Wrestler Mijaín López Best Male Athlete in Latin America

December 22, 2021

The outstanding Cuban wrestler Mijaín López, four-time Olympic champion, won today the award for Best Male Athlete in the 57th edition of the traditional Prensa Latina Sports Poll.

At 39 years old, López, king of the super heavyweight category in the Greco-Roman style at Tokyo 2020, received a total of 41 votes to surpass Argentine footballer Lionel Messi, second in the ranking with 19 votes.

In this way, the Caribbean native, also champion under the five rings in the editions of Beijing 2008, London 2012, and Rio de Janeiro 2016, led the poll for the first time, becoming the second wrestler to achieve such a feat, following the leadership of his compatriot Raúl Cascaret in 1985.

The Caribbean athlete thus closes yet another season full of successes, adding, moreover, the award for Outstanding Performance at Tokyo 2020 from the Association of National Olympic Committees.

Furthermore, the considered best Greco-Roman wrestler in history was selected Athlete of the Year in the Caribbean island, and shared that recognition in his province of Pinar del Río, alongside fellow Olympic gold medalist Roniel Iglesias (boxing).

In the Japanese capital, just over a month ago, López defeated Georgian Iakobi Kajaia 5-0 in the final of the 130-kilogram category, to reaffirm himself as a living legend capable of achieving the unprecedented on the mat.

Thus, he became the only man to be a four-time Olympic champion, as he surpassed the legendary Russian Alexander Karelin, leader in Seoul 1988, Barcelona 1992, and Atlanta 1996 before losing in Sydney 2000 to American Rulon Gardner.

The muscular athlete tied the achievement of Japanese Kaori Icho, protagonist of consecutive crowns in Athens 2004, Beijing 2008, London 2012, and Rio 2016, although always in the freestyle style.

For her part, Venezuelan star Yulimar Rojas (73 votes, triple jump, athletics) emerged as the winner in the women's category, while Argentina's football team (47) made history as the Most Relevant Team.

The Prensa Latina poll, which this year brought together 103 media outlets from 20 countries, came to life in 1964 and the first winner was Cuban sprinter Enrique Figuerola, Olympic runner-up that year in Tokyo in the 100-meter dash for men.

The top winners of the poll are Jamaican Usain Bolt, with six (2008, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016), and Colombian Caterine Ibargüen (five, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018), in one and the other sex respectively.