China's 4-time taekwondo Olympian Wu falls at repechage after being stopped at quarters

Wu Jingyu (L) of China competes with Tijana Bogdanovic of Serbia during the women's 49kg taekwondo repechage match at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, July 24, 2021. (Xinhua/Xu Zijian)

Two-time Olympic champion Wu Jingyu bowed out in the Olympic women's 49kg taekwondo repechage match.

TOKYO, July 24 (Xinhua) -- Two-time Olympic champion Wu Jingyu failed to save herself through repechage after being stopped in the women's 49kg quarterfinals here on Saturday.

The 34-year-old, who is making her fourth Olympic Games, started well early in the afternoon, beating refugee athlete Dina Pouryounes Langeroudi 24-3 in just two rounds, before being overwhelmed 33-2 by Spanish teenage sensation Adriana Cerezo.

The 17-year-old Spaniard later advanced to the final after overcoming Turkey's Rukiye Yildirim 39-19, granting Wu the chance to vie for a semifinal slot through repechage.

Wu Jingyu (R) of China competes with Adriana Cerezo Iglesias of Spain during the women's 49kg taekwondo quarterfinal match at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, July 24, 2021. (Xinhua/Wang Yuguo)

Wu, however, lost 12-9 to Serbia's Tirana Bogdanovic in a Rio 2016 final rematch, while the latter went on to claim a bronze with a 20-6 victory over hosts Japan's Miyu Yamada.

"Age matters," sighed Wu, the 2008 Games 47kg winner and the 49kg gold medalist in London 2012.

"At the very moment the rival athlete was approaching, I could literally feel her speed and assault.

"My tactics were sound and clear, and so is my mind. I could see the chance to score, but my body just couldn't perform as strong as I'd expected," she added.

Panipak Wongpattanakit of Thailand came out the eventual winner of the women's 49kg after beating Cerezo 11-10 in the final, and Israel's Abishag Semberg came out the other bronze medalist with a 27-22 win over Yildirim.

In the men's 58kg event also contested on Saturday, Vito Dell'Aquila won the first Tokyo 2020 gold medal for Italy after claiming six points within the final 1:08 to wrap up the final against Tunisian Mohamed Khalil Jendoubi.

Russian Olympic athlete Mikhail Artamonov and South Korea's Jiang Jun settled for a bronze medal apiece.