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In London to compete as the champion
• Cuba’s Greco-Roman great Mijaín
López adds a gold medal to his four world titles,
allowing no points in the competition
Alfonso Nacianceno, Special
correspondent
LONDON.— Loud and clear, Mijaín López had announced
that he was going to London to compete as the
champion. And he did, successfully defending his
Beijing 2008 120kg title, overcoming a series of
challengers, including Turkey’s Riza Kayaalp, who
had beaten him in Istanbul ’11. The two had not
faced off since then.
 In
the semifinals, López, the reigning World
title-holder, convincingly defeated Kayaalp 2-0
(2-0,1-0), a victory which provided inspiration for
his final bout with Estonia’s Heiki Nabi, 2-0
(2-0,1-0). He remained untouched throughout,
allowing no points in four fights.
“I’m
dedicating this victory to the people of Cuba,
because, once again, they had confidence in me. I
would have preferred a gold medal fight against
Kayaalp, But I left him on the wayside. This is the
second time I have led the delegation and I
fulfilled my role by winning this title. I want to
send a big kiss to the Cuban people and especially
to my much-loved Herradura, in Pinar del Río", he
said.
Mijaín made his way through the roster of other
favorites, eliminating Russian Khasan Baroev (Athens
’04 gold medal winner, who Lopez defeated in the
Beijing final); Kazakastan’s Nurmakhan Tinaliev
(bronze in the 2010 and 2011 World Championships),
Dremiel Byers from the U.S. (seventh in the last
Olympics) and Armenian Yuri Patrikeev (third in
Beijing ’08).
Winning two gold medals in consecutive Olympic Games
is an achievement Lopez shares with Filiberto Azcuy
from Camagüey, who won in the 74kg division in
Atlanta 1996 and the 69kg in Sydney 2000.
In
other divisions, Cuba’s Hanser Meoque (60kg) was
eliminated in his opening fight, while Pablo Shorey
(84kg) lost in the quarter finals.
RENEWED CONFIDENCE
After the Cuban delegation’s departure ceremony in
Havana’s José Martí Plaza de la Revolución, when
Mijaín was given the responsibility of leading the
athletes to the Summer Games, he affirmed, ”The
battle in London will be different. I’ve recovered
my confidence after the setback against Kayaalp in
the Istanbul World Championship last year. Although
he has won medals in several Olympic cycle events,
I’m going to go out and fight as the champion.”
The
prediction was fulfilled, to the joy of all Cubans
who recognize the wrestler, who celebrates his 30th
birthday August 20, as a modest young man, a true
representative of the best values embraced by the
Revolution.
OLYMPIC TENACITY
His
tenacious attitude of never giving up was
vindicated. The recovery process he underwent after
surgery on his right elbow – on the arm with which
he applies the most pressure – was a difficult time,
obliging him to work tirelessly to get back in
shape.
Perhaps this great Cuban and champion wrestler has
only one more unfulfilled desire. Conversing in the
bleachers, during the ALBA Games in 2007, this
reporter asked Lopez if he liked baseball. The
answer: “Man, why not. Maybe I could have been a
90-mph pitcher!”
The
shout he let out after winning the gold in London’s
Excel Sports Complex, was no doubt much stronger
than that. •
(Photo: Ricardo López Hevia)
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