LINCOLN, Neb. That season featured partners competing in tandem. Tournament organizers hold medal ceremonies, one weight class at a time, with wrestlers posing atop the podium with their new hardware. 2 immediately begins. Currently Gardner is missing a tooth, the incisor to the right of his two front teeth. [8] Gardner shocked the trainers, staff, and contestants on the April 26 episode by announcing he would be leaving the show "for personal reasons", and left the show without a final weigh-in. His win made him the only American to ever win both a World and Olympic title in Greco-Roman wrestling. Its one in a long line of injuries he has battled throughout his life. Rulon Gardner Biography | Official Site of Rulon Gardner Theres just one catch: He has so many autographed items, he doesnt know who signed many of them. First published on February . I can pick them both up if you want, he jokes about his more than 400 pounds combined of state champion wrestlers. I feel that my personal goals have been reached here on The Biggest Loser, and its my time to go home. Practically speaking, he is coaching more than that. Share Twenty years ago at the Sydney Olympics, Greco-Roman wrestler Rulon Gardner pulled off one of the biggest upsets in sports history. Unbelievably, that wasn't Rulon's only near-death experience with hypothermia. Thats awesome, she said. He stands alone, essentially in the corner of the gym farthest away from any crowd. Keep going. Elsewhere, on another mat, Jacks teammate Jacob Hendrickson has suffered the same fategetting pinned despite being aheadwith two assistant coaches in his corner because the matches ran concurrently. . He is quiet but he holds peoples attention when hes talking to them. Two-time Olympian and wrestling legend Rulon Gardner released a statement Wednesday morning regarding his abrupt decision to quit 'The Biggest Loser' even though some considered him the. But hes a recognizable customer, and several other diners came up to tell Rulon they were fans or he was an inspiration as they passed by his table on their way to and from the buffet. Rulon Gardner struggled at school due to a learning disability. Gardner attended junior college at Ricks College (now BYU-Idaho) in Rexburg, Idaho, and as a sophomore won the NJCAA national heavyweight wrestling championship. [2] Karelin was previously unbeaten for 13 years in international competition. He was raised on a dairy farm in Wyoming, where the family grew crops and milked cows twice a day. And that's wrong., He offers one last sobering thought on his size: I realize, in the next 10 years, if I dont change, I wont be here. After the ref raises his opponents arm, Rulon picks up his sweaty T-shirt and shorts off the mat and carries them back to the warmup area. Now hes just one of the coaches. Yoshida, in addition to being an Olympic gold medalist in judo, was a highly successful MMA fighter. The four state qualifiers pair off. Maybe not quite as busy as when he grew up on the farm, milking cows and carrying irrigation pipe from sunup to sundown. Photo Credit: NBCNews.com Many details concerning Jeffs' wives are not known as a majority of them still keep to themselves and are not vocal about their FLDS lives. Rad, like many coaches, has put on a tie. The Olympic Channel original film will premiere digitally on Friday, 2 April 2021 on OlympicChannel.com and the official Olympic Channel apps for mobile and connected TV devices. [17] He attended both Ricks and Nebraska on wrestling scholarships. They spent the night in freezing temperatures with no fire or shelter. Once they eventually make their way down from the bleachers and warm up, after the announcer over the loudspeaker instructs everyone to clear the mats, Rulon gathers them in the holding area and offers some last-minute reminders. . He wants to push the kids as hard as he can, the way old coaches pushed him, trying to be a force in their lives that leads them to greatness. Traycee was a heavyweight last season, before cutting down to 220 this year. Ultimately, his snowmobile became stuck between two large boulders. They were wrestling around when an inadvertent headbutt knocked it out. She was the daughter of the apostle of the LDS church. Rulon Gardner Biography, Age, Height, Wife, Net Worth, Family Rulon Gardner, who was an All-American wrestler at Nebraska before scoring one of the biggest upsets in the sports history in the 2000 Olympic gold medal round, announced this weekend that he has entered the U.S. Open. He remained stranded for the next 18 hours. The car has logged a lot of miles, and in some ways come out a little worse for the wear, but it just never seems to quit. For many high school wrestlers, this will be the pinnacle of their athletic careers, and the moment is treated with that gravity. Thats another tricky one. After the 2000 Olympics he suffered a series of injuries from both a snowmobiling and motorcycle accident. During a snowmobiling trip with some friends in Star Valley, Wyoming, he became separated from the group and fell into the freezing Salt River with his snowmobile. All those people who told me I could never get here and get on this stage, Im going to show them. Gardner won a bronze medal at the 2004 Games. Just an Olympic champion, quietly watching the high-schoolers competing in