Cuban Mijaín
López: first gold for Latin America in Beijing
BEIJING.—On
a rainy day in this capital, Cuban wrestler Mijaín
López brought the sun out for Latin America by
winning the region’s first title in the Beijing
Olympics 2008.
With a phenomenal performance, the flag bearer
for the Cuban delegation defeated Russian Hassan
Baroev 5-0 and 1-1 to take the gold, thus fulfilling
predictions that had him as the favorite in the
Greco-Roman 120-kilo division.
On his road to the final, the likewise two-time
Pan-American champion beat Belarusian Siarhei
Artsiukhin 3-0 and 2-1, and Russian-born Armenian
Yuri Patrikeev, bronze medalist in the Moscow World
Championship 2002.
Finally, to reach the final, he dispatched the
Swedish surprise Jalmar Sjober 4-0 and 5-0.
