Rulon Gardner

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Olympic medal record
Men's Greco-Roman wrestling
Gold	2000 Sydney	130 kg
Bronze	2004 Athens	120 kg

Rulon Gardner (born August 16, 1971 in Afton, Wyoming) is an amateur wrestler in the Greco-Roman discipline from the United States. His strength is often attributed to the physical labor on the dairy farm he grew up on. He graduated from Ricks College (BYU-Idaho) with an Associates Degree and the University of Nebraska. He has his teaching credentials in Physical Education, yet he has never taught in the classroom. His love is working with disadvantaged children and is currently making his profession as a motivational speaker.

Rulon is the youngest of 9 children. Geraldine, Rollin, Evon, Ronald, Russell, Diane, Marcella, Reynold & Rulon have all graduated with bachelors of science degrees from their various institutions.

1 High School Years
2 Junior College Years
3 Wrestling career
4 MMA record
5 External links

[edit] High School Years

Rulon Gardner attended Star Valley High School in Afton, Wyoming, and was a three-sport letterwinner and standout in football, wrestling, and track&field. He was an All-State selection in both, football and wrestling and was also the 1989 wrestling state heavyweight champion. In track&field, he took second at the state finals in the shotput as a senior.

As a wrestler Rulon would have most likely been a two time Wyoming State Wrestling Champion, yet his older brother Reynold was slightly better than he was. Rulon claims it was because Reynold played mental games on him and kept him from the varsity position until Reynold graduated. Reynold was the 1988 Wyoming State Heavyweight Champion and was on the Championship Team from Star Valley.

Reynold went on to wrestle at Ricks College (BYU-Idaho) following his missionary service. He was a NCJAA All American in 1992 and Heavyweight National Champion in 1993. He then fulfilled a wrestling scholarship at Oregon State University in Corvallis Oregon. Reynold was the 1994 & 1995 PAC 10 Conference Heavyweight Champion. Rulon attributes much of his wrestling success to the early battles that he had with Reynold.

[edit] Junior College Years

Gardner attended Ricks College for two years and as a sophomore, he was the NJCAA national heavyweight wrestling champion.

[edit] Wrestling career

Gardner is perhaps most well known for his defeat of Alexander Karelin in the 2000 Summer Olympics. Karelin had been undefeated for thirteen years, and had not given up a point in six years, prior to his loss in the gold medal match to Gardner.

After the 2000 Olympics he suffered a series of injuries from both a snowmobiling and motorcycle accident. These injuries included an amputated toe and a dislocated wrist, but he still went on to win the U.S. Olympic trials for his weight class and then to compete in the 2004 Summer Olympics. At the 2004 Olympics, he was unable to repeat his 2000 performance, although he did win a bronze medal. After the bronze medal match, he left his shoes on the mat as a traditional symbol of retirement.