front of him, chatting only when somebody new sidles up next to him and starts a conversation. Rulon Ellis Gardner (born August 16, 1971) is an American retired Greco-Roman wrestler. He holds up his thumb and index finger a couple inches apart. Rulon Ellis Gardner (born August 16, 1971) is an American retired Greco-Roman Olympic Gold Medalist wrestler. But none of that is to say Talmage and Traycee dont want it. Rulon is new to the neighborhood, though really his home is more farm community than neighborhood, with horses running through penned-in yards along his drive to the office. In a normal year, not interrupted by a pandemic, the high school wrestling season runs November to February. He talks to the teammates wholl be there as spectators about letting that experience motivate them for next year. Thats the experienceand the last time most people have seen him on the public stagehe says is most misunderstood. In 2002, two years after his Olympic triumph, he was involved in a snowmobile accident. Rulon is wearing the same short-sleeved, button-down shirt from the speech in New Jersey. Rulon Gardner was born in Afton, WY on August 16, 1971. He is 48 now, sells insurance and has a second job coaching wrestling at a Salt Lake City-area high school. They relocate to Lydias desk in the main entryway. His headgear is on, his knee pad is up and his warmup outfit is cast aside, as hes down to just his singlet. 2023 ABG-SI LLC. Rulons wrestling career began when he was six years old. He tried to work his way out of the valley, but couldn't get out. Rulon Gardner is crammed into the driver's seat of a 2006 Volkswagen Beetle. This match ends as abruptly as it begins. Rulon says one of the images that stands out from that day was in the final second of the match, when both wrestlers knew it was over. Its in this room that Gardner, who became Herrimans head coach before the 201819 season, wants to impart the wisdom that made him an Olympic champion, and that he believes is his duty to pass on to the next generation of wrestlers. He bought a house nearby, so his only long commute is up I-15 to the high school. But thats how the story has always gone. After several hours in his makeshift shelter, he stopped shivering, which led him to believe that he was dying. Yoshida, in addition to being an Olympic gold medalist in judo, was a highly successful MMA fighter. But policy is policy. He got married in October 2020, has lost around 50lbs (22.5kg) in weight, and recently moved to St. George, Utah, where he hopes to start a youth wrestling training centre. Jan. 28, 2011 12 AM PT. In that episode of The Biggest Loser where Rulon went bungee jumping, he blew away Bob Harper by telling him shortly before his jump that it was the anniversary of his plane crash into Lake Powell. In just one year, he went through rehabilitation and was back on the mat. Part of that, he concedes, was because nothing helped him keep his weight down like wrestling. Im not gonna just sit down and take whatever happens.. I try to use it to inspire and get kids motivated to come out for wrestling for us., When he looks back with 20 years of hindsight on the match that first made him a household name, he draws inspiration from Karelin. It has a lot in common with the guy manhandling the steering wheel. And whos seen more accidents than Rulon Gardner? At one point, he became separated from the group. The Olympics arent this strict, he says, shaking his head. I lost 12 pounds [my last week], why would I leave? However, she divorced him when he became involved with his first pluralist wife. Unable to move any farther, Gardner decided to build a shelter and wait for a rescue team. Rulon weighed in at 474 pounds the first week, up from 286 in his Olympic years. And Ive never heard a word. Its been nine years. And 20 years after pulling off the greatest upset in Olympic wrestling history, Gardner is chasing more medals. Not a chance in the world, he told Washington Post when asked if he believed hed beat Karelin. His first major accident happened when Gardner was in elementary school, and had his abdomen punctured by an arrow during a show and tell. Rulon Gardner finally explains leaving The Biggest Loser Ruby Turpin July 4, 2011 Gossip, Rulon Gardner, The Biggest Loser Rulon Gardner hasn't exactly been silent about his early. Rulons experience with The Biggest Loser started just like every other contestants. He runs to Rad first and gives him a big hug. Wrestlers are seeded into 16-man brackets in 14 weight classes, and each round of the tournament starts with the lightest weights and progresses on upward to Rulons old division. He competed at the 2000 and 2004 Olympics and won the gold medal in 2000, defeating Russia's Aleksandr Karelin in the final. At one point during the conversation about The Biggest Loser, he whips out his phone and calls Moses Kinikini, a fellow contestant on that season. What are you doing down there? he bellows at one wrestler who is splayed out on all fours underneath an opponent. You may have heard of me He obliges every request until hes the last one in the room, packs up his suitcase with his unsold merchandise and heads out the door. Hell be standing there, then suddenly, and violently, whip his neck sideways and then whip it back in the other direction, a tic that offers