Puerto Rico delegation wins five medals at ITF Taekwondo World Cup in Spain
The team of 27 athletes earned one gold, two silver and two bronze medals at the international competition held in Benidorm with participants from 57 countries.
The short version
- La Perla reported that the Puerto Rico delegation won five medals including one gold at the ITF World Cup in Benidorm Spain
- Eliel Frankiz took gold in combat and silver in forms while Michael Rivera earned silver in forms according to Metro Puerto Rico
- Alondra Fontanez and Fher Rodríguez won bronze medals in forms the Asociación Nacional de Taekwondo ITF de Puerto Rico said
- Coaches highlighted the athletes' discipline and preparation with competitors from Progressive Learning Institute Athletic Taekwon-Do Center Taekwon-Do Zone and Active Taekwon-Do
Medal winners
The Puerto Rico delegation to the Copa del Mundo de Taekwondo ITF in Benidorm, Spain, secured five medals, one of them gold, the Asociación Nacional de Taekwondo ITF de Puerto Rico reported on Wednesday. Metro Puerto Rico reported. Eliel Frankiz obtained the gold medal in the combat modality and a silver in forms, becoming the only member of the delegation to reach two podium positions. Michael Rivera won a silver medal in forms, while Alondra Fontanez and Fher Rodríguez earned bronze medals in the same discipline.
The team was made up of 27 athletes who competed in the international tournament held during October 2026 with participants from 57 countries, both La Perla and Metro Puerto Rico stated. The organization noted that the results allowed Puerto Rico to reach the podium in both combat and forms against representatives of other participating countries.
Coaches and schools
Coaches John Rodríguez, Gabriel Candelaria, Christy Flores, Jonathan González and Michael Rivera highlighted the discipline, perseverance and preparation of the competitors during the event, according to the association cited by both outlets. The athletes belong to the schools Progressive Learning Institute Athletic Taekwon-Do Center, Taekwon-Do Zone and Active Taekwon-Do, La Perla reported.
Where the sources differ
Both La Perla and Metro Puerto Rico agree on the total of five medals, the gold in combat and silver in forms for Eliel Frankiz, the silver for Michael Rivera in forms, and bronzes for Alondra Fontanez and Fher Rodríguez in forms. They also coincide on the delegation size of 27 athletes, the event location in Benidorm with 57 countries, the month of the competition, the names of the five coaches and the three schools involved. Metro Puerto Rico adds that the results allowed podium positions in both combat and forms modalities. There are no numerical or factual contradictions between the two reports.
What the reports do not say
The reports do not specify on which exact dates in October 2026 the competition took place, the age groups or weight divisions in which the Puerto Rican athletes competed, the total number of events contested, or Puerto Rico's final ranking among the 57 participating countries. They also do not mention whether additional medals were won in team categories or the specific opponents faced in the medal matches.
Sources
Every link below was opened and checked when this story was published. Official means a government body, agency or the organization itself; Reporting means a news outlet.
- Official Puerto Rico conquista cinco medallas en la Copa del Mundo de Taekwondo en España
- Reporting Puerto Rico conquista cinco medallas en la Copa del Mundo de Taekwondo en España
- Reporting Boricuas conquistan cinco medallas en Copa del Mundo de Taekwondo
How we checked this
La Perla and Metro Puerto Rico both based their coverage on information released by the Asociación Nacional de Taekwondo ITF de Puerto Rico. All details about medals, athletes, coaches and schools rest on that single official source.
Compiled by the PuertoRico.com News Desk from the reports and statements listed above, and checked against them before publishing. It does not include original interviews. Spot an error? Email support@puertorico.com with a link to this story.