TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwanese taekwondo fighter Lo Chia-ling (羅嘉翎) on Sunday (July 26) won the bronze medal in her Olympic debut in Tokyo.
The 19-year-old Lo out-kicked her Nigerian opponent, Tekiath Ben Yessouf, with a score of 10-6 in the women's 57-kilogram category, taking third place. Lo's bronze marks Taiwan's second medal of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics following indigenous Paiwan athlete Yang Yung-wei's (楊勇緯) second-place finish in the men's 60-kg category of Judo on Saturday (July 24).
Lo (right) lands clean sidekick on Yessouf (left). (CNA photo)
Lo, who stands 183 centimeters tall, started her run by defeating South Lee Ahreum of South Korea in a seesaw battle in the 16th round with a score of 20 to 18. In the quarter-finals, she dominated Canadian Skylar Park with a score of 18 to 7.
However, her hopes of a shot at the gold medal were dashed by her loss of 28 to 5 to Anastasija Zolotic, who went on to take the gold, making her the first American taekwondo athlete to win an Olympic gold medal.
Lo (Left) throwing a back kick at Yessouf (right). (CNA photo)
Lo, a native of New Taipei City, comes from a family of taekwondo practitioners and started training in kindergarten. Her father is a taekwondo coach, and her older brother also competes in the sport.
Prior to her Olympic debut, Lo had captured the gold at both the 2016 and 2018 World Taekwondo Junior Championships.
Lo (right) throwing axe kick at Yessouf (left). (CNA photo)
Lo showing her new bronze medal. (CNA photo)
3rd round of Lo's battle with Lee:
1st round of Lo's match with Sklar:
Closing moments of third round of bronze medal match:
Medal ceremony:
