Classic Photos of Rulon Gardner

SI Staff | Mar 23, 2011

Classic Photos of Rulon Gardner /

Classic Photos of Rulon Gardner

September 2000

Alexander Karelin attempts to overpower Gardner during their 130-kilogram division Olympic gold medal match in 2000. Karelin had won the gold in 1992 and 1996 and had not lost an international match in 10 years.

September 2000

An elated Gardner cannot contain his excitement following his upset of Alexander Karelin in the 2000 Olympics.

September 2000

Gardner circles the arena with an American flag after his improbable upset of Alexander Karelin in the 2000 Olympics.

September 2000

An official declares Gardner the winner of the Greco Roman wrestling gold medal in the 130-kilogram division over Alexander Karelin. With four seconds left in the match, Karelin bowed his head and conceded to Gardner, a heavy underdog going into the match.

September 2000

A proud Gardner poses with his Olympic gold medal in front of the Sydney Opera House.

October 2000

Gardner waves to his hometown crowd as he walks down Main Street in Afton, Wyo., following his upset of Russia's Alexander Karelin in the 2000 Olympics.

January 2001

Gardner appears in the memorable Got Milk? ad series in 2001. Gardner's mother said, as a child, her son would carry around four milk buckets at a time while working on their family farm.

February 2001

Gardner lifts Olympic gold medal diver Laura Wilkinson onto his shoulder after they were awarded the 2000 U.S. Olympic Spirit Award.

February 2001

Tiger Woods and Gardner take a moment for publicity in Las Vegas in 2001.

March 2002

On two feet but only nine toes, Gardner poses in front of the helicopter that rescued him from a snowmobile mishap that left him stranded in the wilderness.

March 2002

Gardner can't bear to look at his feet during a 2002 rehabilitation session for frostbite he suffered after a February 2002 snowmobile accident.

May 2002

Gardner poses on a weight bench with a jar containing his amputated toe. Gardner sustained frostbite after a Feb. 14, 2002 snowmobile mishap, and the resulting treatment cost him his toe.

July 2004

Actor Adrien Brody and Gardner appear together on in 2004.

August 2004

Gardner's disappointment is visible after he fails to match his improbable 2000 performance during the 2004 Olympics. Gardner won the bronze medal, but retired shortly after the match.

August 2004

Gardner stands with an Olympic representative during the 2004 medal ceremony. Gardner won bronze in 2004, and shortly thereafter retired from competitive wrestling.

October 2004

A member of the 2004 Olympic team, Gardner was invited to the White House for some quality time with then-president George W. Bush.

January 2007

NBA official Tom Washington is helpless as Gardner carries him across the floor during a Miami Heat-Utah Jazz game in Utah.

August 2008

Gardner messes around with fellow U.S. wrestler Dremiel Byers atop the Great Wall of China before the start of the Beijing Games.

January 2011

In 2011, Gardner joined The Biggest Loser in an attempt to lose some of the 175 pounds he had gained since his 2000 Olympic medal. As of March 23, Gardner had lost 112 pounds.

Published Mar 23, 2011

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