ABS-CBN News Online Beta

Taekwondo jin Toni braces for grudge match vs Croatian

by GERRY CARPIO, The Philippine Star | 08/20/2008 5:04 AM

Printer-friendly version | Send to friend | Post Comment

BEIJING – Welterweight Mary Antoinette Rivero may have been pushed to the Bracket of Death, but a win in the first round could yet carry her to at least a bronze medal in her division Friday at the Beijing University of Science and Technology.

She, however, will have to take every bout as if it were a championship match.

The first round itself will not be a walk in the park. It’s going to be a grudge match with Croatian Sandra Saric who defeated her in the playoff after a stand-off in the semifinals, denying Rivero outright qualification for Beijing and earning for herself the third slot from the Olympic Qualifying tournament in October last year in Manchester, England.

Rivero had to try her luck in another qualifying event, the Asian Championships a month later in Ho Chi Minh City, where she took the silver to book the trip to Beijing.

“That bout ended in a draw but in the playoff the Croatian was given the winning score after both unleashed a kick at the other,” recalled Samson. “I think Toni had a clear kick but the judges ruled it in favor of the Croat – sort of hometown decision.”

That bout, Samson said, is still fresh on the mind of Rivero, who will go up the ring raring to get even with her foe in the European qualifying event.

If she hurdles her first round assignment, it’s on for the gold, silver or bronze for the 20-year-old Filipina.

Her biggest hurdle will be in the quarterfinal round – against Hwang Kyung-seon, whom the Korean team is considering a sure gold medal winner.

“Hwang is very strong and she has already played once at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games,” said Korean coach Kim Seihyeok.

Hwang, born May 21, 1986 in Seoul, took the bronze in the welterweight class in the 2004 Olympics where Rivero was a quarterfinalist. She won the 2007 World Championships in Beijing, was second in the 2005 Worlds in Madrid and was a silver medalist in the Asian Championships in Bangkok in 2006.

If she loses to Hwang, Rivero must pray that Hwang beats French archrival Gwladys Epangue in the semifinals so she and Epangue could square off in the repechage.

If she defeats Hwang, Rivero will instead go up against Epangue in the semifinal.

Epangue, who turned 25 Aug. 15, did not go past the first round in the Athens Olympics but she had improved ever since. She took the silver, losing to Hwang, in the 2005 World Championships in Madrid. She took the gold in the European Championships in 2005, and the silver in the same event in 2006 and 2008.