The 2009 World Championships in Rotterdam marked the arrival of Yuri Alvear as a major force in international judo, as she became the third South American judoka to claim a world title. Since her professional emergence, the Colombian athlete has maintained a career defined by consistent podium finishes and significant milestones at the Olympic Games.
Early Athletic Development
Born in 1986 in Jamundí, a suburb of Cali, Alvear engaged in diverse athletic activities including water polo, volleyball, handball, and track and field before specializing in combat sports. At age 14, she encountered Ruperto Guaúña, a trainer at the Litecom school who was actively recruiting female athletes for his judo program. Her prior conditioning facilitated a transition into the technical requirements of the sport, where she later formed a close training relationship with Anny Cortez.
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Her international trajectory began with a bronze medal in the under 57 kg division at the 2006 Central American and Caribbean Games. By 2008, she secured a position in the Beijing Olympic Games, finishing seventh. Her path to that result involved a loss to Anaysi Hernández in the main draw and a subsequent defeat against Leire Iglesias of Spain during the repechage rounds.
World Championship and Injury
The 2009 World Championships served as a career pivot. In the final, she defeated Anett Mészáros of Hungary to secure the gold. Following this victory, her physical health faced a significant challenge in 2010. Two weeks prior to the Pan American Judo Championships, she experienced discomfort in her left knee, which subsequent medical examination diagnosed as a torn anterior cruciate ligament.
Olympic Milestones
Alvear achieved a historic result at the 2012 London Olympic Games, where she defeated Chen Fei of China to earn a bronze medal. This win represented the first judo medal in the history of Colombia. Four years later, at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, she reached the final to claim a silver medal, establishing herself as the fifth Colombian athlete to secure two Olympic medals.
Fast facts
- Born: 1986, Jamundí, Colombia
- Sport: Judo
- 2009 World Championship: Gold medal
- 2012 Olympic Games: Bronze medal
- 2016 Olympic Games: Silver medal
- Training school: Litecom
- Citizenship: Colombia
Questions readers ask
Did Yuri Alvear win an Olympic gold medal?
No. She won a bronze medal in 2012 and a silver medal in 2016.
What major injury did she sustain in 2010?
She was diagnosed with a torn ACL in her left knee.
Achievements
- Competed at 2008 Summer Olympics, judo at the 2012 Summer Olympics – women's 70 kg and judo at the 2016 Summer Olympics
- Discipline: judo
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