Featherweight (≤57 kilograms), Women

The 2007 World Champion was Korean Lee Sung-Hye but the Korean team was so strong that she was not selected for Beijing, bypassed in favor of Im Su-Jeong, who had been 2007 Universiade Champion. The 2005 World Champion was in Beijing, American Diana Lopez, she of the United States’ Lopez taekwondo siblings. Her brothers, Steven and Mark, both would also win medals in Beijing.

After a difficult first round, Im easily made it to the final. But she would not meet Lopez, who lost a quarter-final bout against Turkey’s Azize Tanrıkulu, the sister of Bahri Tanrıkulu, 2004 Olympic men’s welterweight silver medalist. Tanrıkulu won her semi as well to meet Im in the final. The final match was tied 0-0 with 20 seconds remaining when Im scored with a back kick to win the gold medal. She would also win a gold medal at the 2009 World Championships as a lightweight. Lopez did get through the repêchage to earn a bronze medal.