Published on Monday, March 9, 2026
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

Costa Rican athlete Joshua Sósimo won the gold medal at the 2026 U.S. Open Taekwondo Championship, held this weekend at the Westgate Event Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.

According to the Costa Rican Taekwondo Federation, 15-year-old Sósimo competed in the 55-kilogram youth division, facing high-level athletes from several countries.

 

“This achievement in Las Vegas represents the result of a long training process,” the federation said in a statement. “Joshua has shown steady progress in his athletic performance, establishing himself as one of the young talents in the country with the greatest potential.”

The victory marks Sósimo’s second medal in international competition this year. In February, the Costa Rican athlete won the bronze medal at the Taekwondo Canada Open.

Sósimo’s next competition is scheduled for the World Junior Taekwondo Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, from April 12 to April 17.

His victory also highlights the growing presence of young Costa Rican athletes on the international stage. Recently, surfer Dulce Agüero placed third at the Hawaiʻi Pipeline Bodyboarding Championship (HPBC), held at Ehukai Beach on Oahu’s North Shore in Hawaii.

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