Cuban Rafael Alba Wins Paris Taekwondo Grand Prize

September 5, 2022

Cuban Rafael Alba, two-time world champion and Olympic bronze medalist, emerged victorious this Sunday at the World Taekwondo Grand Prix in Paris, a competition that awards points for qualification to the 2024 Olympics, in the capital of France.

The Santiago native over 80 kilograms won the gold medal dispute in three rounds (2-1) against Croatian Iván Sapina, by scores of 4-0, 4-5 and 7-2, according to the live television broadcast of World Taekwondo, the governing organization of that sport.

To reach the final, Alba defeated the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic champion, Cheick Sallah Cissé, of Ivory Coast 2-0 in a spectacular semifinal.

Earlier, the Cuban dominated 2-0 against Croatian Pasko Bozic and Norwegian Milos Pilipovic and 2-1 against Moroccan Ayoub Bassel.