Wrestling legend Dan Gable, who won an Olympic gold medal in 1972 and has a storied coaching career, was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Donald Trump.
During the ceremony on Monday, Trump asked Gable, “I’m larger than you a little bit, do you think I could take in wrestling? Would I have a big advantage?”
The wrestling icon shook his head, telling the president, “You would have no chance.”
The room broke into laughter and the president told the gathered press and guests, “What do you think? I agree with that. Do you agree with that, John? I do. He’s the expert.”
Trump: "Now, I'm larger than you a little bit. Do you think I could take you in wrestling now? Would I have a big advantage?"
— WeAreWrestlers (@WeAreWrestlers) December 7, 2020
Gable: "You would have no chance." 😂🐐pic.twitter.com/oQJLgAyJa2
Gable has a historic career as a wrestler. During his college career, he lost only one match. The Iowa native won all of his matches during the 1972 Olympics without giving up a point. Gable’s Olympic victory came during the icy depths of the Cold War, at a time when the Soviet Union was the dominating wrestling power in the world.
In 1976, Gable became the head coach at the University of Iowa and held that post until 1997. During those years, the Hawkeyes were consistently among the best wrestling teams in the country.
Trump has long been fascinated with wrestling and wrestlers. Congressman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) is one of the president’s closest allies and Trump has sometimes joked about Jordan’s history as a wrestler.
During remarks in February of this year, Trump said “But one day I’m looking, and he looks tough. And I’m looking, and I’m looking at those ears. And I say, ‘Those ears have something going on there.’ I said, ‘Did you ever wrestle?'”
Trump added, “This guy was a world — this guy was a champion, top, top wrestler. And when I had the top — I had all of the teams.”