Jade Jones Loses Opening Bout in Paris

Two-time Olympic taekwondo champion Jade Jones suffered a stunning upset in her opening bout at the Paris Olympics, losing to North Macedonia's Miljana Reljikj. Despite being a favorite and ranked third, Jones lost the first round 7-6, managed to win the second 5-4, but ended the decisive round tied 1-1, leading to her elimination based on the number of hits landed. This defeat marked a repeat of her early exit from the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, where she also failed to progress beyond the first round. Jones still has a chance to compete for bronze through the repechage, contingent upon Reljikj reaching the finals. In contrast, fellow British athlete Bradly Sinden showcased a dominant performance, winning his first bout against Kevin Kassman of Papua New Guinea in under a minute with a decisive score of 12-0. Sinden aims to become the first British man to secure Olympic gold in taekwondo.