U.S. Wrestling Legend Rulon Gardner Aiming To Make Olympic Return In His 50s

Rulon Gardner gained gold in wrestling in arguably the most important upset in Olympics historical past … and now the American hero, who’s 51 years previous, tells TMZ Sports activities he is making a comeback, and the objective is the Summer time Video games!

“I nonetheless wanna give extra again to the game, the game that I like and that is wrestling. When you could have a objective like wrestling it makes you get into form so I’ve misplaced a considerable quantity of weight, getting wholesome once more, getting again after it, and now it is getting on the mat,” Gardner stated.

“Daily it hurts like heck but it surely’s so enjoyable to have the ability to get on the market and throw with these younger children. It is loopy ‘trigger I am wrestling children half my age.”

If you do not know Rulon’s story … he gained a gold medal in Greco-Roman wrestling through the 2000 Video games in Sydney. However, that does not even start to inform the story … ‘trigger Gardner beat essentially the most dominant and feared wrestler of all time, 6’3″, 286 lb. Aleksandr Karelin.

“The Russian Bear” was regarded as unbeatable. He’d gained the earlier 3 gold medals. He hadn’t misplaced a match since coming into the worldwide competitors in 1988. For crying out loud, he hadn’t given up a single level in 6 years. To today he is regarded by most as the best beginner wrestler ever.

However, one way or the other, someway … David slayed Goliath. And now, Rulon needs to do one thing maybe equally exhausting — compete at a world-class stage in his 50s.

The journey began as a manner for Rulon to shed weight … and he tells us he is down about 150 lbs. An unbelievable achievement, however not his objective.

“Our objective is to go on the market and present we are able to nonetheless compete with the top-level wrestlers of the world. I do know I can compete with the fellows within the U.S., the query is do I’ve what it takes in my 50s to get again to the Olympic video games?”

If he can full the comeback, we requested Rulon the place the achievement would rank within the historical past of Olympic competitors.

“Dara Torres, she did it a couple of years in the past as a swimmer in her 40s and no person has ever thought of doing it in your 50s and particularly a fight sport. It isn’t straightforward on the physique. Your speaking about getting hit within the head, you are speaking about getting hit within the physique, shoulder, and knees. There’s simply so many physique components.”

“Final 12 months, I began throwing individuals and I am like oh my gosh, I used to be throwing guys and my physique is saying, ‘what are you doing?’ It nonetheless says that but it surely’s like getting again on the bike and it feels regular once more.”