temporary relief. They look at the picture and Rulon says, Now you tell them, if you dont hit your numbers this month, you know whos coming around. High school wrestling coaches ask Rulon to look into their camera phones and deliver motivational speeches for their teams. I need to stop saying it and start doing it. Hopefully, they can see that. Hey Mount Olive wrestlers, this is Rulon Gardner. But he has never wavered in his commitment to motivatingwhether its young wrestlers, those in the business world or, not least of all, himself. Months after winning his gold medal, Rulon's toe was amputated . On the playground, he was the biggest, slowest kid. Rulons achievements in the program were nothing short of astonishing. How much does he weigh now? While the COVID-19 pandemic has shut down life for so many in the country, Rulon has kept moving. CREATIVE. It's been 20 years since Gardner, a 2,000-to-1 underdog, beat three-time gold medalist. [7], After the Athens Olympics, Gardner gained 210 pounds, culminating in a total body weight of 474 pounds. He has appeared at many corporate events, celebrity golf tournaments, trade shows, and conventions. Rulon Gardner reflects on his life's challenges 20 years after stunning Wrestler Tells Of 4th Brush With Death - CBS News He loves working with kids to help them achieve their greatest success. This is their moment, and he wants to let them have it. Gardner is known for his defeat of three-time reigning gold medalist Aleksandr Karelin at the 2000 Summer Olympics. The day after the tournament is a FridayFebruary 14 to be exactthe 18th anniversary of Rulons night on the mountain that cost him his toe. Some of the unwelcome nicknames given to him included Dumbo, and later Fatso due to his size. He wants the best for all his kids. As he weaves around trucks, zipping up I-15 North through Provo, Utah, he may be the biggest human on the highway, packed into one of the tiniest vehicles. Former Husker wrestler Rulon Gardner attempting comeback All three men in the plan swam for an hour in seven degree-water to reach the shore and spent the night without shelter, but no life-threatening injuries were sustained. This is another touchy subject for Rulon, though one he discusses openly. He leans against the metal barricade, right next to the folded-up wall of lower level seats that can extend to cover the floor. Their contingent leaves the mat and the two teammates save their most excited celebration for each other. He then earned a scholarship to attend the University of NebraskaLincoln. I didnt want to leave.. Its back to Utah, his day job and his team. Rulon Jeffs' Wives: How Many and Where Are They Now? - The Cinemaholic After the Athens Olympics, Rulon had gained 210 pounds, culminating in total body weight of 474 pounds. A potential new client comes in for what Rulon calls a one-on-one. Im the eye candy, Rulon jokes. Due to the physical damage, a saw had to be used to remove his boots. He was on The Biggest Loser, hosted by Jillian Michaels. He already had a relationship with NBC, working as a TV commentator for the networks coverage of the Beijing Olympics in 2008. As hes unpacked boxes in his new home and found items he barely remembers receiving, some have made it to JRI. Hes picked up yet another job, as an ambassador and spokesman for an app that helps promote workplace safety for construction sites and other heavy industry jobs. A bookcase next to the TV houses a plaque commemorating his induction to the National Wrestling Hall of Fame; the prestigious James E. Sullivan Award, given annually to the top amateur athlete in the country; an ESPY for being named 2000s male U.S. Olympian of the year; and other accolades. We have estimated Despite facing such dramatic odds against the greatest Greco-Roman wrestler of all time, he decided to try and win gold to silence his doubters. Rulon is sentimental. Read more of SI's Daily Cover stories here. His opponent in the 130kg Greco-Roman final was The Russian bear Aleksandr Karelin, a three-time Olympic champion who had not lost an international bout in 13 years. Most Olympic champions will tell you that self-belief is key to being the best in the world. In track and field, as a senior, he took second at the state finals in the shot put. You can say Im stupid or Im stubborn because I think anything is possible, he said. In life you make mistakes, you learn from them and move forward. He thinks about his journey the past 20 years. In 2001, Gardner added a world championship to his list of accomplishments with a victory in the finals over Mihaly Deak-Bardos of Hungary. After the finals, the arena lights come on and the whole Herriman cheering section swarms the group on the floor. Aside from his Olympic medals, his achievements include: Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. No, not that match. Rulon's wife at the time feared he might be literally paralyzed by the Russian. In 2002, he had a toe amputated after a snowmobile accident. They drop $20 bills on the table for books with personalized inscriptions. They told him that wasnt allowed; he told them he couldnt get out of bed without it. In that first match, Karelin slammed Gardner on his face three times and even flipped him feet-first over his head in a violent maneuver that had Gardner's wife, Stacy, fearing