MANILA, Philippines – Pauline Lopez secured the Philippines’ 4th medal in the 2018 Asian Games after clinching bronze in the women’s taekwondo -57 kg category at the Jakarta Convention Center in Indonesia on Tuesday, August 21. 

Going undefeated heading into the semifinals, Lopez faced her toughest test yet in the 6-footer Zongshi Luo of China and absorbed a 4-11 loss to settle for the bronze. 

It was a close match after two rounds with Lopez trailing by just 2 points, 2-4, before Luo capitalized on her size advantage to pull away in the 3rd and final round. 

After the loss, Lopez held back tears knowing she had a good game plan against the Chinese.

“It’s definitely painful knowing that if I did this, it would have been different, if I did that, it would have been different,” she told reporters in Jakarta. 

“But I can’t dwell on that right now. I have to just move forward and then go back to the gym and work on my mistakes.” 

Earlier, Lopez demolished Macau’s Xiao Feng, 8-0, in the round of 16 before delivering a 20-0 shuout against Nepal’s Gyani Chunara to advance to the semifinals. 

The Filipina’s bronze is the third from taekwondo following back-to-back bronze medals from the Philippine men’s and women’s poomsae squads. – Rappler.com