Full name: Mijaín López Núñez.
Date of birth: August 20, 1982.
Place of birth: Consolación del Sur, Pinar del Río, Cuba.
Height: 1.98 m.
Weight: 120 kg.
Sport: Greco-Roman Wrestling.
National team: Grecoromana National Wrestling Team.
University: Universidad de las Ciencias de la Cultura Física y el Deporte Manuel Fajardo.
Coach: Pedro Val.
Titles: Central American Champion, Pan American Champion, World Champion, Olympic Champion.
Mijaín López Núñez. Cuban Athlete of Greco-Roman Wrestling, Glory of Cuban Sport, Pan American Champion, World Champion and Double Olympic Champion. Considered an example for Cuban youth, he participated as delegate of the Island in the World Festival of Youth and Students in South Africa in 2010.
He was selected in 2011 to be a member of the Athletes Commission of the Pan American Sports Organization (PASO). He was the standard-bearer of the Cuban delegation to the Olympic Games in Beijing in 2008 and the Olympic Games in London in 2012 and the champion by defeating Heiki Nabi 2-0, 1-0.

Biographical Synthesis

Born in Consolación del Sur, Pinar del Río on August 20, 1982.
In December 2012 he graduated from the University of Sciences of Physical Culture and Sport Manuel Fajardo with the highest qualification. The diploma work done was a proposed game to raise motivation in children who start in the practice of wrestling.
In his beginnings he practiced baseball, changing soon for the Greco-Roman wrestling. He demonstrated innate qualities for this sport, winning multiple medals in the National School Games and in several events in the youth category. Due to the progress made, he entered the national pre-selection of seniors.

Sports career

2007 - 2008
In 2007, according to a survey carried out, he was nominated best shared sportsman with Yargelis Savigne of triple jump and in 2008 he was the standard bearer of the Cuban delegation in the Beijing Olympic Games.

2009 - 2012
In 2009 he was the best athlete in the Greco-Roman wrestling, because of 21 fights that year he did not lose any, standing out the gold medal in the World Championship in Denmark, the Orb Cup in France and the Pan-American tournament in Venezuela.
In 2010 he repeats the prize and is selected best sportsman of the year, wins his fourth world crown in Moscow, being the most technical by scoring 25 points in his favor without allowing any against him. He wins the Champions Gala held in Havana. He prevails in the 24 fights and is unbeatable throughout the season, despite being operated on one of his elbows, which prevents him from participating in other top-level competitions.
At the L World Wrestling Championship in Istanbul, Turkey is left in silver after being defeated in the final by the local athlete Riza Kayaalp. He participates in the 2011 Guadalajara Pan American Games, being the standard-bearer of the Cuban delegation. To reach the grand final in this event double the Mexican Orlando Ramirez and the Dominican Ramon Garcia and defeat the Venezuelan Rafael Barreno in the final.

For the results obtained in 2011 is selected best Cuban wrestler. He is elected by Cuba to be part of the candidacy for the future Athletes Commission of the Pan American Sports Organization (PASO), the first time in history to be elected in the XVI Pan American Games. After the results are given, he is elected member of this Commission integrating the most voted quintet.
In the 2012 London Olympics, Mijaín obtains his second Olympic title when he defeats the Estonian Heiki Nabi in the final in two partial (2-0 and 1-0).

