Four years after his astonishing push to gold, Greco-Roman wrestler Rulon Gardner of the United States takes bronze at 264 and a-half pounds.

Then Gardner also untied his shoes and, with tears on his face, left the shoes in the center of the ring---a traditional sign of retirement.

Gardner beat Sajad Barzi of Iran 3-0 in his final match after being upset in the semifinals by Georgi Tsurtsumia of Kazakhstan. After leaving his shoes on the mat, Gardner cried and blew kisses to the crowd as he walked around the arena holding an American flag.

A resident of Casade, Gardner trains at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.