A would-be Cinderella run was cut short early
Karateka Jamie Lim could not follow up on her stunning first-round victory and bowed out of the women’s plus-61 kg class of the 2021 Karate Olympic Qualification Tournament at the Stade Pierre de Coubertin, Paris, France on Sunday.
The result also eliminated the chances of the young karateka making the Tokyo Games next month.
African Games champion Chehinez Jemi of Tunisia made sure there was no huge upset in the second round of the competition as she dealt the second-generation Filpino athlete a 7-2 defeat in a highly offensive contest.
The Tunisian sneaked in a foot sweep just 16 seconds into the contest for the ippon and the 3-0 advantage. That turned out to be the warning sign Lim should know.
Lim settled for a trade of punches but the lead blew to 6-1 with just 47 seconds left. Another punch from the Filpino cut the deficit, 2-6, but time was not on her side.
Earlier, Lim turned back 2016 world champion Alisa Buchinger of Austria, 3-2, in a stunner in the first round.
The University of the Philippines-product opened the scoring with a strong punch to the Austrian’s body for a yuko at the 1:45 mark of the contest. She then doubled the lead 33 seconds later.
Buchinger was not a world champion for nothing, taking it to a deadlock with two quickfire punches at two apiece, just 30 seconds left in the match.
The Filipino then turned aggressive and finally connected on another punch for the lead that lingered on for the win.
Concluding Team Pilipinas’ campaign was veteran internationalist Shareef Afif at the men’s plus-75 kg class.
Afif, however, bowed out after a loss to Portugal’s Filipe Reis, 0-2, to also miss out on a ticket to Tokyo.
The sport of karate makes its debut in Tokyo this year but is not slated for Paris in 2024.