for her husband's life. On the posters, Rulon is frozen in time, even as those days move further in the rearview. weight class at the 1993 NCAA Championships, earning All-American honors. After the failed comeback attempt in 2012, he even came back to the peacock, working again for NBCs coverage of those London Games from their New York City office. Making sure the next 20 years have a lot more ups than downs. His other post-Olympic claim to fame is that in April 2011, Gardner became the first contestant ever to quit NBCs hit weight-loss reality show The Biggest Loser. He has awards, trophies and plaques, plus T-shirts signed by fellow Olympians. But wrestling was the route Rulon decided to focus on. Curbs can be trouble if hes not watching his landing spot. He finally stepped on a scale, which more or less confirmed what he thoughthe was in the neighborhood of his starting weight on The Biggest Loser, but still wont give up a specific number. Sometimes crazy stuff happens. Herriman has a section in the arenas upper deck for teammates, parents and supporters. He was willing to answer questions about anythingfrostbite, bankruptcy, divorcebut not that. One, two, three, state titles!. All Rights Reserved. The Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 on Saturday night for their first NHL playoff series win in nearly two decades. There is one tangible positive in Rulons life as a direct result of his appearance on The Biggest Loser. He remembers coming home to the Wyoming state tournament shortly after he won Olympic gold, when his mere presence was too much of a disruption. Knowing that he's the guy that's in the practice room every day that I get to learn from it's an amazing experience to have him in my corner.. Gardner, trained by Bas Rutten, won the bout via unanimous decision. Now its like, O.K., lets be smart about any decisions in the future, he said. But he also knows hes Rulon Gardner. And the next year, he won a world championship. Now Im big again, I need to go back and get up early in the morning, set time aside. That one stung. Since turning his life around financially, hes been able to reclaim most of it, and today is able to show his hard-won Olympic medals to his students. Turns out, it was the first miracle of many. [A PR rep for the show, which has since been relaunched on the NBC/Comcast-owned USA Network, could not make anyone involved with Gardners season of the show available for comment. The night before the tournament, he stopped at a buffet restaurant for dinner. The short version, Rulon says, is that he was presented an opportunity to invest in a real estate venture in 2006. So when Rulon filed for bankruptcy and authorities collected his possession to be auctioned off, they couldnt touch the medal. I had better positioning than that guy did., It's amazing, Talmage said. American Olympian who competed in the 2000 Olympic games in Greco-Roman wrestling, winning a gold medal in the 130 kg weight class. At this time, Im asking to leave The Biggest Loser for a personal reason. And that was it. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. On the desk he has nothing but a binder, a notebook and a red Powerade Zero Sugar. Gardners life in the public eye has been a twisting journey of highs and lows. The frostbitten night on the mountain cost him a toe, after which he recovered to win a bronze medal in Athens in 2004a feat thats as much a part of his legacy as the gold in Sydney. Episode 1913 -- Pictured: Olympic wrestler Rulon Gardner during . Everyone is focused, with the pressure of lifelong individual dreams, team titles and possibly college scholarships on the line. When he was eventually rescued, he was experiencing hypothermia and severe frostbite. There are rows of pull-up bars and headshots of wrestlers whove qualified for the Utah state tournament in years past. After reaching his competitive training weight, Rulon chose to leave the show in support of his wife and to begin the next chapter of his life. Rulon Gardner dated my daughter's roommate - ex-Mormon Rulon Gardner says 'Biggest Loser' sparks a possible return to His next close shave came in 2007, when he survived a crash in a light aircraft. His coworker at JRI, Lydia Woltjen, jokes that shes sure to wear a seatbelt when Rulon is driving. Rulon says it went beyond thatand that behind the scenes it was worse, that the people involved in making the show were manipulative, and gossip among contestants was rampant. The arena at Utah Valley University is set up with eight wrestling mats in two rows of four. Film tracks Rulon Gardner's highs, lows in years since gold - Yahoo News He is the son of Reed and Virginia Gardner and the last of nine children. He apologizes to the room for his hoarse voice, which he blames on his coaching. Rulon Gardner makes no excuses - Los Angeles Times Unable to move any farther, Gardner decided to build a shelter and wait for a rescue team. He earned a football scholarship to attend the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. All Rights Reserved. Gardner has a little car and a little traveling companion: Gus. After retiring from his event by adding a bronze medal in the Athens 2004 Olympics, Rulon the wrecking ball Gardner accepted an invitation to compete in a professional mixed martial arts (MMA) bout.