Uzbekistan’s Ulugbek Rashitov retained his men’s Olympic taekwondo featherweight (-68kg) title yesterday, beating Jordan’s Zaid Kareem to the gold medal.
Rashitov defeated Kareem in two rounds, scoring 5-4 3-1, securing the first round win with a stunning turning kick to the head that earned five points.
The Uzbek fighter gained his second gold medal after claiming his first in Tokyo three years ago when he made history by becoming his country’s first Olympic taekwondo champion.
Brazil’s Edival Pontes and China’s Liang Yushuai won the bronze medals.
Rashitov dominated the contest in the Grand Palais, beating all opponents in round-of-16, quarter-finals and semi-finals by scoring wins in the first two rounds of each match.
Taekwondo matches at the Paris Olympics are decided over a maximum of three rounds.
Rashitov delivered a humbling 2-1 9-2 defeat to China’s former world champion Liang Yushuai on his way to the final. The Chinese fighter did not manage a single kick during the match.
Loud cheers from the home fans were not enough for the host country’s hopeful Souleyman Alaphilippe and the Frenchman bowed out to Spain’s Javier Perez Polo in the quarter-finals. Kareem strengthened Jordan’s Olympic position in taekwondo, which had already brought the country two Olympic medals – gold at Rio 2016 and silver in Tokyo.
South Korea’s Kim wins women’s featherweight gold
South Korea’s Kim Yu-jin won the Olympic gold medal in the women’s taekwondo featherweight division (under-57kg) by beating Iran’s Nahid Kiyanichandeh who claimed silver yesterday. Kim defeated Kiyanichandeh in two rounds, scoring 5-1 9-0.
Bulgaria’s Alizadeh Kimia and Canada’s Skylar Park won the bronze medals.