Sanshou (≤60 kilograms), Women

Sanshou, also known as sanda, is a combative form of competitive wushu, based in traditional Chinese boxing, involving kicks and grappling techniques. In comparison to the World Championships, only two out of seven weight classes were held for women.

As in all other sanshou competitions, the final was a reprise of the 2007 World Championships final. In the ≤60 kg division, this meant that Vietnam’s Lương Thị Hoa, the defending World Champion, faced Iran’s Zahra Karimi. Fighting in an all-black body covering outfit, Karimi upset the Vietnamese, winning the final 2-1. This marked the first time ever an Iranian woman was victorious at the Olympics – albeit in a non-medal event. Her compatriot, Dehghani, had earlier earned a bronze medal, the first Iranian woman to stand on an Olympic podium.