María Espinoza facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
María Espinoza

Espinoza with her silver medal from the 2016 Summer Olympics
Personal information
Full name	María del Rosario Espinoza Espinoza
Nickname(s)	Chayito
Nationality	Mexico
Born	(1987-11-27) November 27, 1987 (age 37) La Brecha, Sinaloa, Mexico
Height	1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Weight	70 kg (154 lb)
Sport
Sport	Taekwondo
Medal record Women's taekwondo Representing Mexico Olympic Games Gold 2008 Beijing +67 kg Silver 2016 Rio de Janeiro +67 kg Bronze 2012 London +67 kg World Championships Gold 2007 Beijing -72 kg Silver 2019 Manchester -73 kg Bronze 2017 Muju -73 kg Pan American Games Gold 2007 Rio de Janeiro +67 kg Silver 2015 Toronto +67 kg Central American and Caribbean Games Gold 2010 Mayagüez -73 kg Gold 2014 Veracruz -73 kg Bronze 2006 Cartagena -67 kg World Taekwondo Grand Prix Silver 2014 Querétaro +67 kg Silver 2015 CDMX +67 kg Bronze 2018 Manchester +67 kg Bronze 2019 Chiba +67 kg

María del Rosario Espinoza Espinoza (born November 27, 1987) is a famous Mexican taekwondo athlete. She is known for winning many medals in big competitions. María is one of only two Mexican women to win an Olympic gold medal. The other is Soraya Jiménez.

Early Life and Taekwondo Start

María Espinoza was born on November 27, 1987. Her hometown is La Brecha, Sinaloa, Mexico. Her father worked as a fisherman. Her mother was a homemaker. María started learning taekwondo when she was just five years old.

Amazing Career Highlights

María Espinoza began her international career early. She won her first big competition in 2003. This was the Pan American Youth Championship in Rio de Janeiro. After that, she competed in tournaments in Canada, France, and Germany.

World Championship Success

In 2007, María won the 2007 World Taekwondo Championships. She competed in the Middleweight category. She beat Lee In-Jong to win the gold medal. In 2019, she won a silver medal at the World Championships in Manchester. She also earned a bronze medal in 2017.

Pan American Games Medals

María also achieved great success at the Pan American Games. In 2007, she won a gold medal in Rio de Janeiro. She competed in the Heavyweight category. She beat Natália Falavigna from Brazil in the final match. In 2015, she won a silver medal in Toronto.

Olympic Glory

María Espinoza has competed in several Olympic Games. She has won medals in three different Olympics!

Beijing 2008 Olympics

María competed in the +67 kg weight class at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. She won her first match against Khaoula Ben Hamza. Then she beat Karolina Kedzierska. In the semifinals, she defeated Sarah Stevenson. Finally, she won the gold medal by beating Nina Solheim. This was Mexico's second gold medal at those Olympics.

London 2012 Olympics

In 2012, María went to the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. She was chosen to carry Mexico's flag during the opening ceremony. She won a bronze medal at these games. She won her first match but lost to the eventual gold medalist. However, she fought back in the repechage rounds. She won her bronze medal match against Glenhis Hernández.

Rio 2016 Olympics

At the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, María won a silver medal. This made her the first Mexican female athlete to win an Olympic medal in three different Olympic Games. She was also the second Mexican athlete overall to win medals in three Olympics in a row. She proudly carried Mexico's flag at the closing ceremony.

Joining the Military

María Espinoza is also a member of the Mexican Army. She holds the rank of Corporal. Many top athletes join the military in Mexico. This helps them get a stable income. It also gives them access to excellent training facilities. For the 2016 Rio Olympics, many Mexican medal winners were part of the military.

Education and Recognition

María Espinoza studied Business Administration. She attended the Universidad del Valle de Mexico. Her university later honored her. They added her to their Sports Hall of Fame.

See also

In Spanish: María del Rosario Espinoza para niños