CALDWELL, Idaho — Olympic boxer Alyssa Mendoza received a hero's welcome in her hometown of Caldwell.
The 2024 Olympian returned home after competing at the 2025 World Championships in Liverpool, England.
Community members, family, and friends gathered to celebrate her achievements.
Click here to see the celebration:
"When I'm here and I realize how many people actually support me, I'm like, wow, as a shock factor," Caldwell boxer Olympian Alyssa Mendoza said.
The homecoming celebration highlighted the strong community support for the local athlete.
"It's just incredible to do what I love at such a high stage," Mendoza said.
Mendoza says there is still much work to do as she continues training.
"It's definitely always intense, always pushing yourself where the point you can't breathe or you wanna throw up or even cry, but it's just one of those things that I've done for years, I know the harder that I push, the better the outcome mostly is," Mendoza said.
One of her main goals is to show what her community has to offer.
"I truly want Idaho to be more on the map," she said.
Joking that at the competition, many had no idea where Caldwell was.
"As soon as I say Idaho, they say, 'Where is that?'" Mendoza said.
"I hope a lot of more kids see if she can do it, I can do it," Refugio Mendoza, Alyssa's father, said.
Her father Refugio Mendoza, trains the Olympian and says each competition helps prepare her for future goals.
Our neighborhood reporter asked about the Olympic 2028, what that goal is for Alyssa to continue to push on and train for that.
"Well, you just said it, the goal. That is the goal, try to bring the gold medal," Mendoza said.
While she still needs to qualify, her father says she's on the right track.
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