Rulon Gardner, the U.S. wrestler who pulled off one of the greatest upsets in Olympic history, was recently named head wrestling coach at Herriman High School in Utah.
Gardner, 46, took Greco-Roman super heavyweight gold at the 2000 Sydney Games by dethroning chiseled Russian Aleksander Karelin. Karelin, the three-time defending Olympic champion, hadn’t lost in international competition in 13 years nor given up a point in six.
Gardner since lost the middle toe on his right foot due to frostbite after being stranded in a 2002 snowmobile accident in his native Wyoming. He lived through a motorcycle accident and plane crash.
In 2011, he went on “The Biggest Loser” at 474 pounds and attempted to lose more than 200 pounds to make weight for the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials at age 40. He reportedly said he got down to 280, missing the Olympic heavyweight limit of 264.5, and gained about 100 pounds back by June 2014, according to the Deseret News.
Gardner then filed for bankrupty and parted with his 2000 Olympic gold medal and 2004 Olympic bronze medal among many other possessions. As of May 2015, he was still trying to get the gold medal back.
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