For so long as Jennifer Lozano had recognized what the Olympics have been, it had been her dream to be an Olympian. For the longest time, that’s all it was, a dream. A lot of folks the place she comes from have desires. Rising up within the border city of Laredo, Tex., an axiom had been repeated so typically to her that it had primarily change into established regulation: “In case you’re born in Laredo, you die in Laredo. In case you depart it’s solely to come back again.”
Phrases are solely as highly effective as the ability they’re given, and if the 21-year-old had accepted them as reality, there’s no manner she would have earned silver on the Pan American Video games final yr in Chile, or gained two Nationwide Golden Gloves titles, or three straight U.S. Nationwide Championships. She definitely wouldn’t have certified for the 2024 Olympics, and but there she, in Paris, getting ready to characterize her nation on the largest stage in sports activities, because the 110-pound (50 kg) feminine boxer.
Strolling by Olympic Village in France, Lozano has to this point has noticed 4-time Olympic gymnastics gold medalist Simone Biles, plus Gennadiy Golovkin, the long run boxing Corridor of Famer who now presides over the the Olympic committee of his native Kazakhstan. As surreal as this second has been, she isn’t grappling with imposter syndrome or stage fright.
She is aware of she belongs right here.
“I used to be anticipating to be extra nervous and much more shocked, or that it will really feel totally different,” mentioned Lozano of her time to this point at Olympic Village in France. “Don’t get me flawed, I’m positively grateful to be right here and to be making historical past, however I really feel that with my coaching, my mentality and experiences, that is simply one other match with a distinct title to it.”
If combating looks like it comes pure to her, it’s as a result of it needed to.
Bullied for being obese and having a definite Spanish accent, even whereas dwelling in a metropolis the place over 95 % of the inhabitants identifies as Latino, Lozano continuously discovered herself bloodied and battered by her tormentors after faculty. As an alternative of in search of consolation from her dad and mom, she stored it inside, fearing that her dad and mom, steeped within the machismo mindset that always pervades the Mexican American tradition she grew up in, would flip their anger in the direction of her for in search of a straightforward manner out.
As an alternative, they enrolled her in a boxing gymnasium at age 9, and she or he had her first struggle at age 11. Lozano needed to struggle simply to get a struggle, nevertheless.
“I might see boys are available in with belts, medals and trophies and I wished to try this too, so I instructed my mother about eager to compete. We spoke to the coach about it and he instantly mentioned no as a result of I used to be a woman and since I used to be nonetheless obese and that boxing wasn’t for me,” remembers Lozano, an aggressive southpaw who makes use of a stinging proper jab to shut the gap and bang to the top and physique in shut.
Her mom quickly moved her to a different gymnasium on the opposite aspect of town. There, she says she encountered “huge time boy egos” whereas sparring with the boys, who would taunt and heckle her within the gymnasium. After bruising each their faces and egos in sparring, few questioned whether or not she belonged.
“Inside a pair weeks of being of their teenager lessons, I acquired within the ring and sparred boys, after which abruptly there have been no extra boys to spar as a result of nobody wished to step within the ring with me anymore,” mentioned Lozano, who nonetheless trains there underneath Eddie Vela at Boxing Pleasure Health.
“The coaches then got here as much as me and requested me if I wished to be a part of their competing crew. Since then I’ve been with them by each win and each loss.”
Whereas some in her neighborhood felt that girls had no place being in a boxing ring, one place she didn’t encounter these sentiments was in her family. Her grandmother would name from Mexico so they might watch the fights of Mexican legend Jackie Nava collectively. She gave Jennifer the nickname “Traviesa,” or “Troublemaker,” which she nonetheless carries into the ring as we speak, all whereas foretelling the day when her granddaughter can be the boxing star whom others tuned in to look at. She additionally took power from her mom, who sacrificed to ensure the youngsters wouldn’t go with out.
“[My grandmother] would at all times say I used to be going to be up there similar to [Nava] as a world champion, be higher and that I’d make so many variations not simply in my metropolis however world wide,” mentioned Lozano.
