Steven Lopez

Steven López (born November 9, 1978) is a 2000 and 2004 Olympic gold medalist in Taekwondo at the Olympic Games. López became the first official Olympic gold medalist at the 2000 Olympic Games. In 2003, he earned the rank of world champion in his weight class.cite news | title=Steven López Prepares to Defend Gold Medal at 2004 Olympic Games in Athens | url =http://www.hispanicbusiness.com/news/2004/8/23/steven_lopez_prepares_to_defend_gold.htm | work =HispanicBusiness.com | accessdate = 2008-05-03]

Biography

Born in Nicaragua, López's parents moved to New York City in 1972. In his native country, his father, Julio, worked for the government of the then-President Anastasio Somoza, who was overthrown in 1979 after the Sandinista Revolution. His father took odd jobs to support his family but later relocated to Texas. [cite news | first=Tom | last= Weir | title=Lopez kicks his way to Athens with help from family | url =http://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/athens/fight/2004-08-02-lopez-cover_x.htm | work =USA TODAY | accessdate = 2008-05-03] López first learned the sport of Taekwondo in his garage at the age of five from his father and Jean, his older brother.He is a 1997 graduate of Kempner High School in Sugar Land, Texas where he was voted "most likely to succeed" and was member of the National Honor Society.

López's siblings, Mark, Diana and Jean Lopez (coach) are all USA National Team Members in Taekwondo. His younger siblings, Mark and Diana, also represented the United States at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, marking the first time since 1904 that three siblings have been on the same Olympic team. Both López and siblings, Mark (men's featherweight) and Diana (women's featherweight), made sports history in April 2005 when they all claimed a world championship title at the same event (2005 World Taekwondo Championships) with their oldest brother, Jean, participating in the feat as their coach.cite news | title=NBC Olympics profile | url =http://www.nbcolympics.com/athletes/athlete=75/bio/index.html | work =nbcolympics.com | accessdate = 2008-05-03]

On January 2006, López tested positive for a banned substance (L-methamphetamine) which he said came from an over-the-counter vapor inhaler he used. López promptly accepted a three-month suspension and participated in an educational anti-doping program.

López has appeared in People Magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People.

Career highlights

columns |width=410px
col1 =
*2008 Beijing Olympic Games: BRONZE
*2007 World Taekwondo Championships (Welter): GOLD

*2007 Sr. National Team Trials (Welter): 1st
*2005 U.S. Olympic Committee Male Athlete of the Month (April)
*2005 World Taekwondo Championships (Welter): GOLD
*2005 Sullivan Award Finalist
*2004 Athens Olympic Games: GOLD
*2004 US Olympic Team Trials: GOLD
*2004 Sullivan Award Finalist
*2003 World Taekwondo Championships: GOLD
*2003 World Taekwondo Qualification Tournament: BRONZE
*2003 Pan American Games: GOLD
*2003 Sullivan Award Finalist
*2002 World Cup Taekwondo Championships: BRONZE
col2 =
*2002 Pan American Games: GOLD
*2001 World Taekwondo Championships: GOLD
*2000 Sydney Olympic Games: GOLD
*1999 Pan American Games: GOLD
*1999 Pan American Regional Olympic Qualifier: SILVER
*1998 World Cup Taekwondo Championships: BRONZE
*1998 Pan American Taekwondo Championships: GOLD
*1997 World Cup Taekwondo Championships: GOLD
*1996 Pan American Taekwondo Championships: GOLD
*1996 World Junior Taekwondo Championships: GOLD
*1994 Pan American Taekwondo Championships: SILVER
*1994 World Cup Taekwondo Championships: BRONZE
*1993 Jr. Olympic: BRONZE

Footnotes

External links

* [http://taekwondo.teamusa.org/athlete/athlete/957 US Olympic Team profile]
* [http://www.usa-taekwondo.us/92_853.htm USA Taekwondo profile]
* [http://usocpressbox.org/usoc/pressbox.nsf/93e98d354462824b0725656800617473/22cef529ae3670058525714f00572655/$FILE/Road%20to%20Beijing%20April%202006.pdf/ The Road to Beijing 2008]
* [http://www.tkd3d.com/ Interactive 3D Taekwondo training program, featuring López]