Most coaches sit in the chairs, but Rulon stands behind his. Herrimans lightest wrestler, Jack Lounsbury, is up first. I surprised myself probably more than them.. Discover today's celebrity birthdays and explore famous people who share your birthday. Olympic gold medalist and (until recently) presumed "Biggest Loser" frontrunner Rulon Gardner has something to say about his sudden and shocking voluntary exit . It was one of the coolest experiences of my life, he says. The two heavier weights point first to the technique they learned from him. Here comes Traycee, running in to compete on the same mat. You see people that do amazing things, Rulon said, and they sit back and they think that theyre just gonna keep succeeding because of that. But he knows its not always that easy. Rulon Gardner of Star Valley, Wyo.,defeats Russia Aleksandr Karelin to win the gold medal in Greco-Roman Wrestling at the Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia. He found success, and a new community that believed in him, in the athletics arena. He says Harper told him, I waited my whole career for you. As the American shares in the Olympic Channel film 'Rulon', he got separated from the party he was with, became trapped in a shallow river, and was forced to spend the night in sub-zero temperatures with no shelter or jacket. Some of the advice is technical, some is motivational. After the speech he heads back to the hallway and opens one of his suitcases, which is stuffed with copies of his book and posters from the old Got Milk? ad campaign that show him holding two full pails in front of a dairy cow. Nicole died due to complications from glioblastoma, a rare. It sounds like a script the Rocky IV writers came up with: An invincible Goliath from Siberia nicknamed "The Experiment" arrives at the Olympic Village packing a 13-year winning streak. Not the Olympic Greco-Roman super heavyweight final in 2000 when, with a 10 decision, he handed the Russian Bear his first loss in 13 years, and scored the first point against him in six. ATHENS - It doesn't matter what Rulon Gardner does in these Olympics, or for the rest of his life, because he will forever be attached to the afternoon of Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2000, the His coworker at JRI, Lydia Woltjen, jokes that shes sure to wear a seatbelt when Rulon is driving. This is not LeBron James sitting courtside at his sons basketball game, jovially stepping onto the court, with everyone in the gym streaming his every reaction online. Rulon's wrestling career began when he was six years old. The only obstacle in the way of a fourth consecutive gold medal for the unbeatable champion, who had not even given up a single point in over 10 years of high-level international competition, is an aw-shucks farm boy from rural Wyoming. State titles on three, Martinez says. Near the end of the legendary clash of titans, the chiseled Karelin stepped away from Gardner's fleshy grasp and bowed to the new champion, who was about to become an overnight American celebrity. He was raised on a dairy farm in Wyoming, where the family grew crops and milked cows twice a day. But behind the scenes, he says it was miserable. Its back to Utah, his day job and his team. Rulon is walking carefully. Rulon is currently making his profession as a motivational speaker, often appearing as a keynote presenter and event host. He earned a football scholarship to attend the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Practically speaking, he is coaching more than that. They clear the floor and the jumbotron hanging from the ceiling lists which bouts will begin on which mats. So, how much is Rulon Gardner worth at the age of 51 years old? On the other side is all of Rulons professional contact info and a list of insurance brands they hawkand guess what Rulon signs every time somebody bugs him for an autograph. Rulon is sentimental. Rulon Gardner. [13], Gardner attended Star Valley High School in Afton, Wyoming, and was a three-sport letter winner and standout in football, wrestling, and track and field. For many high school wrestlers, this will be the pinnacle of their athletic careers, and the moment is treated with that gravity. 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. 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. My voice is a little scraggly because I care, he tells them, to some polite chuckles. Rulon Gardner is crammed into the drivers seat of a 2006 Volkswagen Beetle. When he was an active athlete, he never took a day off. Hes a natural people pleaser, but now he asks for things in return. Maybe it confused him. And I knew I was doing it because I love it.". He remained stranded for the next 18 hours. 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. Gardners life in the public eye has been a twisting journey of highs and lows. Wrestlers have such a diverse skill-set, that they are often approached to compete in other sports. He walks around the perimeter of the room, shoes off, thick white socks resting below his tree-trunk calves, and watches his kids spar. Four years later, Gardner was the last big man standing in Sydney. And 20 years after pulling off the greatest upset in Olympic wrestling history, Gardner is chasing more medals. 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. Gardner spent hours working on his familys 250-acre dairy farm in Wyoming. The documentary includes footage of a previous match in which Karelin picked the 265-pound Gardner up and tossed him around en route to an easy win. Karelin tried to break Gardner's will quickly. He did not appear on the final episode of the season, except in the background of scenes of other contestants. Back down from the podium, Herrimans state champions pose in every combination for their own photos, iPhone camera rolls filling up with teammates, parents, siblings and coaches in various groupings. Its like hes sitting in the strongman booth at a carnival and they want to document his strength. He knows a few things about planning for the unexpected and would be happy to answer your questions about any type of insurance. 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 is now a dynamic speaker and coach who shares his stories of triumph and loss to motivate and encourage others to fight for their dreams. Can I talk to the parents about insurance afterward? With the help of some business mentors, Gardner is living a more stable life selling insurance, is an ambassador for a work-safety app, visits schools and workplaces as a motivational speaker, and stays in touch with his sport as a high school wrestling coach. Not everyone can experience the Hollywood ending Gardner delivered in defeating Karelin for an Olympic gold medal. There were parents with their kids, spouses and siblings. After that its club season until April, followed by tournaments and clinics through the summer, not to mention occasional speaking engagements across the country. The youngest of nine children, Rulon Gardner was born to Reed and Virginia Gardner on August 16, 1971. Instead, he takes each challenge and uses it as a means to improve his life. He was an All-State selection in both football and wrestling, and was also the 1989 Wyoming wrestling state heavyweight champion. Hell take five minutes with someone or an hour with someone if they want. [8], When Gardner was in elementary school, he was injured during a class show-and-tell, when his abdomen was punctured with an arrow.