Cuban Rafael Alba won the World taekwondo Paris Grand Prix, by beating Croatian Iván Sapina in the final of the over 80 kg division.
The two-time world champion and Olympic bronze in Tokyo 2020 dominated his rival for the title in three rounds (2-1), ending with scores of 4-0, 4-5 and 7-2, according to review official media of the island.
Alba had a demanding tournament in which, to reach the title discussion, he had to win the semifinals against the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic champion, Cheick Sallah Cissé, from the Ivory Coast, with a score of 2-0.
??Rafael Alba, champion of the Grand Prix of #Taekwondo of #Paris.
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Good step for the super heavyweight from Santiago heading to the @Olympic Games of #Paris2024 @InderCuba @CMontiller @DiazCanelB @jit_digital pic.twitter.com/N88Y9eGuge— Cubavision International (@CVInternational) September 4, 2022
In the event, which awards points for qualifying for the 2024 Olympic Games, also in the city of Paris, the man from Santiago previously won his qualifying matches against Croatian Pasko Bozic and Norwegian Milos Pilipovic, in both cases 2-0. and against the Moroccan Ayoub Bassel (2-1).
World champion in the editions of Puebla, Mexico, in 2013 and ManchesterUnited Kingdom, in 2019, Rafael Alba adds another title to his record, in a contest where 256 athletes participated and in which Thailand, China and France were dominating the medal table.
In this way, he consolidates himself as the main figure of this sport on the Island today and reaffirms his aspiration to return to the Olympic podium in two years.
