Mijaín López celebrates his birthday amid the euphoria of his fifth Olympic gold.

The star Cuban athlete Mijaín López turns 42 years old this Tuesday, as the echoes of his victory in Paris 2024 still resonate, making him a five-time champion in the Greco-Roman style of Olympic wrestling.

The date is particularly special, as just a few days ago he was once again crowned with glory and officially announced his retirement from competitive sports after more than two decades at the highest competitive level.

Although no images of his celebrations have emerged, the gladiator was present the night before on the official program Mesa Redonda, where he reviewed his performance in the last competition under the five rings.

"To overcome me, one has to train more than I do, because fortunately in my 22 years in wrestling I hardly suffered serious injuries, and that helped me a lot in my preparation. I managed to stay at my best because my mindset is that of a champion, always positive and ready to give my all for Cuba," he pointed out according to the site Cubadebate.

Upon his return to the island, the Cuban authorities called on friends, neighbors, athletes, and the general population to welcome López, whom the regime's propaganda has turned into one of the symbols of the so-called revolutionary sport.

It is worth remembering that Mijaín, one of the most active athletes in proclaiming his loyalty to the regime, physically assaulted an activist who protested against the regime at a stadium in Chile during the recent Pan American Games.

From a sporting perspective, in the capital of France, López defeated his compatriot Yasmani Acosta, representative of Chile, in the final, marking the end of his nearly unparalleled Olympic career.

The emotion reached unexpected levels upon seeing him kneeling, placing his sneakers in the middle of the mattress, and shedding tears amidst a bundle of feelings.

With a slow gait, López, dressed in red and tight-fitting bodysuit, returned to competitive surfaces and delivered a legendary farewell for the delight of the thousands of people present at the Champ de Mars Arena and the many more who saw him become the only athlete in history to win the same individual event five times under the shadow of the five rings.

To say Mijaín is to speak of those chosen for glory, and it is understandable that he is classified as the "GOAT" (the greatest of all time) in wrestling, because he also adds five universal titles and four in multi-sport events at the continental level.

Her only defeat in the Olympic Games occurred on August 24, 2004, against the Russian Kashan Baroev. After that, there were only smiles and dances in Beijing 2008, London 2012, Rio de Janeiro 2016, Tokyo 2020, and Paris 2024.