After competing in minus-62kg in Kuala Lumpur two years ago, Pauline Lopez returned to the weight class she was comfortable in.
It resulted in wonders, as the Ateneo student-athlete regained her 2015 Southeast Asian Games gold in the -57kg division. She outlasted Aliza Chhoen of Cambodia, 12-4, Sunday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
A well-timed turning head kick punctuated the bout at the buzzer to peg the final score from 7-3 to 12-4.
The Cambodian settled for the silver.
Timor Leste’s Amorin Dos Reis lost to Cchoen in the semifinals, but won her country’s first medal of the Games.
Thailand bagged the other bronze off a semifinals loss to Lopez at 1-18.
