FILE – The Philippines’ Junna Tsukii celebrates her gold medal at the 30th Southeast Asian Games. INQUIRER PHOTO/Sherwin Vardeleon
MANILA, Philippines—Junna Tsukii delivered the first gold of the Philippines in the 2022 World Games in Birmingham, Alabama.
The Filipino-Japanese karate star took down Venezuela’s Yorgelis Salazar, 2-0, in the women’s under-50 kg kumite finals on Saturday (Manila time) at Bill Battle Coliseum.
It was Tsukii’s first gold medal in the event.
The 30-year-old karateka yielded to Salazar in the pool stage, where she finished 1-2 tied with Germany’s Shara Hubrich and Spain’s Morales Ozuna Gema.
Tsukii still advanced in the semifinals and beat Japan’s Miho Miyahara, 4-3.
The Philippines is also competing in billiards, led by Carlo Biado, powerlifting, and duathlon in the United States World Games.