L'affaire Lopez family
The Lopez family of fighters (from left): Mark, Steven and Diana. |
Mark and Diana Lopez will be joining their brother Steven at the Beijing Games after the three booked their tickets at recent Olympic trials in Sugar Land, Texas, making the Lopez's the first set of three siblings on a United States Summer Games team in over a century.
They will be instructed by another brother, Jean, who serves as head coach of the US team.
Not since the Tritschler brothers competed in the gymnastics squad in 1904 has the US had three siblings on the same Olympic team.
While Mark, 25, and Diana, 24, will be making their Olympic debut, older brother Steven is hoping to become the first person to claim three consecutive Olympic gold medals at the sport.
Steven wrote a new chapter in taekwondo history by grabbing his fourth straight World Championships title last May in Beijing. Diana got bronze and Mark was ousted in the quarterfinals.
"It's unbelievable. I just thank (my family) for being with me and for giving me the strength to go out there and perform the way I did (at the Worlds)," said Steven.
The Lopez family, which will engrave its own legend in the sport if things go as planned in Beijing, puts much of its success down to how the siblings help each other out.
"There is nothing that will be done without them," said Steven, adding, "I also really appreciate the support from the Chinese people."
"I love China and I cannot wait to come next year and hopefully win my third gold."
He said past glories had not stripped him of his hunger to win.
"It doesn't matter if I have won two Olympic medals and three Worlds titles. I go out there like I am not a champion. I fight with that hunger. If I do not have that hunger, then I will not win."
