Taekwondo delivers Malaysia's first medal at Asian Games

Taekwondo exponent Yap Khim Wen executes a flying kick during her routine in the Jakarta Convention Center to bring home the bronze in the women's individual poomsae.

JAKARTA: Taekwondo exponent Yap Khim Wen delivered Malaysia's first medal at the Indonesian Asian Games here by coming in joint third in the women's individual poomsae.

She had to settle for bronze after losing to Iran's Salahshouri Marjan in the semi-finals at the Jakarta Convention Centre on Sunday (Aug 19).

Khim Wen's energetic display earned a score of 8.300 but Salahshouri bettered hers with 8.430.

As a losing semi-finalist, Khim Wen was awarded the bronze medal.

"I was assured of a bronze by making the semis earlier this morning and I was told I would become the first medallist for Malaysia," she said.

However, Khim Wen said she had hoped to make the finals, but was satisfied with her performance as she had done her best.

Khim Wen is the first Malaysian Taekwondo exponent to make the podium since the 2002 games in Busan, Korea, when Lee Pei Fen and Lee Wan Yuen took bronze in the women's kyorugi (sparring) discipline.

The Poomsae discipline, which requires practitioners to demonstrate attacking and defence moves of the Korean martial art, is the first time being featured as an official medal event for the Asian Games.