Africa emerges as new taekwondo force but Korea reclaim top spot
Countries rarely seen on the podium, such as Niger, Côte d'Ivoire and Jordan, all wons medals at Rio 2016
Tunisia's Oussama Ouselati defeated taekwondo legend Steven Lopez of the USA to take bronze (Photo: Getty Images/Dean Mouhtaropoulos)
Africa emerged as a new powerhouse of taekwondo at Rio 2016 by picking up five medals in total, all of them being firsts, in a tournament full of surprise champions, failed favourites and last-second wins at Carioca Arena 3.
Rio-time updates: follow the action with our daily live blog
Cheick Sallah Junior Cisse created a special moment by clinching gold, the first ever Olympic gold for Cote d'Ivoire, with a last-second head kick in the men's -80kg final.
Ahmad Abughaush became Jordan's first Olympic medallist in any sport when he won the men's -68kg and moved the royal family of Jordan to tears.
Abdoulrazak Issoufou Alfaga's silver in the men's +80kg is only the second Olympic medal for Niger in any sport. Boxer Issaka Dabore had earned a bronze in 1972.
The bronze medal for Hedaya Wahba was the first in taekwondo for an Egyptian woman and Tunisia got their first taekwondo medal with the bronze of Oussama Oueslati in the men's -80kg.
Kimia Alizadeh Zenoorin and Hedaya Wahba lead charge of Muslim women in taekwondo
There were more historic medals: Azerbaijan collected their first Olympic taekwondo medals - three of them including the men's +80kg gold for Radik Isaev.
Zhao Shuai is the first Chinese man to take Olympic gold with his title in the -58kg and Kimia Alizadeh Zenoorin won the first Olympic medal for a woman from Iran with her bronze in the -57kg.
Zheng Shuyin continued the success of the Chinese women in taekwondo by striking gold in the +67kg. Of the returning Olympic champions, only Jade Jones of Great Britain retained her title (women's -57kg).
Several favourites and big names finished off the podium such as two-time Olympic champions Wu Jingyu from China and Steven Lopez (USA) as well as London 2012 Olympic champion Servet Tazegul of Turkey.
With a total of five medals, including two golds for Kim Sohui (women's -49kg) and Oh Hyeri (women's -67kg), Republic of Korea reclaimed their leading position in the sport they had lost in London 2012.
However, as the level of taekwondo rises worldwide, more and more players are equal in ability and can break through to the very top at any time as the competition at Rio 2016 proved. The 32 medals went to 20 different countries.
