Steven López
Encyclopedia
Steven López is a 2000 and 2004 Olympic Gold medalist and a 2008 Olympic Bronze medalist in taekwondo
. In 2001, he won the Lightweight Taekwondo World Championship, and in 2003 he won the Welterweight Taekwondo World Championship which he has since won in 2005, 2007 and 2009 making him the first Taekwondo fighter to win 5 World Championships.
, Lopez'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. 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.
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.
Taekwondo
Taekwondo is a Korean martial art and the national sport of South Korea. In Korean, tae means "to strike or break with foot"; kwon means "to strike or break with fist"; and do means "way", "method", or "path"...
. In 2001, he won the Lightweight Taekwondo World Championship, and in 2003 he won the Welterweight Taekwondo World Championship which he has since won in 2005, 2007 and 2009 making him the first Taekwondo fighter to win 5 World Championships.
Biography
Born in NicaraguaNicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
, Lopez's parents moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1972. In his native country, his father, Julio, worked for the government of the then-President Anastasio Somoza
Anastasio Somoza Debayle
Anastasio Somoza Debayle was a Nicaraguan leader and officially the 73rd and 76th President of Nicaragua from 1 May 1967 to 1 May 1972 and from 1 December 1974 to 17 July 1979. As head of the National Guard, he was de facto ruler of the country from 1967 to 1979...
, who was overthrown in 1979 after the Sandinista Revolution. His father took odd jobs to support his family but later relocated to Texas. López first learned the sport of Taekwondo
Taekwondo
Taekwondo is a Korean martial art and the national sport of South Korea. In Korean, tae means "to strike or break with foot"; kwon means "to strike or break with fist"; and do means "way", "method", or "path"...
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
Kempner High School
I. H. Kempner High School is a public high school in Sugar Land, Texas, USA and a part of the Fort Bend Independent School District.It was named after Isaac Herbert Kempner, the founder of Imperial Sugar, through which the city of Sugar Land received its name...
in Sugar Land, Texas
Sugar Land, Texas
Sugar Land is a city in the U.S. state of Texas within the metropolitan area and Fort Bend County. Sugar Land is one of the most affluent and fastest-growing cities in Texas, having grown more than 158 percent in the last decade. In the time period of 2000–2007, Sugar Land also enjoyed a...
where he was voted "most likely to succeed" and was member of the National Honor Society.
López's siblings, Mark, Diana
Diana López
Diana López is an American born Olympic Taekwondo competitor of Nicaraguan ethnicity. She represented the USA at the 2008 Beijing Olympics...
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
2005 World Taekwondo Championships
The 2005 World Taekwondo Championships were the 17th edition of the World Taekwondo Championships, and were held in Madrid, Spain from 13 to 17 April 2005.-Men:-Women:-Medal table:-Team ranking:...
) with their oldest brother, Jean, participating in the feat as their coach.
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.