Rulon Gardner, who pulled off one of the greatest upsets in wrestling history at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, headlines the 2010 class of inductees into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum.

An unheralded wrestler at the time, Gardner provided one of the most spectacular moments of the 2000 summer games when he stunned Russian superstar Alexander Karelin with a 1-0 sudden victory in overtime.

Karelin was considered the greatest Greco-Roman wrestler of all time and already owned three Olympic gold medals entering the bout. He hadn’t lost a match of any kind for three years entering the Sydney Games, but Gardner avoided Karelin’s signature lifts to set himself up for victory. Perhaps equally as famous as his victory was the exuberant cartwheel Gardner performed on the mat in celebration after the match was complete.

In addition to his Olympic gold in 2000, Gardner also picked up international titles at the 1996 World Cup, the 1998 and 2000 Pan American Games and the 2001 World Championships. Joining him as Distinguished Members are David Auble, Russell Camilleri and Lincoln McIlravy. The Hall of Fame’s Board of Governors approved these selections at its semi-annual meeting held in Kansas City.

The Class of 2010 will be inducted during the Honors Weekend Banquet and Induction Ceremony in Stillwater, Oklahoma, June 4-5, 2010. The event will mark the 34th anniversary class of the Hall of Fame & Museum.

Gardner was a state champion for Star Valley High School in 1989.