ATHENS, Greece, Aug. 28 (UPI) -- American Steven Lopez won the gold medal in the 80-kilogram taekwondo division Saturday, his second straight Olympic title.
Lopez earned a 3-0 victory over Bahri Tanrikulu of Turkey in the gold medal match, posting an offensive kick point in each of the three rounds. Tanrikulu scored two points, including one on a defensive kick that gave him a brief lead in round one, but he lost both to deductions penalties.
In a match that drew attention early Saturday, Lopez defeated Iraqi Raid Rasheed on points in the first round.
Lopez, who won the gold medal in the 69-kilogram class four years ago, outscored his Iraqi opponent, 13-1.
The American recorded a 7-6 victory over Iranian Yossef Karami in the semifinals.
Karami went on to defeat Rashad Ahmadov of Azerbaijan, 9-8, in the bronze medal match.
In the women's 67-kilogram class, China's Luo Wei won gold with a 7-6 victory over Greece's Elisavet Mystakidou. Korean Kyung Sun Hwang defeated Heidy Juarez of Guam in the bronze medal match.
