Cuban Rafael Alba eliminated in Grand Prix of Taekwondo in Paris

HAVANA, Cuba, Sep 4 (ACN) Cuban two-time world champion and Olympic bronze medalist Rafael Alba was left without defending his crown at the Paris Taekwondo Grand Prix, as he did not show up today for his second fight, against an Olympic champion.

Alba, who was the winner of the tournament in the capital of France in 2022, did not show up for his challenge in the round of 16, against Cheick Sallah Cisse, from Ivory Coast, Olympic champion in Rio de Janeiro 2016 in the 80 kilogram (kg) division.

Although the official cause of the non-appearance is still unknown, the Cuban was very demanding in his first and only bout, according to the live broadcast of World Taekwondo, the governing organization of this sport.

In the beginning of the over 80 kg category, the Cuban overcame China's Zhaoxiang Song, who started ahead thanks to a two-point connection.

Alba came back with a four-unit spin kick, the Chinese took the lead again with 26 seconds left, but with the score 4-5, with nine seconds to go, Alba hit a header to put 7-5 on the board.

With so few seconds left, what followed was such a hard-fought duel that the score ended 10-6.

Ivory Coast's CissE won the gold medal, Britain's Caden Cunningham took the silver and Croatia's Pasko Bozic and Mexico's world champion Carlos Sansores won the bronze.