Rivero’s Gold Medal Hopes In Beijing Are Over

The Philippine’s last hope for a crack at a Gold Medal has also gone down right away in her first match.

Taekwando Jin Toni Rivero bowed down to Croatian Sandra Saric in the Women’s 67kg category at the USTB Gymnasium in Beijing as the Filipina carried the hopes and aspirations of the nation on her shoulders. Both fighters got their first points in the second round amidst the very tough judging that the competition has been experiencing the past few days.

But the Croat picked up the pace in the 3rd round and scored 3 points as Rivero could not mount a comeback. The final score was 4 -1.

Now the only hope for Rivero to at most get a Bronze will be to hope Saric makes it to the finals, that would mean a ticket for Rivero in the Repechage or the loser’s bracket. But that will be known later in the day.