Jean Lopez

2004 & 2008 U.S. Olympic Coach

Born: August 31, 1973, in New York, N.Y.
Height: 6'2”
Hometown: Sugar Land, Texas

Highlights: Jean was the first in the family to get involved in Taekwondo after his father, Julio enrolled him in a local taekwondo school. Jean, mentor and coach for his younger brothers (Steven and Mark) and sister (Diana), has gained recognition and notoriety as the coach of the dynamic Lopez family (The First Family of Taekwondo). Known for his ability to coach athletes to medal performances at major international events, Jean got his start as internationally elite level competitor winning a silver medal at the 1995 World Championships.

Jean has coached his family into the history books guiding his three siblings onto the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team, a feat that only one other U.S. family has accomplished way back in 1904. Jean coached his siblings to a historic three-peat gold medal performance at the 2005 World Championships, marking the first time for three siblings ever to have a world title in the same year...At the 2008 Olympic Games, Jean coached Mark to a silver medal and Diana and Steven captured a bronze medal in their respective weight category, marking the first time in U.S. Olympic history for three siblings to medal at the same Olympic Games. They are now looking ahead to London 2012... Owner and chief instructor of Elite Tae Kwon Do Center, Inc., in Sugar Land, Texas ... Selected as the taekwondo coach for the U.S. Olympic Team in 2004, where he guided both American athletes to the medal stand in Athens – his brother, Steven, won his second straight Olympic gold medal and Nia Abdallah won silver in the women's competition. He has also served as the coach at the Taekwondo World Championships in 2001, 2003 and 2005 as well as the 2004 Pan American Taekwondo Championships…Is a four-time United States National Taekwondo team member…Silver medalist at the 1995 World Taekwondo Championships…Member of the 1995 United States Pan American Games Taekwondo team ... 1995 United States National Taekwondo Team Captain…1994 United States Taekwondo Union Male Athlete of the Year ... Was a resident athlete at the United States Olympic Training Center in 1993 ... He and his wife Tabetha have a daughter, Alyxandra (8) and two sons, Diego (4) and Andres (born Oct. 2007).

Competition/Coaching Record:
2008: U.S. Head Coach – Summer Olympics
2007: U.S. Head coach – World Championships
2005: U.S. Head coach – World Championships
2004: U.S. Head Coach – Summer Olympics
2001: U.S. Head coach – World Championships
1999: U.S. National Taekwondo Championships GOLD
1996: World University Taekwondo Championships BRONZE
1996: Pan American Games BRONZE
1995: World Taekwondo Championships SILVER
1994: U.S. National Collegiate Championships GOLD
1994: Pan American Championships GOLD
1994: USTU Male Athlete of the Year
1993: U.S. Olympic Festival GOLD