Rulon Gardner is one of the most iconic athletes to come from the Cowboy State, growing up on a dairy farm in Afton. After being out of wrestling for many years, he is training to go back to the 2024 Olympics in Paris, France. A 1989 Star Valley graduate, Gardner defeated Aleksandr Karelin, nicknamed “The Russian Bear”, who was considered one of the best Greco-Roman wrestlers in the world. Gardner’s win over Karelin cemented his place in all of Olympic history. Rulon would go on to win the gold medal in wrestling at the Olympics in Sydney, Australia in 2000.
