1. Overview
Joel González Bonilla is a prominent Spanish taekwondo athlete renowned for his success at the highest levels of the sport. He has achieved significant milestones, including a gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics and a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. His career also features two gold medals and one silver medal at the World Taekwondo Championships, along with two gold medals at the European Taekwondo Championships.
2. Early Life and Education
Joel González's journey into taekwondo began in his hometown, where he was introduced to the sport through his family. He also pursued and completed higher education alongside his athletic career.
2.1. Birth and Early Life
Joel González Bonilla was born on 30 September 1989, in Figueres, Spain. He stands 6.1 ft (1.85 m) tall and weighs 134 lb (61 kg). His involvement with taekwondo began at an early age at his father's gymnasium, Tae Sport. This early exposure and training environment were instrumental in shaping his skills and passion for the sport, laying the foundation for his impressive athletic career.
2.2. Education
González pursued an academic path in parallel with his taekwondo training. He successfully completed a degree in administration from the Technical University of Cartagena.
3. Taekwondo Career
Joel González has achieved remarkable success throughout his taekwondo career, securing medals in various weight categories across major international competitions, including the World Championships, Olympic Games, and European Championships.
3.1. World Championships
González has demonstrated consistent excellence at the World Taekwondo Championships, securing multiple medals:
- At the 2009 World Taekwondo Championships held in Copenhagen, Denmark, he won the gold medal in the 58 kg category, defeating Damián Villa of Mexico in the final.
- He continued his dominance at the 2011 World Taekwondo Championships in Gyeongju, South Korea, where he again secured a gold medal in the 58 kg division, overcoming Rui Bragança of Portugal in the championship match.
- In 2015, at the 2015 World Taekwondo Championships in Chelyabinsk, Russia, he competed in the 63 kg category and earned a silver medal after being defeated by Jaouad Achab of Belgium in the final.
3.2. Olympic Games
González has achieved significant success at the Olympic Games, earning both gold and bronze medals:
- At the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, United Kingdom, he competed in the 58 kg division. He won the gold medal, defeating Lee Dae-Hoon of South Korea in the final bout.
- He continued his Olympic medal streak at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where he participated in the 68 kg category. He secured a bronze medal after losing to Ahmad Abughaush of Jordan in the semifinal and then winning the bronze medal match against Edgar Contreras of Venezuela.
3.3. European Championships
Joel González has also excelled in the European Taekwondo Championships, claiming two gold medals:
- He won his first European gold medal at the 2010 European Taekwondo Championships in Saint Petersburg, Russia, competing in the 58 kg weight class.
- His second European gold came at the 2012 European Taekwondo Championships in Manchester, United Kingdom, also in the 58 kg division.
3.4. Other Competitions
Beyond the major championships, González has also achieved success in other notable international tournaments:
- At the 2015 European Games held in Baku, Azerbaijan, he earned a bronze medal in the 68 kg category.
- He also secured a bronze medal at the 2015 Summer Universiade in Gwangju, South Korea, in the 68 kg division.
4. Awards and Honors
In recognition of his outstanding achievements in taekwondo, Joel González has received national accolades. In 2012, he was awarded the Premio Rey FelipeKing Felipe AwardSpanish, which is part of the Premios Nacionales del DeporteNational Sports AwardsSpanish in Spain, honoring the best male athlete.