemala City	up to 120 kg
gold	2004 Guatemala City	up to 120 kg
gold	2005 Guatemala City	up to 120 kg
gold	2006 Rio de Janeiro	up to 120 kg
gold	2007 San Salvador	up to 120 kg
gold	2009 Maracaibo	up to 120 kg
gold	2012 Colorado Springs	up to 120 kg
gold	2014 Mexico City	up to 130 kg
Universities World Championship
gold	2005 Izmir	up to 120 kg

Mijaín López Núñez (born August 20, 1982 in Consolación del Sur , Pinar del Río Province ) is a Cuban wrestler . He is three-time Olympic champion (2008, 2012 and 2016) and five-time world champion (2005, 2007, 2009, 2010 and 2014) in the Greco-Roman heavyweight division .

Career

Mijaín López started wrestling in 1993 at the age of 11. He concentrated on the Greco-Roman style. His home club is Cerro Pelado Havana and his coach is Pedro Val. The 1.95 meter tall athlete is struggling in the heaviest weight class that has its weight limit since 2014 kg at 130 body weight. He is a trained sports teacher.

López 'international career began in 1999. He started it at the Junior World Championships in Bucharest , but only came in 9th place in the light heavyweight division. He did not fare much better at the 2000 World Junior Championships in Nantes . He came there, wrestling again in the light heavyweight division, on the 8th place. In 2001 he took part in a senior world championship for the first time. In Patras he came in the heavyweight division after winning two fights and one defeat in the third fight against Xenofon Koutsioubas from Greece in 6th place.

In 2001 he won his first international championship. He was the winner of the Pan American Championships in Maracaibo ahead of the American Dremiel Byers , with whom he would often cross blades in the following years. In 2002 he started the first time the Grand Prix of Germany in Dortmund and won there before Eddy Bengtsson from Sweden . He then took part in this tournament three more times, always victorious. At the World Cup in Moscow he still had to pay hardship, because he lost there in his first fight against Yuri Patrikejew , who was still starting for Russia at the time , and despite a victory in his next fight against Sergei Mureiko from Bulgaria only came 13th.

2003 López lost at the Pan American Championship in Guatemala City in the final against Dremiel Byers , but won a little later at the Pan American Games in Santo Domingo before the 2000 Olympic champion Rulon Gardner from the United States . At the World Championships in Créteil that year , however, he was again not very successful. He won in Créteil over Miriani Giorgadse from Georgia , but lost his next fight against Juha Ahokas from Finland and ended up in 16th place.

In 2004 he qualified for the Olympic Games in Athens with a tournament victory in Novi Sad and was, again in Guatemala City, Pan American champion ahead of Ross Davie from the United States. At the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens he won the heavyweight division over Yuri Ewseitschik from Israel and Yekta Yilmaz Gül from Turkey and then lost to Chassan Baroyev from Russia , who became his main competitor in the following years. With a victory over Yannick Szczepaniak from France he only came in 5th place.

From 2005 a series of successes began for López, which lasted until 2012. At every international championship in which he took part, he won or at least finished 2nd. He became Olympic champion in Beijing in 2008 and defeated Chassan Barojew, who was subsequently convicted of doping , in the final battle with 2-0 rounds and 6-1 points. In 2012 he repeated the Olympic victory in London . In the semifinals he defeated the 2011 world champion Rıza Kayaalp from Turkey and in the final Heiki Nabi from Estonia .

At the world championships he had the following successes: 2005 in Budapest , world champion with a victory in the final over Mihály Deák Bárdos from Hungary , 2006 in Guangzhou / China , vice world champion after a surprisingly high defeat in the final against Chassan Barojew (0: 2 rounds 0:13 points), 2007 world champion in Baku with a narrow victory in the final over Chassan Barojew (2: 0 rounds, 2: 2 points), 2009 in Herning / Denmark world champion with a victory in the final over Dremiel Byers, 2010 in Moscow , World champion with a victory in the final over Yuri Patrikejew, who is now starting for Armenia , and in 2011, vice world champion after losing points in the final against Rıza Kayaalp (0: 2 rounds, 0: 4 points).

In addition, he was Pan American Champion in 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 and 2014 and winner of the Pan American Games in 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2019.

After his Olympic victory in 2012, Mijain López took a break in 2013. In 2014, however, he continued his career very successfully. In July 2014 he was again Pan American champion in Mexico City and was again successful in September 2014 at the World Cup in Tashkent. On the way to his fifth world title he defeated Muradjan Tuichijew, Tajikistan, Eduard Popp, Germany, Behnam Mehdizadeh, Iran, the 2012 Olympic third-party free style Biljal Machow from Russia and in the final Rıza Kayaalp.

In 2015 López won the Pan American Games in Toronto and was again the favorite at this year's World Cup in Las Vegas. In Las Vegas he defeated Biljal Machow, Mindaugas Mizgaitis from Lithuania, Heiki Nabi and Robert Smith from the United States. In the final he suffered a point defeat against his old rival Rıza Kayaalp.

