The United States narrowly missed out Tuesday on its first gold at the 2017 World Taekwondo Championships when Paige McPherson had to settle for silver after losing to Nur Tatar of Turkey.
Tatar won a close final 6-4 in the women’s Under 67 kg category at the event which ends Friday in the southern South Korean town of Muju.
McPherson, ranked eighth in the world, had squeezed past Zhang Mengyu of China in the semi-final 6-5 while Tatar eliminated Korea’s Kim Dan-Ji.
Turkey’s first gold puts the country second in the medals table alongside Serbia and Russia, but South Korea are out in front with three golds.
Lee Dae-Hoon secured the third by overcoming Huang Yu-Jen of Taiwan in the final of the men’s Under-68kg category, after Huang had defeated 2016 Rio Olympic gold medal winner Ahmad Abu Ghaush of Jordan in the semi-final.
The 26-8 triumph continues the host nation’s fine showing at the 23rd edition of this biennial tournament.
Two other categories got as far as the semi-final stage on Tuesday, with the medals to be decided on Wednesday.
In the men’s under-58 kg, Carlos Navarro of Mexico will take on South Korea’s Jeong Yun-Jo, while Spain’s Jesus Tortosa, just 19, meets Mikhail Artamonov of Russia.
In the women’s under-53 kg, Turkey have a chance of a second gold when Zeliha Agris meets Dinorahon Mamadibragimova of Uzbekistan. Inese Tarvisa of Latvia takes on Russia’s Tatiana Kudashova.
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