CHENGDU, China — Kickboxer Hergie Bacyadan was denied a bronze medal despite appearing far superior in her medal match, suffering a stunning 1-2 loss to Aleksandra Krstic of Serbia in the women’s K1 -70 kg event of the 2025 World Games on Thursday.
With her heavy punches, high kicks, and knees repeatedly landing on the Serbian’s face and body, Bacyadan looked set for a podium finish that would have added to Team Philippines’ haul of two silvers and one bronze.
However, the judges awarded the victory to Krstic, who was visibly shaken and grimacing in pain throughout the match.
Bacyadan took the opening round on all three scorecards — from judges representing Slovakia, South Korea, and the USA — but surprisingly dropped the next two rounds. The Korean judge notably gave Krstic a significant advantage in the second round despite Bacyadan’s clear aggression and ring control.
It was a controversial outcome for the Paris Olympian, a seasoned fighter with international experience in wushu, vovinam, and boxing. The national team opted not to file a protest, choosing instead to move forward.
