~ Double first for Leonor Espinoza Carranza who claims gold in Paralympic taekwondo debut in women’s K44-49kg and also wins first medal for Peru at Tokyo 2020; while Brazil’s Nathan Cesar Sodario Torquato claims victory in men's K44-61kg.

"VAN" (Sports Desk - Tokyo2020 - 03.09.2021) :: Peru’s Leonor Espinoza Carranza has recorded an historic victory as the first athlete to win gold in Para taekwondo when it made its Paralympic debut on Day 9 at Tokyo 2020.

The 23-year-old also sealed a first medal for her country at the Games in a sensational victory over two-time European champion Meryem Cavdar from Turkey in the women's K44-49kg.

The two had squared up at the Makuhari Messe Hall B for the contest on 2 September. Cavdar, 21, had come out fighting in the opening round, getting in the first few kicks, but by the second round the points began rolling in for her opponent and at the end of the third, she was up 31-21 and won by a final score.

On the way to the final, Espinoza Carranza had beaten Uzbekistan’s Isakova Ziyodakhon, 23, 17-7 and overpowered India’s Aruna, 21, 84-21.

In the first of the two bronze medal matches, Thailand’s Khwansuda Phuangkitcha, 21, beat Ziyodakhon 18-2. The second was won by Anna Poddubskaia from the Russian Paralympic Committee who sealed a victory over Ukraine’s Viktoriia Marchuk in 46-11.

In a dramatic men’s final, Brazil’s Nathan Sodario Torquato won the gold medal in the K44-61kg after the referee stopped the contest in the first round. The 20-year-old had been competing against Egypt’s Mohamed Elzayat, 20, who claimed the silver.

In the earlier rounds, Sodario Torquato had beaten Italy’s Antonino Bossolo 37-34, Japan’s Tanaka Mitsuya 58-24 and Parfait Hakizimana from the Refugee Paralympic Committee 27-4.

The bronze medal contests were won by Turkey’s Mahmut Bozteke who beat Antonino 14-2 and RPC’s Daniil Sidorov, who overpowered France’s Bopha Kong 33-23.
TOKYO2020