[9]. [6], After the Athens Olympics, Gardner gained 210 pounds, culminating in a total body weight of 474 pounds. While Gardner has been working out of the office for a few months, he officially moved his stuff in last night. Regain my work ethic. "But I always wrestle kind of unorthodox, and our feet got tangled and I got under him. I asked him what advice he would give to somebody at a low point right nowa surprisingly apt question less than a month before the initial surge of a pandemic that would kill more than 200,000 Americans and send many more to unemployment amid a devastated economy. With the crowd now engaged and rooting the long shot on with "USA!" Its sour, but its still candy. Rulon asks the client to share some of his corporate financial goals, and Lydia gives the pitch about what services they can offer. Gardner served as an analyst for NBC Sports coverage of Wrestling at the 2008 Summer Olympics. Gardner, trained by Randy Couture at Team Quest, won the bout via unanimous decision. As he weaves around trucks, zipping up I-15 North through Provo, Utah, he may be the biggest human on the highway,. Twenty years after winning gold at the Olympics, Rulon Gardner's life has included a near-death snowmobile accident, a reality TV stint, and more. 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. 2023 ABG-SI LLC. He concedes that the motorcycle crash in '04 could have done him in, and the . A good friend of Rulons had a nephew whose son wrestled at Herriman, so Gardner came to a practice and offered to help a local club team. Sports Illustrated is here! he tells him. They drop $20 bills on the table for books with personalized inscriptions. He attended both Ricks and Nebraska on wrestling scholarships. Not sure how to react to his amazing triumph, Gardner did a cartwheel, a somersault and then a victory lap wrapped in the Stars & Stripes. She says she has only positive things to say about her experience being on the show in general and working with Rulon in particular. Rulon moseys around and cant stop himself from giving advice to some of the wrestlers on other teams. There is one tangible positive in Rulons life as a direct result of his appearance on The Biggest Loser. My mom said, Is this the kid that I raised? Gardner was the first contestant ever to . "Rulon Gardner Won't Die" Featuring Olympic Champion Wrestler to Premiere on 3 June 2020 . The arena at Utah Valley University is set up with eight wrestling mats in two rows of four. We have estimated He has written three books Cowboy Up: Kenny Sailors, The Jump Shot and Wyoming's Championship Basketball History; Black 14: The Rise, Fall and Rebirth of Wyoming Football and Lost Cowboys: The Story of Bud Daniel and Wyoming Baseball. He leans against the metal barricade, right next to the folded-up wall of lower level seats that can extend to cover the floor. 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. He is 48 now, sells insurance and has a second job coaching wrestling at a Salt Lake City-area high school. Nine minutes. After 16 weeks on the show, Gardner had lost 173 pounds. He tells everyone to put their hands in. He and his first wife Sheri lost their daughter, Stacey in a terrible car accident on December 26, 1990. The branch is independent, meaning they can sell policies through multiple insurance companies. Previously, he spent three years as a medical-device sales rep, working a territory stretching from Montana to Nebraska. I got my health back, I got my fitness and I got my life back. @RulonGardner. Rulon feels he was treated unfairly. Not during the night on the mountain waiting for a rescue helicopter to spot him, or the grueling recovery from frostbite and hypothermia. And that was the real reason that I was coming to The Biggest Loser. I knew every piece and how to use it. Showing Editorial results for rulon gardner. Unbelievably, that wasn't Rulon's only near-death experience with hypothermia. 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. I was a good wrestler, but I want to be a better coach than I ever was as a wrestler.. He wouldnt have his gold medal without it. Rulon Ellis Gardner (born August 16, 1971) is an American retired Greco-Roman Olympic Gold Medalist wrestler. Theres things that need to be addressed in my life back home, Rulon told the camera after his announcement. He talks to the state qualifiers about visualizing their day. Thats awesome, she said. 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. In other ways, Rulon has a presence. He and two friends made it through a plane crash in . 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. The 6-foot-3, 286-pound wrestler attempted to throw the underdog repeatedly, as Karelin had done during a 5-0 victory over Gardner in their only previous meeting three years earlier. Afton welcomed hometown hero Rulon Gardner with a huge parade. The American gold medallist stars in the Olympic Channel film 'Rulon', which will be released on Friday, 2nd April 2021. While at Nebraska, Gardner finished fourth in the 275lb. Gardner attended junior college at Ricks College (now BYU-Idaho) in Rexburg, Idaho and as a sophomore won the NJCAA national heavyweight wrestling championship. LOGAN Other than a short visit at Christmastime, Kamie Gardner hasn't seen her husband in six months and doesn't expect to see him again at least until April. The intervening years for Gardner have been more down than up, unlike his weight: an Olympic bronze medal in 2004; retirement; divorce and marriage to his third wife; trouble financing a gym;. Today, Gardner owns and operates the Rulon Gardner Elite Training Center in Logan, Utah, with his wife of two years, Kamie. After several hours in his makeshift shelter, he stopped shivering, which led him to believe that he was dying. 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. This is their moment, and he wants to let them have it. Since making Olympic history in 2000, the wrestler has battled his share of adversity. Rulon tipped the scale at 474 pounds at the onset of the show, up more than 200 from the 265-pound division in which he competed at the 2004 Olympics. Bob Harper, a trainer on the show since Season 1, and the face of the program when it relaunched earlier in 2020, is among those whom Rulon thought he was getting close to.