August 8, 2024, 7:13 PM
August 8, 2024, 7:13 PM
The Brazilian taekwondo practitioner Edival Pontes won the bronze medal on Thursday in the -68kg category at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, defeating Spaniard Javier Pérez Polo.
Pontes, 26 years old and world runner-up In 2022, in the -74kg category, he beat Pérez Polo by two rounds to one (3-3, 4-6 and 4-3), during a close fight on the purple carpet of the Grand Palais in Paris.
In the first, The Brazilian overcame his rival’s advance with a kick to the head, which earned him a victory in the round by superiority after a 3-3 draw.
The Spaniard quickly scored a kick to the head, followed by another to the chest in the second round, which together with a warning to his rival allowed him to tie.
But in the thirdtwo quick kicks to the chest put ‘Netinho’ aheada lead that the Spaniard tried to reduce until the last second, without success.
Pontes’ victory was celebrated with shouts of “Brazil!” at the Grand Palais, where the Spanish fans had cheered their compatriot on the most during the fight.
Ponte, who entered through the playoffs, thus adding a third medal to the Olympic medal count of the South American giant in taekwondo, after two bronzes in Beijing 2008 and Rio 2016.
