PHNOM PENH, Cambodia – One of the country’s brightest hopes for a gold in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games – Junna Tsukii – settled for the silver medal on Saturday but the Filipina-Japanese star didn’t take the loss lightly, saying that she should have won the bout.
Junna Tsukii settles for silver
The world No. 12 lost to Shahmalarani Chandran of Malaysia on the judges’ decision after a 1-1 tie at the end of the five-minute bout. Tsukii didn’t hide her disappointment towards the defeat as she felt that she was the aggressor, the deciding factor once the bout ends in a tie.
“If it’s a tie, it’s the most active who will win,” said the 31-year-old Tsukii. “I’m sure 100 percent, I was more active than her. But they choose her. I don’t know what happened to this judge. That’s why I’m not happy with my medal because it’s not true.”
“(She had a) knockdown, pulldown, step back when I press. But they give her (the win). I can’t understand why they gave her the point. The judging is not correct,” said Tsukii.
“We cannot protest. Our karate rules, we can’t protest about the job. It’s their decision,” she added.
It is the second time that Tsukii was unable to win a gold in the SEA Games, missing a podium finish in Hanoi that was also won by Chandran.
Tsukii apologized for not winning the gold.
“Sorry, it’s not the best color. I’m so sad but also I’m so mad. I sacrificed a lot for this tournament. I don’t know how many months, I prepared for maybe a year for this moment. I hope sports should be fair. I’m not saying, ‘Please give me the win.’ If I lose, I accept,” said Tsukii.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
