He was willing to answer questions about anythingfrostbite, bankruptcy, divorcebut not that. Rulon Ellis Gardner (born August 16, 1971) is an American retired Greco-Roman Olympic Gold Medalist wrestler. The youngest of nine children, Rulon Gardner was born to Reed and Virginia Gardner on August 16, 1971. Its more of a one-on-two. That's all because of Rulon, right there, he said. 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. Thats why people dont know the full story. This Time, Rulon Gardner Survived Small Plane Crash . For me, it was like, Theyre trusting me to train an Olympic champion? He graduated from the University of NebraskaLincoln with a bachelor's degree in physical education. Rulon participated in this from six years old until he started junior high school at 12 years old. Rulons office handles the gamut of insurance types, and hes become well-versed in life, health, property, casualty, home and auto. Now, it appears hes on the verge of beating those projections by a considerable margin. It would hurt Rulons reputation if he oversold one of his athletes and they didnt back up his praise. Gardner is a Wyoming native who now lives in Utah. Gardner's goal is to get near the weight at which he competed. 2 immediately begins. Oh, do you know who he is? Rulons coworker asks his client. If anyone above her had made any sort of decision like that, she wouldnt be privy to it. While the COVID-19 pandemic has shut down life for so many in the country, Rulon has kept moving. Traycee was a heavyweight last season, before cutting down to 220 this year. Others are still drinking the Kool-Aid, he says. Twenty years after winning a stunning gold medal at the Sydney Olympics, former wrestler Rulon Gardner reflects on the winding path his life has taken. Select from premium Rulon Gardner of the highest quality. [2] Karelin was previously unbeaten for 13 years in international competition. And thats the story that he stuck to for nine years. I was offered millions by the WWE to compete for them and I turned it down, Gardner said. Rulon Gardner struggled at school due to a learning disability. He used rigorous, hours-long workouts to keep his weight in check . 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. His first wife is believed to be Zola. School was a struggle for Rulon due to a learning disability. [1] In 2010, he was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member. The one person that can change it is me.. The arena explodes as the referee slaps the mat to signal a pin, and Rulon claps excitedly. As a result, all of Gardners Olympic memorabilia and some of his vehicles were auctioned off. Is this who you want to be to the youth of America?". And he was searching for that mindset again. He says Harper told him, I waited my whole career for you. Today, Gardner has taken the lessons learnt and built a new life for himself. Hell take five minutes with someone or an hour with someone if they want. He knows a few things about planning for the unexpected and would be happy to answer your questions about any type of insurance. He attended both Ricks and Nebraska on wrestling scholarships. And Rulon is thrust into the same conversation hes had with countless strangers over the last 20 years. Do you pay other people? Most Olympic champions will tell you that self-belief is key to being the best in the world. He was unable to repeat his 2000 performance, coming away with the Bronze medal, and after his match, he placed his shoes in the middle of the mat as a symbol of retirement from competitive wrestling. Rulon weighed in at 474 pounds the first week, up from 286 in his Olympic years. Rulon moseys around and cant stop himself from giving advice to some of the wrestlers on other teams. For much of his storied sports career, two-time Olympic medalist Rulon Gardner was a slave to the scale. He points to some of the younger members of the team and tells them theyre the future. He wouldnt have his gold medal without it. He wont say. On December 31, 2004, Gardner fought Hidehiko Yoshida in a judo vs wrestling mixed martial arts (MMA) bout for the Pride Fighting Championships at an event named PRIDE Shockwave 2004. When the high school team needed a new coach soon after that, he got the job. Rulon Gardner in 2003 AP A learning disability earned Gardner the nickname "Dumbo." The 125-pound fourth-grader was also called "Fatso." As a senior at Star Valley High School, he won a state. This inspiring memoir tells the story of his impoverished upbringing as one of nine children in a close-knit Mormon family on a farm in Wyoming, where unceasing chores led to tremendous strength at an early age. As a senior in high school, The Wyoming native won a state wrestling title and placed second in the shot put. He would rise before the sun to move bales of hay, chop wood, and milk and clean cows, and attributes his early strength to the rigors of this work. He wants the best for all his kids. Despite sealing victory and a healthy paycheck as the underdog, Gardner decided to finish his MMA career then and there, as the sport didnt carry the same honour for him as wrestling. STARTING OVER: "Loser" Rulon Gardner won the gold medal in 2004. Gardner poses for photo after photo, always holding the 2004 bronze medal and letting his admirers hold the gold. In 2005, Gardner published his autobiography (co-written by Bob Schaller), Never Stop Pushing: My Life from a Wyoming Farm to the Olympic Medals Stand, in which he describes his Greco-Roman wrestling career, his academic struggles (as someone who suffers from a learning disability) and an account of his near-death experience when stranded after a snowmobile accident. In episode 16, he was bungee jumping over New Zealands Milford Sound, espousing the importance of winning immunity to remain on the show. 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. You cant sit and dwell on it. In January 2011, he was announced as a contestant on season 11 of the American reality television show, The Biggest Loser. After 16 weeks on the show, Gardner had lost 173 pounds! Youve gotta be a man! He talks about his Seven Steps to Success, which are outlined in his autobiography. Karelin had been undefeated for 13 years, and had not given up a point in six years, prior to his loss in the gold medal match to Gardner. Theres things that need to be addressed in my life back home, Rulon told the camera after his announcement. Sports Illustrated is here! he tells him. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. That same drive that helped me succeed [in wrestling], is the same drive that helped me survive in the wilderness, he said. Find Rulon Gardner stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. Rulon weighed in at 474 pounds the first week, up from 286 in his Olympic years. [24], On December 31, 2004, Gardner fought Hidehiko Yoshida in a judo vs wrestling mixed martial arts (MMA) bout for the Pride Fighting Championships at an event named PRIDE Shockwave 2004. Rulon and his wife live in Logan, Utah, where he runs a gym with Pope. Even as he gets his feet under himself and recovers financially, he feels betrayed. Of course, he says. She also appreciated his respect for her as a woman, saying it can sometimes be tough for her to earn the trust and respect of male clients, but that wasnt the case with Rulon. After graduating from the University of Nebraska, Rulon continued his Olympic wrestling pursuit with full-time dedication. Its an interesting twist, being both the new guy and the celebrity. She says she has only positive things to say about her experience being on the show in general and working with Rulon in particular. He was afraid that he would lose both of his feet, but fortunately, he only lost his right toe to amputation. He graduated from the University of NebraskaLincoln with a bachelor's degree in physical education. The living room, in a more modest home than the crowded driveway might suggest, is full of reminders that hes lived a charmed life of celebrity. Rulon and his assistant coaches address the team. And he seems fine with the arrangement. Rulon again captured the attention of America when he appeared as a contestant of the NBC television program The Biggest Loser. Not even after his failed 2012 Olympic attempt. He has awards, trophies and plaques, plus T-shirts signed by fellow Olympians. Everyone just wants Rulon to be healthy. . The harrowing experience cost Gardner the middle toe on his right foot, which he keeps in formaldehyde in a jar in his refrigerator, to remind him of his mortality. It is the latest foray in a string of jobs that includes owning a gym, driving a forklift and working as a medical device rep for Johnson & Johnson, which is when he put many of those miles on the Beetle. He is the son of Reed and Virginia Gardner and the last of nine children. Rulon says its a shamethey used to have two pictures of him hanging on the wall. Now Im big again, I need to go back and get up early in the morning, set time aside. Rulon Ellis Gardner (born August 16, 1971) is an American retired Greco-Roman wrestler. And Ive never heard a word. Its been nine years. Rulon has to toe the line. 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. Little do you know whats coming up in life.. There were parents with their kids, spouses and siblings. He competed at the 2000 and 2004 Olympics and won the gold medal in 2000, defeating Russia's three-time reigning Olympic gold medalist Aleksandr Karelin in the final. This Time, Rulon Gardner Survived Small Plane Crash. In doing so, he immediately captured the admiration of Americans, winning the gold medal in one of the biggest upsets in Olympic history. He talks to every single person that wants to talk to him, and hell sign an autograph for anybody, his assistant coach, Martinez, says. All Rights Reserved. So hell need yet another implant, but theres just no time during the season. Rulons achievements in the program were nothing short of astonishing. 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. Yoshida, in addition to being an Olympic gold medalist in judo, was a highly successful MMA fighter. Months after winning his gold medal, Rulon's toe was amputated . However, she divorced him when he became involved with his first pluralist wife. At one point, he became separated from the group. State titles on three, Martinez says. The three men swam for more than an hour in 44-degree water to reach the shore. Because I learned so much about myself. He competed at the 2000 and 2004 Olympics and won the gold medal in 2000, defeating Russia's three-time reigning Olympic gold medalist Aleksandr Karelin in the final. Rulon plays the Dont you know who I am? cardbut, seriously, dont you know who he is? Rulon Gardner is crammed into the drivers seat of a 2006 Volkswagen Beetle. Not during the night on the mountain waiting for a rescue helicopter to spot him, or the grueling recovery from frostbite and hypothermia. Its fitting that Gardner sells insurance. The men swam an hour in 44F (7C) water to reach shore, and then spent the night without shelter. During his efforts to regain his composure and regroup, he fell into the freezing Salt River with his snowmobile. Rulon says he was a victim, and the paper trail backs him up. Before the 2004 Olympic Trials he was in a motorcycle accident and then dislocated his right wrist punching the bleachers after losing his cool during a pickup basketball game. Its an empty feeling every wrestler knows, including Rulon, who puts a hand on his wrestlers shoulder, looks him in the eye and delivers a reassuring message. After the speeches, assistant coach Rad Martinez gathers everyone in the center of the mat. These injuries included an amputated toe and a dislocated wrist, but he still went on to win the U.S. Olympic trials for his weight class and then to compete in the 2004 Summer Olympics. Its a fairly light dayjust 15 minutes of drilling, followed by two full six-minute matches for each wrestler, same as theyll go tomorrow at States, with just 30 seconds between periods. 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. Rulon Gardner was born in Afton, WY on August 16, 1971. Rulon started paying her $24,000 a month. He earned a football scholarship to attend the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Theres a curly-headed heavyweight from Fremont High, Weston Warr, whom Rulon has taken a liking to after theyve spoken at a few tournaments throughout the last two seasons. He again cuts a hulking figure, now situated behind a desk in a Dri-FIT, long-sleeved black athletic shirt, gray slacks and black sneakers. 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. Due to the physical damage, a saw had to be used to remove his boots. Rulon stands and leans against her desk, hovering above a speakerphone, mindlessly clicking his pen as they discuss auto insurance quotes for a father who wants to buy a car for a teenage son whos already been in a fender bender. Not on the TV show. Hundreds of wrestlers are running around, stretching or sparring to warm up. 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. Its a long story. He also takes pride in the fact that even if he wouldnt have ultimately taken his old practice partner Dremiel Byerss spot on the 12 Olympic team, at least he made everyone in the room work a little harder. [25]. He jumped anyway. You want me to do a clinic for free? He and his first wife Sheri lost their daughter, Stacey in a terrible car accident on December 26, 1990. Rulon doesnt follow. As hes unpacked boxes in his new home and found items he barely remembers receiving, some have made it to JRI. He's a legend in the sport. 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.