Kimia Alizadeh made history by winning Bulgaria’s first-ever Olympic medal in taekwondo, securing a bronze in the 57 kg category. The Iranian-born athlete, who now holds a Bulgarian passport, achieved this milestone with a victory over world No. 1 Luo Zongshi of China.

Alizadeh triumphed with a 2-1 victory in rounds against one of the world’s most decorated competitors. The first round saw both athletes proceed cautiously, ending with no points scored. However, the 26-year-old Bulgarian was awarded the round by a 2-1 judges' decision.

In the second round, the Chinese athlete came out more aggressively, securing a 1-point lead. A protest from the Chinese side resulted in an additional three points being awarded to her, allowing her to take the round with a 4-0 score.

The decisive third round began strongly for Alizadeh, who landed a head kick to gain a 3-0 advantage. The Chinese competitor quickly responded, equalizing the score at 3-3. Alizadeh then delivered another head kick, taking a 6-3 lead. Although her opponent managed to close the gap with two more points, the round ended 6-5 in favor of the Bulgarian. A protest from the Chinese team was lodged, but after reviewing the video, the score remained unchanged.

Earlier, representing Bulgaria, Alizadeh began her Olympic journey by defeating Tunisia's Chaima Toumi 2-0, placing her on the brink of securing a medal at the Paris Games.

Alizadeh took an early lead in her match against Toumi, landing a head strike that earned her three points. Despite being pushed out of the fighting zone twice before the end of the first round, she managed to maintain her advantage.

In the second round, Toumi was the first to score, adding two points to her tally, but Alizade quickly equalized.

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