In 2016 Mijaín López became Olympic champion for the third time in Rio de Janeiro. He defeated Heiki Nabi, Johan Eurén, Sergei Semjonow and Riza Kayaalp.

In the 2015/16 season he wrestled in the German Bundesliga for ASV Nendingen .

For 2020 Mijaín López is obviously planning a start at the Olympic Games in Tokyo. That would be his fifth start at the Olympic Games.

International success

year	space	competition	Weight class	Results
1999	9.	Junior World Championships in Bucharest	Semi-difficult	Winner: Garrett Lowney , USA ahead of Ilja Lejawa, Georgia
2000	8th.	Junior World Championships in Nantes	Semi-difficult	Winner: Chassan Barojew , Russia ahead of Georgios Koutsioubas, Greece
2001	6th	World Cup in Patras	Super heavy	after victories over Yerlan Oskejew, Kazakhstan and David Vála , Czech Republic and a defeat against Xenofon Koutisoubas , Greece
2002	1.	Pan American Championship in Maracaibo	Heavy	before Dremiel Byers , USA and Guillermo Talavera, Venezuela
2002	1.	Pan-American Junior Championship in Bogotá	Heavy	before Jorge Martinez, Mexico and Marcellino Muriello, Colombia
2002	1.	Grand Prix of Germany in Dortmund	Heavy	before Eddy Bengtsson , Sweden and Juri Ewseitschik, Israel
2002	13.	World Cup in Moscow	Heavy	after a defeat against Yuri Patrikejew , Russia and a victory over Sergej Mureiko , Bulgaria
2003	1.	"Dave Schultz" Memorial International in Colorado Springs	Heavy	before Rulon Gardner , USA and Georgi Tsurtsumia , Georgia
2003	2.	Panb American Championship in Guatemala City	Heavy	behind Dremiel Byers, in front of Edward Diaz, Venezuela
2003	1.	Pan American Games in Santo Domingo	Heavy	before Rulon Gardner and Rafael Barrero Martinez, Venezuela
2003	16.	World Cup in Créteil	Heavy	after defeating Miriani Giorgadse , Georgia and losing to Juha Ahokas , Finland
2004	1.	Olympic qualification tournament in Novi Sad	Heavy	before Yekta Yilmaz Gül , Turkey and Miriani Giorgadse
2004	1.	Pan American Championship in Guatemala City	Heavy	before Ross Davie, USA and Andres Ayub Valenzuela, Chile
2004	1.	German Grand Prix in Dortmund	Heavy	before Georgi Tsurtsumia, Fatih Bakir , Turkey and Chassan Barojew
2004	5.	OS in Athens	Heavy	after victories over Juri Ewseitschik and Yekta Yilmaz Gül, a defeat against Chassan Barojew and a victory over Yannick Szczepaniak , France
2005	1.	World Cup in Tehran	Heavy	before Yuri Patrikeev and Dawid Saldadze , Ukraine
2005	1.	Pan American Championship in Guatemala City	Heavy	before Sergio Primera, Venezuela and Oscar Fajardo, Guatemala
2005	1.	German Grand Prix in Dortmund	Heavy	before Mihály Deák Bárdos , Hungary , Nico Schmidt , Germany and Marek Mikulski, Poland
2005	1.	Universities World Cup in Izmir	Heavy	before Yekta Yilmaz Gül, Ghesmanat Azar Sharabiani, Iran and Mindaugas Mizgaitis , Lithuania
2005	1.	World Cup in Budapest	Heavy	after victories over Ari Michael Taub, Canada , Yekta Yilmaz Gül, Juha Ahokas, Georgi Tsurtsumia and Mihaly Deak Bardos
2006	1.	World Cup in Budapest	Heavy	before Chassan Barojew and Mihaly Deak Bardos
2006	1.	Pan American Championship in Rio de Janeiro	Heavy	before Dremiel Byers and Ari Michael Taub
2006	2.	World Cup in Guangzhou	Heavy	after victories over Liu Hao, China , Mindaugas Ezerskis, Ismail Güsel, Turkey and Mihaly Deak Bardos and a defeat against Chassan Barojew
2007	1.	Pan American Championship in San Salvador	Heavy	ahead of Ross Davie and Ari Michael Taub
2007	1.	Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro	Heavy	before Dremiel Byers, Ari Michael Taub and Rafael Barrero Martinez
2007	1.	World Cup in Baku	Heavy	with victories over Anton Botew, Azerbaijan , Dawid Saldadze, Uzbekistan , Yuri Patrikejew, Armenia , Iossif Tschugaschwili , Belarus , Mihaly Deak Bardos and Chassan Barojew
2008	3.	"Ivan Poddubny" Memorial in Moscow	Heavy	behind Chassan Barojew and Alexander Anuchin , both Russia
2008	1.	"Dave Schultz" Memorial International in Colorado Springs	Heavy	before Dremiel Byers and Georgi Tsurtsumia
2008	1.	German Grand Prix in Dortmund	Heavy	before Iossif Tschugaschwili, Sergej Artjuchin, Belarus and Ricardo Melz, Germany
