Lopez Siblings Set Mark With 3 Golds

The U.S.'s Mark Lopez flips out after winning gold at the world taekwondo championships on Sunday in Madrid. (AP)

It was not surprising when Steven Lopez, 26, a two-time Olympic gold medal winner, won his third straight welterweight world title in taekwondo in Madrid on Friday.

But things got interesting on Sunday when Steven's sister, Diana Lopez, 21, also claimed a gold medal, winning her first world title in the featherweight division.

One match later, another sibling, Mark Lopez, 22, prevailed in his featherweight final, securing a world championship of his own and ensuring that his family made history.

Mark's victory made the three Lopez siblings the first to hold world titles simultaneously in any sport. They were helped along by none other than another Lopez brother -- Jean, 31 -- who coached the U.S. men's team at the event.

"It was amazing, it was surreal," Jean Lopez said yesterday. "We couldn't believe it."

The Lopez siblings took up taekwondo at the urging of their father, Julio Lopez, who thought his children should learn to protect themselves. Julio and his wife, Olinda, emigrated to New York from Nicaragua in 1972, settling in a suburb of Houston six years later.

The foursome trains together in Houston, where Jean runs the Elite Taekwondo Center.

"I'm at a loss for words," said Steven, who along with Jean was born in New York City. "I didn't even cry for my win, I cried when my sister won and my brother [were] able to do it back-to-back. I saw history being made with my own eyes."

Diana and Mark Lopez hope to make their first Olympic team for the 2008 Summer Games, and Steven Lopez intends to defend his consecutive Olympic championships.

"That's the plan," Steven said. "It's one thing to come back and tell them about my experiences, the Olympic Village, the Opening Ceremonies, all of those things, and it's another thing to actually experience that with them. . . . [We] could all make the Olympic team in 2008 and hopefully be a successful as we were at this world championships."

-- Amy Shipley