BEIJING - World champion of men's super heavyweight wrestling Mijain Lopez won Cuba its first gold medal at the Beijing Olympic Games here Thursday evening.

Khasan Baroev of Russia (in red) fights Mijain Lopez of Cuba during their 120kg men's Greco-Roman wrestling final bout at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games August 14, 2008. [Agencies]

Winning over Olympic champion Khasan Baroev of Russia in the men's 120kg Greco-Roman final, Lopez said "No one can beat Khasan except me. Both of us were in good form. Though he lost, entering the final competition was surely the great thing."

The losing Russian said that "Lopez is the best in the world. But if I had one more chance, I would have beaten him."

Mindaugas Mizgaitis of Lithuania and Yuri Patrikeev of Armenia shared the bronze medals.