Alexis “Lex” Gomez, the bronze medalist at the United States Olympic trials, trains at Gladiator Boxing gym in Redwood City on March 15, 2021. Gomez, a 26-year-old boxer with deep Mission District and Salvadoran roots, will be competing at the USA Boxing National Championships from March 25 to April 3, 2021 in Shreveport, Louisiana. The No. 3 ranked 165-pound boxer Gomez, who hails from South San Francisco, began boxing when she was 15 and now has her eyes set on the 2021 Olympics as an Olympic alternate and a spot on Team USA’s High Performance Team.
“I always strive to do better in my training. But at the end of the day, it’s really you and your coach that are really going to break the barrier and get over those lumps and bumps,” said Gomez. “Training can be frustrating, it can be stressful...and it’s even a lot harder for women. Because every month we have to deal with being a woman. I give everybody a shoutout, all women athletes. Because it really is hard to be on top of your training while your body is going through all these hormonal changes. That’s something men don’t have to worry about.”
Photo: Benjamin Fanjoy
