Diogo Silva beat Peru's Peter Lopez on Sunday in men's taekwondo 58-68 kilograms, and won Brazil's first gold medal in the Pan American Games.
Silva's final score was three points, against minus one to Lopez, as both had been penalized with two points for not attacking in less than one minute.
The Brazilian also had to overcome the pain on his ribs, injured during the semifinals earlier on Sunday at the Riocentro Sports Complex.
Following the announcement of his victory by the referee, Silva climbed onto the terraces and celebrated with the fans that crowded the arena where the combat took place.
In the press conference following the final, the fighter dedicated his gold medal to the members of his team. He also talked about his previous attempts to win a gold in the Pan Am Games, as he got the bronze in Santo Domingo 2003.
"I reached the conclusion that there was a lot of stuff to change, but from inside out," he revealed.
Silva, who is 25, stressed that he had not seen his mother for a while because he spent the past six months training abroad. His mother was the person who led him to taekwondo, as a way to prevent then nine-year-old Silva from hanging around and getting involved in street violence.
Taekwondo is classified as an "amateur" sport in Brazil, far from relying on the prestige and budget destined to "major" sports like football and volleyball.
Source: Xinhua
|
Comment
Tell A Friend
Print Format
Save Article