MADRID, 8 Ago. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Spanish taekwondo athlete Javier Pérez Polo showed “anger and frustration” still raw after losing in the bronze medal match this Thursday at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, regretting “details” that made the difference but aware of a great participation in his second Olympic tournament.
“Sport is like that. Every little thing makes a difference. The work has been good, I feel angry and frustrated, but when I evaluate the day I will make the ‘tick’ in the objective that I had set myself, which was to enjoy the experience 100%,” he told the media after narrowly losing to Brazilian Edival Pontes.
The Madrid native, in the -68kg category, regretted the mistakes that decided the fight but also gave credit to his rival. “Those mistakes that mark a fight, the end of the first round, in the third I got two moves down, two points in a row. That’s what determined the fight,” he said.
“It’s sport. There are times when sport is like that. There are times when you are right, the opponent also plays, he has played very well. I think I have proposed more than him, that I have gone for the fight more. There are times when you give more and the one who is more right, the one who scores more goals, wins the prize,” he added.
“I’m sad now, but in a few hours, I know the whole journey I’ve taken to get here. In Tokyo, I went home after the first fight and today I’ve lived the experience 100%, I think I’ve been very focused, I’ve competed well and unfortunately the medal has gone to Brazil,” he concluded.