Former Olympic Gold Medalist Competing on “The Biggest Loser”

Gardner wins Gold in 2000 (Photo: Associated Press)

In 2000, Rulon Gardner competed at the highest level of his sport and won a Gold Medal for his country.

Eleven years later he finds himself in the competitive spotlight once again, and though he’s on the same network the circumstances couldn’t be different. In 2000, he was the Super-Heavyweight Gold Medalist in Greco-Roman wrestling and a hero to a nation that reveres its underdogs and stories of overcoming adversity.

Last night, on the 11th season premiere of “The Biggest Loser,” he weighed in at a stunning 474 pounds.

Rulon Gardner was an unlikely hero for the United States when he won the Gold Medal for Greco-Roman Wrestling (Super-Heavyweight Division) at the 2000 games in Sydney. His opponent, Alexander Karelin, had been widely considered the best wrestler at that weight in the world and was expected to walk through the tournament with ease. Karelin was so dominant that some opponents would verbally quit after being hoisted into the air rather than succumb to his slams.

Karelin had won three consecutive gold medals, possessed a flawless record of 59-0, and hadn’t given up a single point (!) in over six years. In contrast, Gardner was outsized, outmatched, and had far les experience, with only one prior international competition under his belt.

Gardner, who weighed 286 pounds for the fight, achieved the highest accomplishment in his sport and shocked the world when he defeated Karelin in overtime.

Gardner leaves his shoes on the mat after his Bronze Medal match in 2004, signaling his retirement. (Photo: Associated Press)

He became a hero for his victory on the world stage and his ability to overcome all obstacles and a personal tragedy. In 1990 he tragically lost his daughter in a car accident that also involved himself and his first wife.

After winning the gold medal in 2000, Gardner was involved in both a snowmobiling and motorcycle accident, the former of which resulted in the loss of a toe from frostibte.

Amazingly, he rebounded from both accidents to win Bronze at the 2004 Olympic Games, after which he ceremoniously placed his shoes in the center of the mat to signify his retirement from the sport. After the games he made a brief venture into Mixed Martial Arts, competing for Japan’s Pride Fighting Championships against fellow Olympian (in Judo) Hidehiko Yoshida in 2004. In what was his only professional fight, he won by Unanimous Decision.

After retiring from active competition, the weight began to pour on. In 2007, his health problems were exacerbated when he was a passenger along with two other friends in a small plane that crashed.

I don’t think I’ve watched a single episode of “The Biggest Loser” since its inception, but having followed Gardner over the years and having had my own struggles with weight (though not to the degree Gardner has experience), I’ll make an exception this season.

He’s proven before that he can overcome nearly all odds to become an inspiration to millions. With everything that he’s been through, it is impossible not to root for him.