S Korean Lim wins women´s 57kg taekwondo gold

Source: Xinhua | 08-21-2008 23:04

BEIJING, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's Lim Su-jeong won the women's 57kg class taekwondo event at the Beijing Olympics on Thursday, beating Azize Tanrikulu of Turkey 1-0 in the final.

Lim Sujeong (blue) of South Korea competes in Women -57kg Gold  Medal contest against Azize Tanrikulu of Turkey at USTB Gymnasium  in Beijing, China, Aug. 21, 2008. Lim Sujeong defeated Azize  Tanrikulu and won the gold medal of the event. (Xinhua Photo)

"Although players from many countries have improved a lot in taekwondo, South Korea still holds its advantages," said the gold medalist.

Lim, world qualification events champion, had a point deducted in the first round, and got it back in the second round with a side kick. The 22-year-old scored the decisive one point in the third round only 20 seconds to go.

"I just focused on the game and didn't think of anything else. I didn't think about losing and I didn't even think about this being the Olympic Games," Lim told reporters.

Croatia's Martina Zubcic won the bronze medal match over Asian champion Su Li-wen of Chinese Taipei, who got her left knee injured in the preliminary match with Lim Su-jeong.

In spite of the obvious disadvantage that she could only support herself on one leg, Su moved and waited for chances to attack. She managed to bury two kicks to the opponent's head and got four points, and also receiving two from Zubcic. The 27-year-old Su fell down on the mat several times due to unbearable pain.

After a 4-4 tie in the regular three rounds, they went into a golden score duel, in which Zubcic scored with a roundhouse kick and won the medal.

"It was tough, but all matches are tough. I had good tactics which got me through," Zubcic said.

The 19-year-old said she just treated Su like any other opponent in the match and concentrated on her own tactics after winning her country the first Olympic taekwondo medal.

"I am very happy, because going into this competition I wasn't a favourite," she said.

Diana Lopez of the United States shared the bronze medal also with a golden score in the extra-time against Veronica Calabrese of Italy.

"I believe it's a good start for my family at the Olympics," she said. Later, her brother Mark Lopez got a silver medal in the men's 68kg category. The most famous one among the legendary Lopez siblings, Steven Lopez will compete in the men's 80kg class on Friday.

Editor:Si Qintu