Rulon Gardner: Exclusive Interview With Wyoming's Gold Medalist
Rulon Gardner won the gold medal in Greco Roman wrestling, toppling a legend known as the Siberian Bear.
Shelley Osterloh was the first to feature this farm boy from Star Valley, Wyoming.
She has an exclusive interview with Gardner from Sydney.
It was a very exciting match.
Gardner did the unthinkable. He beat the unbeatable. He ended the 13 year winning streak of Russian wrestler Alexander Karelen.
And just hours after winning the medal he was just beginning to enjoy the warm glow of Olympic Gold.
Before meeting the international media, Wyoming's Rulon Gardner stopped briefly to share his glory with fellow wrestlers and friends at a private party.
It was the first stop on a whirlwind night of interviews and congratulations.
Gardner beat the man who is universally considered the best Greco Roman wrestler of all time, a man not beaten in 13 years.
Even Gardner, with the gold medal around his neck, is in awe of Karelin.
Rulon Gardner/Gold Medal Winner: "IT WAS INCREDIBLE TO KNOW THAT HE WAS SITTING THERE. I TOLD HIM, 'YOU KNOW, YOU'RE STILL THE BEST.' THERE WILL NEVER BE ANYBODY WHO IS BETTER THAN HE IS. THERE'S NO WAY I CAN COMPETE WITH WHAT HE HAS DONE WITH HIS HISTORY. I'M JUST HAPPY THAT I HAD A CHANCE TO BE THERE."
No one has scored a point against Karelin in ten years. And wife Stacy says, when Rulon scored the first point, she knew he could win.
Stacy Gardner/Rulon's Wife: "HE'S OVERCOME. AND IT'S BECAUSE HE DOES WHAT'S RIGHT. HE'S TRYING TO BE A GOOD PERSON, LIVE A GOOD LIFE, BE A RESPONSIBLE FAMILY MEMBER. REPRESENT HIS FAMILY, HIS CHURCH, HIS HOME TOWN , HIS COUNTRY. HE'S A GOOD MAN."
Gardner was wearing the shirt signed by hundreds of home town supporters - friends who raised some $25,000 for his 17 family members to come to Sydney for the Games.
Perhaps they are the only ones who believed he could beat Karelin.
Even Gardner himself had only hoped.
Rulon Gardner/Gold Medal Winner: "I'M JUST SO NUMB AND OVERWHELMED, AND I HAVE TO GO BACK AND PONDER IT FOR FEW DAYS AND JUST REALIZE WHAT I DID. ENJOY THE MOMENT. I GUESS IT'S GOING TO BE THE STORY OF THE OLYMPICS, PEOPLE SAY. AND IT JUST WAS PHENOMENAL THAT I HAD A CHANCE TO BE OUT THERE AND WRESTLE."
