Bronze for taekwondo star

By:
On:
In: South-East Asia
Bronze for taekwondo star

PUBLISHED : 31 Aug 2024 at 04:00

NEWSPAPER SECTION: News

Gold medallist Leonor Angelica Espinoza Carranza of Peru celebrates on the podium during the medal ceremony alongside Silver medallist Ziyodakhon Isakova of Uzbekistan and Bronze medallists Khwansuda Phuangkitcha of Thailand and Zakia Khudadadi of Refugee Paralympic Team. (Photo: Reuters)
Gold medallist Leonor Angelica Espinoza Carranza of Peru celebrates on the podium during the medal ceremony alongside Silver medallist Ziyodakhon Isakova of Uzbekistan and Bronze medallists Khwansuda Phuangkitcha of Thailand and Zakia Khudadadi of Refugee Paralympic Team. (Photo: Reuters)

Paralympic taekwondo star Khwansuda “Khwan” Phuangkitcha won Thailand’s first medal — a bronze — at the Paris 2024 Paralympics on Thursday by defeating Iran’s Maryam Abdollahpour Deroei in the women’s 47-kilogramme (K44) category, which features athletes with limitations in one arm or leg.

The tightly fought bout was neck-and-neck, ending in a 4-4 tie. The two fighters then advanced to the golden round, where no points were scored.

World No.3 Khwansuda, aged 23, eventually won the bronze through superior points and outstanding fighting techniques, marking Thailand’s first medal at the 17th Summer Paralympic Games. “I wish I could have done better. I want to thank everyone for all their encouragement,” the Prachuap Khiri Khan native said tearfully in an interview after the match. “I will come back in the next four years to win the gold medal.”

In the quarterfinals, Khwansuda defeated Nurcihan Ekinci of Turkey 8-4 before losing 3-5 to Uzbekistan’s Ziyodakhon Isakova, setting her up for the bronze.