Olympics 2024: Caden Cunningham earns taekwondo silver medal

PARIS — Caden Cunningham gained taekwondo silver on the Paris Olympics on Saturday as he was narrowly denied within the gold-medal match in opposition to Iran’s Arian Salimi on the Grand Palais.

Cunningham gained the primary body 3-3 within the males’s +80kg occasion however he was dispatched 9-1 within the second following a double kick from Salimi to the pinnacle. The Iranian edged Cunningham 6-3 within the third and ultimate body.

The Brit was competing at his debut Olympic Video games, however he nonetheless managed to stun Rio 2016 champion Cheick Sallah Cisse within the semifinals.

It’s Group GB’s 63rd medal of the Paris Video games, shifting the nation only one behind their Tokyo 2020 complete.

“It was excellent, very enjoyable,” Cunningham stated. “I’ve acquired numerous respect for that athlete, as soon as that match began, just like myself, he needed to kill. Exterior of that, very good man, a real fighter, I’ve acquired no drawback dropping if the person is healthier than me on the day, and that is what he was.

“I am gutted I did not get the gold for myself, my coach and my household and for Britain. Nevertheless, I am very proud to be right here immediately.

“Now I wish to see my dad, he is who I made a decision in regards to the Olympics with. I advised my mum as nicely once I was very very younger. I simply wish to see them, give them a hug, hope they’re pleased with me. And simply chill, go house and have a KFC or one thing, I do not know!”

Group GB missed out on a bronze medal within the girls’s +67kg occasion, with Rebecca McGowan dropping a ultimate body decider to Turkey’s Kus Aydin.

“In taekwondo, the little issues make the match. It is gutting. It is a little bit heart-breaking proper now. Dropping the assessment was a turning level but it surely’s the game I selected, the life I selected. In some unspecified time in the future I’ve to cope with it and decide myself up,” McGowan stated.

“I believe I used to be nonetheless resetting from the quarterfinal within the tunnel to be trustworthy. I’ve by no means felt something prefer it. My coronary heart has damaged twice immediately. I am actually pleased with myself that I used to be capable of decide myself up and battle the best way I did.”