2008	gold	OS in Beijing	Heavy	after victories over Sergej Artjuchin, Juri Patrikejew , Jalmar Sjoeberg , Sweden and Chassan Barojew, who was convicted of doping during follow-up tests by the IOC and had to give up his silver medal
2009	1.	World Cup in Clermont-Ferrand	Heavy	before Juri Patrikejew, Yannick Szczepaniak and Alexander Anutschin
2009	1.	Pan American Championship in Maracaibo	Heavy	before Brandon Rupp, USA and Rafael berrero Martinez
2009	1.	World Cup in Herning / Denmark	Heavy	after victories over Ali Nadhim Salman, Iraq , Rafael Barrero Martinez, Iossif Tschugaschwili, Rıza Kayaalp , Turkey and Dremiel Byers
2010	1.	World Cup in Moscow	Heavy	after victories over Nie Xiaoming, China , Lukasz Banak , Poland, Marek Švec , Czech Republic , Nurmachan Tinalijew , Kazakhstan and Juri Patrikejew
2011	2.	World Cup in Istanbul	Heavy	after victories over Johan Eurén , Sweden, Murat Ramonow, Kyrgyzstan , Juri Patrikejew, Bashir Asgari Babajanzadeh , Iran and Lukasz Banak and a defeat against Rıza Kayaalp
2011	1.	Pan American Games in Guadalajara	Heavy	before Rafael Barrere Martinez and Antonio Ramon Garcia, Dominican Republic
2012	1.	Granma Cup in Havana	Heavy	before Yosmani Acosta Fernandez, Cuba and Ralf Böhringer , Germany
2012	1.	Pan American Championship in Colorado Springs	Heavy	before Ramon Antonio Garcia and Peter Kowalczuk, USA
2012	1.	Trofe Milone in Sassari	Heavy	before Radhouane Chebbi, Tunisia and Rocco Daniele Ficara, Italy
2012	gold	OS in London	Heavy	with victories over Abd El Rahman El Trabily, Egypt , Guram Pherselidze , Georgia, Rıza Kayaalp and Heiki Nabi , Estonia
2014	1.	Granma Cup in Havana	up to 130 kg	before Yasmani Acosta Fernandez, Cuba, Robert Smith, USA and Ramon Antonio Garcia, Dominican Republic
2014	1.	Central American & Caribbean Games in San Jose / Puerto Rico	up to 130 kg	before Victor Asprilia Caisedo, Colombia, Edgaro Lopez Morell, Puerto Rico and Ramon Antonio Garcia
2014	1.	Pan American Championship in Mexico City	up to 130 kg	before Ramon Antonio Garcia, Nikola Bogojevic, USA and Antonio Santos, Brazil
2014	1.	World Cup in Tashkent	up to 130 kg	after victories over Muradjan Tuichijew, Tajikistan, Eduard Popp, Germany, Behnam Mehdizadeh, Iran, Biljal Machow, Russia and Rıza Kayaalp
2015	1.	Pan American Games in Toronto	up to 130 kg	in front of Andres Ayub Valenzuela, Chile, Josue Malaquia Encarnacion Ovando, Dom. Rep. And Robert Smith
2015	2.	World Cup in Las Vegas	up to 130 kg	after victories over Biljal Machow, Mindaugas Mizgaitis, Lithuania, Heiki Nabi and Robert Smith and a defeat against Rıza Kayaalp
2016	1.	Granma Cup in Havana	up to 130 kg	before Keldis Josef and Yasmany Daniel Lugo Cabrera, both Cuba and Josua Encarnacion Ovando, Dominican Republic
2016	1.	Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid	up to 130 kg	before Sergei Semjonow, Russia, Mohamed Aly Zaghloud, Egypt and Edwin Caraballo Cabrera, Venezuela
2016	gold	OS in Rio de Janeiro	up to 130 kg	after victories over Heiki Nabi, Johan Euren, Sergei Semjonow and Riza Kayaalp
2018	1.	Central American and Caribbean Games in Barraquila	up to 130 kg	in front of Leo Dalis Santana Heredia, Dominican Republic, Moises Salvador Perez Hellberg, Venezuela and Luis Alberto Roman Barrios, Mexico
2019	1.	Pan American Games in Lima	up to 130 kg	before Moises Salvador Perez Hellberg, Leo Dalis Santana Heredia and Yasmani Acosta Fernandez, Chile

Explanations

• all competitions in Greco-Roman style
• OS = Olympic Games, WM = World Championship
• Lightweight until 2001 up to 97 kg, heavyweight until 2001 up to 130 kg, from 2002 to 2013 up to 120 kg, since January 1, 2014 again up to 130 kg body weight

literature

• Trade journal Der Ringer

Web links

• Profile of Mijaín López at the Institute for Applied Training Science
• Mijaín López in the Sports-Reference database (English; archived from the original )
• Mijain Lopez is planning for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics
• Mijain Lopez wins the Pan American Games for the fifth time

Individual evidence

1. ^ Doping: Positive follow-up tests on ten medal winners from Beijing. IOC disqualifies medalists . www.sport1.de from November 17, 2016; Retrieved November 26, 2016.