Jakarta—Pauline Louise Lopez settled for the women’s—57 kgs bronze medal of taekwondo on Tuesday after yielding a controversial match to a taller Chinese Zongshi Luo, 4-11, in the 18th Asian Games at Jakarta Convention Center Assembly Hall D here.
The 22-year-old Psychology student at Ateneo de Manila University could not hide her frustration and cried after the match.
She trailed 0-2 in the first round, sneaked in two points with the Chinese scoring two more for a 2-4 in the second.
The Chinese then pulled away in the third round with seven decisive hits.
Lopez rallied to 4-7 in the third round and landed two more kicks but they did not register on the electronic scoreboard. Her coaching staff vehemently protested and one of the match officials called the attention of the two members of the jury, who eventually awarded a point for the Filipina.
But Lopez was later meted three gami-jeom (deduction penalty) in the third round, dousing water on her bid to enter the gold medal round.
“I had the chance but the plan didn’t work according to what it should be. I was going for it, I did my part but it’s just it was not there for me,” a disappointed Lopez said.
Lopez earlier won all her three straight matches to barge into the semifinals, where she was already assured of the bronze.
She kicked her way past the round of 16 in dominating Xiao Feng of Macau, 8-0, and then completely outclassed Gyani Chunara of Nepal in the quarterfinals, 20-0.
Earlier, Jenar Torillos lost on his first match in the men’s -58 round of 32 against Xiaoyi Chen of China, 26-27, followed by Rhezie Aragon in the women’s -53kg as against Elaheh Shedaei of Iran, 2-10.
Darlene Mae Arpon won in the women’s -67kg round of 16 against Sangita Basyel of Nepal, 20-17, but lost in the quarterfinals against Jandi Kim of Korea, 0-29.
Rio Olympian Kirstie Elaine Alora failed to make it to the next round in losing her first match in the women’s +67kg round of 16, bowing out to Cansel Deniz of Kazakhstan, 7-8. Kristoffer Robert Uy also lost in his first match in the men’s +80kg round of 16 against Hongyi Sun of China, 7-9.