Nagoya:Marie June Adriano made an impressive debut at the 20th Asian Games by winning a bronze medal in the women's kumite -50kg karate competition held at the Toyohashi Gymnasium in Nagoya, Japan.
According to Philippines News Agency, the 22-year-old Adriano, a Human Kinetics student at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, defeated Chinese Taipei's Ya-chi Chung with a score of 10-3 to secure the medal.
Adriano's path to the bronze included victories over Cambodia's Srey Phea Chonn, 4-3, and South Korea's Yang Yewon, 4-0. Her journey was interrupted by a narrow semifinal loss to Hong Kong's Tsang Yee Ting, 4-5.
Adriano had previously lost to Chung in two encounters but managed to overcome her this time by trusting in her technique and training for the competition. Reflecting on her win, Adriano expressed the significance of the medal, saying it meant a lot to her, especially given the intense pressure as a first-time competitor.
In addition to Adriano's success, the women's kata team comprising Rebecca Cyril Torres, Samantha Emmanuelle Veguillas, and Ysabielle Arrogante also secured a bronze medal on Tuesday.
