A pair of UConn Stamford students recently won medals in the sport of taekwondo at the FISU American Games, held in Lima, Peru in July. The games are held every other year and feature college students from across the Americas.

Melvy Alvarez ’28 (BUS) won a gold medal in the 58-kilogram division, while David Yehenara ’27 (CLAS) was a bronze medalist in the 54-kilogram class.

They qualified for the games by winning national titles at the National Collegiate Taekwondo Association championships last Apri in Fresno, California.

Both are active members of the UConn Taekwondo Club.

Alvarez has been active in the sport since he was two years old and has been a member of 11 national teams competing at world championships. He and his mother operate the Connecticut Taekwondo Academy in Stamford.

“Representing UConn at this level is something I take great pride in,” says Alvarez, a native of Greenwich. “In my involvement across multiple student organizations and through attending events at both UConn Stamford and UConn Storrs, I’ve met many students with strong accomplishments and powerful stories.”

Alvarez was part of the USA Taekwondo selection process for the 2024 Olympics games and says this experience has inspired him to do the same for the 2028 games in Los Angeles.

“It’s an honor to go out and represent your country and the FISU American Games give people in college an opportunity to do that.”

He will be returning to Peru later this month to compete in the World Taekwondo President’s Cup.