Rulon Gardner loses 173 pounds - Rulon Gardner won a gold medal in Greco-Roman wrestling in the 2000 Olympic Games held in Athens, but put on more than 200 pounds in the years since.
He decided to do something to motivate himself to lose weight by becoming a contestant on the 11th season of “The Biggest Loser” TV reality series in 2011.
He joined the show weighing 474 pounds, but after participating for 16 weeks, demonstrated an encouraging overall weight loss of 173 pounds.
The Wyoming-born Gardner, who published his autobiography, Never Stop Pushing, in 2005, cited personal reasons, however, for not continuing as a Biggest Loser contestant after the 173-pound loss weigh in and left the show before appearing on the final episode where all contestants do a final weigh-in.
Gardner never gave a reason for his sudden departure from the show, but keeps busy as a motivational speaker who talks about the many tragedies and challenges he has overcome in his life.
Gardner nearly died after a night stranded in the Wyoming wilderness, and he survived a motorcycle accident and a plane crash.
In another setback Gardner has filed for bankruptcy, reports Yahoo News.
According to documents filed by Gardner on Sept. 10, creditors hold about $2.934 million in unsecured claims against him, $2.8 million of that is owed to the West Coast Lending Group of Salt Lake City.
His most valuable belongings will be sold Oct. 27 by the Salt Lake City auction house Erkelens & Olson. The items include a Porsche, a Harley-Davidson motorcycle and some 40 watches.
