To conquer Olympus once is a great result; to do it two and three times, a feat; four times, a barbarity; but Mijaín López arrived at Paris 2024 to join a list that no one has ever reached in the history of mankind and become a being from another galaxy.
His fifth crown under the five rings would be unprecedented, as no one has ever achieved it in the same individual event; and the Giant of Herradura knows it, and all of Cuba and the world know it.
That is why this Tuesday 6 August – at night in France and in the afternoon in the largest of the Antilles – the Pinar del Río native will take to the mat at the Campo de Marte in the final of the 130 kilogram (kg) division against a well-known rival, Yasmany Acosta, also from Cuba and representing Chile, to win the gold medal that is missing from his very large trophy cabinet.
Two athletes who have trained together, who know each other; and although Acosta was born in Cuba, the feelings move the vast majority for the almost 42 year-old from Pinar del Río, a five-time world champion.
Mijaín arrived in Paris after a rigorous physical and mental preparation, and with the calmness of the seasoned athlete that he is, he defeated every contender this Monday in the search of his presence in the discussion of the golden metal.
Not even the Korean, the Iranian or the Azeri could wipe the smile off the face of a man who wants to continue making history on European soil.
Today, other Cuban representatives in Greco-Roman wrestling begin their fight: Yosvani Peña and Gabriel Rosillo, both in the round of 16.
Peña (77 kg), seventh at the Belgrade World Championships in 2023, will face Iran’s Amin Kaviyaninejad; and Rosillo (97 kg), last year’s world champion, will compete against Germany’s Lucas Lazogianis.
Kevin de Armas (60 kg) will face Iran’s Medih Nejad in the repechage, after losing his first bout against Japan’s Kenichiro Fumita on Monday.
Also on the mat will be Yusneilys Guzman in the women’s 50kg wrestling against Turkey’s Evin Demirhan in the round of 16 as she looks to improve on her 12th place finish at Tokyo 2020.
And canoeist Yarisleidys Cirilo, world title holder in 2023, will compete alongside Yinnolis Lopez in the 500m C2 at the Vaires-Sud-Marne nautical stadium.
