In a spirited display at the World Taekwondo Championships held in Wuxi, in eastern Jiangsu Province of the Chinese mainland, China's Luo Zongshi clinched the bronze medal in the women's 57-kilogram division on Friday.
The 22-year-old faced off against World No. 1 Maria Clara Pacheco of Brazil in the semifinals. Pacheco came out strong, landing a series of mid-level kicks to take a 4-2 lead in the opening round. She extended her advantage to 10 points with high kicks in the second round, ultimately securing her spot in the final.
Despite forcing errors from her opponent, Luo was unable to close the gap and settled for bronze. Pacheco then went on to earn her first world title by defeating Olympic champion Kim Yu-jin of the Republic of Korea, 2-0, in the final.
After the match, Luo said she was very happy to fight at an international competition. Reaching the semifinals at home was incredibly motivating, and she enjoyed the atmosphere, adding that she performed very well.
Luo's bronze underlines the fierce competition in this weight class, and fans will be watching her next move on the international circuit.
Reference(s):
Luo Zongshi earns bronze for China at World Taekwondo Championships
cgtn.com