2013 - 2016
In January 2014, after more than a year of rest, he returned to the sports scene again, reaching the gold medal in the National Wrestling Championship in Ciego de Ávila.
In February 2014, he participated in the 45th Cerro Pelado-Granma International Wrestling Tournament that took place in the Coliseum of the Ciudad Deportiva, in Havana, where he worked impeccably in the 130 kilograms when he won all the lawsuits, the last one 3-1 against his fellow countryman Yasmani Acosta.
He led the Cuban squads that participated in the wrestling qualifying event from April 2-7 in San Juan, Puerto Rico, with a view to participating in the Central American and Caribbean Games of Veracruz´14. In that event, he won the gold medal and the Cuban team of Greco-Roman wrestling won its six tickets for the XXXII Central American and Caribbean Games in Veracruz 2014.
On July 15 he won the title in the Pan American Sports Festival organized in Mexico and other cities of the Aztec country in the 130 kg division, beating the Dominican Ramón García, bronze of Guadalajara´11, ensuring the classification for Toronto´15. On September 13, he reached the gold medal in the 130 kilograms, in the World Wrestling Championship that took place in the city of Tashkent, Uzbekistan, reaching the 130 kilograms, conquering his fifth universal scepter, defeating his great rival, the Turkish Riza Kayaalp, in the final.
On November 26, he won the gold medal at the XXII Central American and Caribbean Games in Veracruz, Mexico in the 130 kg division by defeating Panamanian Raúl Suterlam (9-0), Venezuelan Rafael Barreno, 8-0 in the semifinals and in the final for not presenting his opponent, Dominican Ramón García, who was injured and won the title he lacked in his sports career.
On July 16 at the Mississagua Sports Center, he won the gold medal in 130 kilograms at the XVII Pan American Games in Toronto 2015, held this year in Canada, beating Chilean Andres Ayub 8-0 in the final.
He participated in the World Wrestling Championship held in Las Vegas, United States, where on September 9, 2015 he won a silver medal in the decisive fight against the fierce defense of Turkish Riza Kalyaap, his own executioner in the final of Estambul´11.
On January 11, 2016, he won a gold medal at the National Greco-Roman Wrestling Championship held in the Yayabo Multipurpose Hall of Sancti Spíritus, his tenth title, making him one of the most lauded athletes in these jousts.
Sports results
Year Tournament City Country Result
2004 Olympic Games Athens Greece 5th
2005 World Championship Budapest Bulgaria 1st
2006 World Championship Guangzhou China 2nd
2007 World Championship Baku Azerbaijan 1st
2008 Olympic Games Beijing China 1st
2009 Herning World Championship Denmark 1st
2009 Pan American Tournament Maracaibo Venezuela 1st
2009 World Cup Clermont Ferrand France 1st
2010 World Championship St. Petersburg Russia 1st
2011 World Championship Istanbul Turkey 2nd
2011 Pan American Games Guadalajara Guadalajara Mexico 1st
2012 43 Granma-Cerro Pelado International Tournament Havana Cuba 1st
2012 Pan American Wrestling Championship Colorado Springs United States 1st
2012 International Tournament Milone Sassari Trophy Italy 1st
2012 Olympic Games London United Kingdom 1st
2014 National Champion of Blind Fight of Ávila Cuba 1st
2014 43 Granma-Cerro Pelado International Tournament Havana Cuba 1st
2014 Pan American Sports Festival Mexico. Mexico City 1st
2014 Tashkent Wrestling Championship Uzbekistan 1st
2014 Central American and Caribbean Games Veracruz Mexico 1st
2014 Gala of Champions Havana Cuba 1st
2015 XVII Toronto Pan American Games Toronto Canada 1st
2015 World Wrestling Championship Las Vegas United States 2nd
2016 National Wrestling Championship Grecoromana Sancti Spíritus Cuba 1st
Distinctions and recognitions
- Best athlete in the Greco-Roman wrestling in 2009.
- Selected Best Sportsman of the year 2010 in Cuba.
- In a survey conducted by Agencia Prensa Latina, he was selected in 2010 among the best athletes in Latin America and the Caribbean along with the triplist Yargelis Savigne.
- Selected best Cuban wrestler of the year 2011.
- For his results in the Olympic Games, the IOC presents him with the Olympic Button in November 2012.
- Elected by the Cuban Circle of Sports Chroniclers as the best male athlete of 2012 in Cuba.
- On December 26, 2012, he received in the city of Pinar del Río the Pinareño Shield, the highest distinction granted by the Provincial Assembly of People's Power of the province to the most relevant figures.
- In the selection of the most outstanding athletes from Pinar del Río in 2012, he was chosen as the best athlete in individual male sports.
- In January 2013 he was elected among the five best gladiators in the world in 2012 according to information from the International Federation of Associated Wrestling (FILA).
- In 2014 he received the Golden Button from the Pan American Council of Associated Wrestling (CPLA).
- On September 28, 2014, he received the Barrio Award from the Committee for the Defense of the Revolution.
- He was chosen as the standard-bearer of the Cuban delegation to the Central American and Caribbean Games Veracruz 2014, which were held in Mexico on November 14.
- December 4, 2014 is elected by federations, coaches and gladiators, along with the press, as the best Cuban athlete in the Fight in 2014.
- In December 2014 he is selected again by the survey sponsored by INDER and the UPEC Circle of Sports Chroniclers as the Best Athlete of the Year in Cuba.
- In December 2015 he is chosen by the survey organized by INDER and the specialized press among the ten outstanding athletes of this year in Cuba.
- Selected among the 10 most outstanding athletes of 2015 in Pinar del Río.