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IMMEDIATE RELEASE Sunday, October 3, 1999 MIAMI, FLORIDA - Barbara Kunkel and Steven Lopez captured the remaining two Olympic births for the United States for the 2000 Olympic Games by placing in the top two at the 1999 Pan American Taekwondo Regional Qualification Tournament for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. Barbara Kunkel of Colorado Springs, Colorado won the gold medal in the Olympic Welterweight Division in impressive fashion. She began with an 8-0 defeat of Sharine Boekhoudt of Aruba. This victory advanced Kunkel to one of the most important matches of her career. Kunkel faced Heidy Juarez of Guatemala in the semifinal with the Olympic birth on the line. Kunkel and Juarez had faced each other four times in their careers, each winning two. Their last meeting was barely a month and a half ago at the 1999 Pan American Games semifinals with Juarez winning that match on her way to the gold medal. But today it was Kunkel's turn to grasp the glory winning the match 3-2 to secure the Olympic birth for the U.S. Kunkel won the gold after Monica Del Real withdrew from the final. "This is an inexpressable feeling, it's just awesome," said Barbara Kunkel. "It is always a rival back and forth between me and Guatemala. I actually thought I had her in Winnipeg (Pan Am Games), but it wasn't meant to be that day, but today, when it really counted it was meant to be. This inspires me as I train for the Sydney Olympics. I have so much confidence in my coach and teammates to prepare me. I'm really looking forward to next year because I know that I have the best team behind me." Steven Lopez of Sugarland, Texas, the 1999 Pan American Games Gold Medalist, began his day with a stellar 7-0 win over Peru. He followed that with a 1-0 victory over Guatemala which put him into the semifinals against Dennis Tavarez of Puerto Rico. With the final Olympic birth for the 2000 Olympic Games riding on the outcome, Lopez stayed true to form and dominated his opponent securing a 2-0 victory. In the final Lopez was shocked by Alejandro Hernando of Argentina. Lopez was knocked out shortly into the first round by a spinning hook kick. Lopez was transported to Mercy Hospital for evaluation and was released a few hours after the incident. Lopez ended the day with the silver medal, but more importantly, he qualified the United States of America for the 2000 Olympic Games in the Featherweight Division. Barbara Kunkel and Steven Lopez join Jason Torres and Kay Poe as qualifiers of the U.S. for the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia. Torres captured the gold in his Olympic Flyweight Division yesterday. Poe qualified the U.S. for the 2000 Olympic Games by winning the gold medal at the World Olympic Qualification Championships on July 8, 1999 in Porec, Croatia. The victories by these four athletes guarantee that the United States will be represented at the 2000 Olympic Games in the Women's Olympic Flyweight Division, Women's Olympic Welterweight Division, Men's Olympic Flyweight Division, and Men's Olympic Featherweight Division. The United States Olympic Taekwondo Team Trials will be held in May of 2000. 1999 Pan American Taekwondo Regional Qualification Results October 3, 1999 Women's Olympic Welterweight Division Men's Olympic Featherweight Division Women's Olympic Featherweight Division Women's Olympic Heavyweight Division Men's Olympic Welterweight Division Men's Olympic Heavyweight Division October 1, 1999 Men's Olympic Flyweight Division Women's Olympic Flyweight Division *Qualified country for 2000 Olympic Games. For more information please contact Cecil Bleiker, Communications and Media Relations Manager for the United States Taekwondo Union at the Hyatt Regency Hotel - (305) 358-1234 Room #616.
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