“My mom impressed me to maintain going regardless of the losses and downs that I had throughout my journey. I noticed her fall not simply as soon as however many occasions rising up, the place we have been down dangerous, and she or he by no means gave up, by no means mentioned she couldn’t or wouldn’t. She at all times confirmed and proved that she would and will, with what she had, simply to care for me and my siblings.”
To her estimation, Lozano has had someplace between 80 and 101 fights, competing everywhere in the world, together with Chile, Finland, Ecuador, Turkey and the Czech Republic. That have of combating in entrance of various crowds conditioned her to what she could encounter on the Olympics, and helped her develop thick pores and skin.
“It for positive gave me a detailed look not simply at competitors however what it’ll be like, the strain, the envy, the judges, the sector, the shouts in opposition to you, but in addition the glory and the sensation of greatness as effectively with the very best athletes world wide,” mentioned Lozano.
Lozano and the remainder of her USA Boxing teammates could have lots to show in Paris. No American boxer has gained gold since Claressa Shields introduced dwelling the highest prize in 2012 and 2016, whereas the male boxers have been in an excellent worse drought, having not earned a gold since Andre Ward completed the feat in 2004.
Becoming a member of Lozano in Paris shall be seven different American boxers, together with fellow girls Alyssa Mendoza (57 kg), Jajaira Gonzalez (60 kg), Morelle McCane, plus male boxers Jahmal Harvey (57 kg), Omari Jones (71 kg) and Joshua Edwards (tremendous heavyweight).
Lozano says she is conversant in most of the boxers in her division, which can see motion within the spherical of 32 on July 28 on the North Paris Area.
Photograph from USA Boxing
She had seen a few of them in previous competitions, just like the Philippines’ Aira Villegas, who beat Lozano by cut up determination in 2022, and Brazil’s Caroline De Almeida, who beat her by unanimous determination final October within the Pan Am Video games gold medal match. Nonetheless, Lozano believes she has pretty much as good as anybody to stroll out of Paris with the coveted gold medal round her neck due to the work she has carried out since then.
“The one distinction now’s that I’ve solely gotten higher and smarter. After I confronted them the primary time I used to be younger and recent, now I’m skilled and matured within the worldwide scene. My chances are high positively excessive, increased than what my rivals assume. I’m totally different, and when my time underneath the brilliant lights comes it’ll present,” mentioned Lozano.
Lozano’s plans for after the Olympics are all contingent upon whether or not boxing, perennially on the Olympic chopping block because of myriad scandals, is included in this system for the Los Angeles Video games in 2028. Greater than possible she envisions herself turning skilled, with the dream of unifying world titles.
On the forefront of her thoughts in Paris would be the little ladies who’re tuning in on tv to look at the Olympics for the primary time. Lozano didn’t know that Olympic boxing existed till she was at her first nationwide match and heard that one other Texas girl, Marlen Esparza, was about to be a part of the primary class of feminine boxers to compete on the Olympics in 2012.
Seeing somebody from the place she got here from succeeding in London made it appear potential for her to do the identical in Paris.
Maybe there shall be one other woman who’s getting picked on for the best way she talks or seems, or is being instructed that her place is within the kitchen and never the boxing ring. That little woman could also be watching the published over the following week and, for the primary time, imagine.
A lot extra is at stake in Paris than simply ending a medal drought.
“I characterize each child who’s ever been by what I’ve been by. I need them to not simply watch me struggle however hear my story and know that irrespective of the place you come from, the way you grew up, what your surroundings seems like, how a lot it’s possible you’ll get judged, how many individuals don’t wish to see you win, that on the finish of the day something is feasible and solely you could have the ability to write down your personal story and make your personal path,” mentioned Lozano.
Ryan Songalia has written for ESPN, the New York Each day Information, Rappler and The Guardian, and is a part of the Craig Newmark Graduate Faculty of Journalism Class of 2020. He might be reached at [email protected].
