BOISE, Idaho — Caldwell native Alyssa Mendoza's magical run in Paris came to a close Friday morning with a 4-1 split decision loss to two-time Olympian Jucielen Cerqueira Romeu.
The 20-year-old Idahoan kept it close in the round of 16 bout with the Brazilian boxer, who received a first-round bye in the women's featherweight (57 kg / 125 pounds) bracket and advances to the quarterfinals.
Three of the five judges' scorecards gave Romeu a narrow 29-28 advantage, while Mendoza earned a 29-28 edge from the judge out of Algeria. The lone 30-27 score came from the Czech Republic judge, favoring Romeu.
Mendoza received 10 points from three judges for the second round, after Romeu saw the same winning score for the opening round. All five judges gave Romeu – the 2024 Pan American Championships gold medalist – the 10-9 advantage for the final frame.
The 20-year-old Mendoza leaves Paris with an Olympic victory in her debut, having defeated Mijgona Samadova of Tajikistan in a 3-2 split decision on Tuesday, July 30. Mendoza was Team USA's youngest boxer, reaching the worldwide stage two years after graduating from Middleton High School.
Mendoza's run sparked support from across the City of Caldwell and beyond, with community members gathering twice at Indian Creek Steakhouse to watch her compete. She hoped to impact people in Paris and certainly did.
"I think about the opportunities and hopefully the influence that I can have on people here," Mendoza told KTVB prior to the Olympics. "I hope to open a door to motivate people to follow their dreams."
