The emotional greeting from the president of the IOC to the Cuban Mijaín López after winning his fifth medal.

The president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Thomas Bach, did not want to miss this Wednesday's historic confrontation that crowned the Cuban Mijaín López as champion of an Olympics for the fifth consecutive time.

At the end of the meeting, Bach approached the Cuban athlete to congratulate him.

However, the executive did not limit himself to shaking his hand or even hugging him; rather, the greeting was preceded by a deep bow from the former athlete of German origin, who inclined his head and torso as a sign of admiration and respect for the Cuban's sporting achievement.

Mijaín López made history this Tuesday by becoming the first athlete in the world to achieve a fifth consecutive gold medal in the same event at the Olympic Games.

López, about to turn 42 years old, proclaimed himself the winner in Greco-Roman wrestling in the 130-kilogram category, defeating the Chilean of Cuban origin Yasmani Acosta 6-0.

The Cuban received the support of the enthusiastic audience at the Arena Campo de Marte, which welcomed him with a loud ovation and, just like yesterday, repeatedly chanted "López, López," eager to witness live the establishment of a historical record that will surely endure for a long time.

At the end of the match, Mijaín López raised his arms to the sky and walked around the center mat, kissed it, and then proceeded to take off his boots, which he left there, a traditional gesture of wrestlers after their final match.

The gold in Paris completes the ones he obtained in Beijing 2008, London 2012, Rio 2016, and Tokyo 2020. His Olympic debut was in Athens 2004, at the age of 21, when he finished in fifth place.

His curriculum also includes five golds and three silvers in world championships and five golds in the Pan American Games.

Before his important victory this Tuesday, the Cuban was tied with four consecutive Olympic golds in the same specialty with Americans Michael Phelps (swimming), Carl Lewis (long jump), and Alfred Oerter (disc throw), as well as with Danish Paul Elvstrom (sailing) and Japanese Kaori Icho (wrestling).