BOISE, Idaho — Caldwell native Alyssa Mendoza became the first Idahoan to officially qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics on Sunday. The 20-year-old featherweight boxer punched her ticket to Paris with another unanimous victory to cap an impressive run.
The rising star on Team USA won all four of her bouts by unanimous decision during the Second 2024 Olympic Games World Qualifying Tournament in Bangkok, Thailand, including the finale over Maud Van Der Toorn from the Netherlands.
Mendoza (women's 57kg) became the eighth and final athlete to make the U.S. Olympic boxing team with the win. For the second-straight time, the final American roster is comprised entirely of rookies. Roscoe Hill (men's 51 kg) also qualified during the tournament.
The Idaho native and Hill join previously-qualified American boxers Jahmal Harvey (57kg), Omari Jones (71kg), Joshua Edwards (92+kg), Jennifer Lozano (50kg), Jajaira Gonzalez (60kg) and Morelle McCane (66kg). The U.S. qualified a boxer in eight of the 13 events at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Mendoza's run in Thailand began with a unanimous decision victory on May 24 over Bolortuul Tumurkhuyag of Mongolia. She had to wait until May 30 for her next fight, when she topped Olga -Pavlina Papadatou out of Greece. Mendoza won every round in the second unanimous decision victory.
Needing two wins for a spot in Paris, the featherweight boxer answered the call on Saturday in the Second 2024 Olympic Games World Qualifying Tournament. Mendoza won all judges votes in all three rounds in a third unanimous decision, this time over Ukraine's Anastasiia Molochko.
The climb toward the Olympic Games came to a peak with the fourth and final victory over Maud Van Der Toorn. Following the fight, an emotional Mendoza said "we did it. It was a long journey but I did it."
Mendoza is set to become the first Olympic boxer from the Gem State. She won the 2022 USA Boxing Elite National Championships and made USA Boxing’s Elite High Performance Team in 2023.
"To be representing Team USA at 57 kg is a huge accomplishment," Mendoza said. "I always have been watching whenever USA goes international, and I’ve always thought like, 'man, I can’t wait until I can do that', and now I am, and I’m super excited about it."
A GoFundMe page has been created to assist Mendoza's family in traveling to Paris with her this summer. The fundraiser can be found by clicking here.
Boxing begins on Saturday, July 27, the day after the Opening Ceremony at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Competition concludes on Saturday, Aug. 10, one day before the Closing Ceremony.
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