Abutaleb has previously earned a bronze medal at the World Championships and achieved a career-high global ranking of No. 4 PARIS: In a highly anticipated match on Wednesday, taekwondo star Dunya Abu Taleb was defeated by top-ranked Panipak Wongpattanakit in the -49kg category quarterfinals at the 2024 Paris Olympics. For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport She had another chance via the repechage round and entered the bronze medal match against Mobina Nematzadeh later on Wednesday, but fell just short of medal glory. The 27-year-old from Riyadh had been poised to make history as Saudi Arabia’s first female Olympic medalist, having previously taken a bronze medal at the World Championships and achieved a career-high global ranking of No. 4. Her performance at the Games drew significant attention and marked her as a strong contender Earlier in the competition, Abu Taleb demonstrated her skill and resilience by defeating Israel’s Abishag Semberg in the first bout, advancing her to the quarterfinals. However, despite a commendable effort, she was unable to overcome reigning Olympic champion Wongpattanakit. Her journey to the Paris Olympics has been a testament to her dedication and skill, and although this setback is disappointing, her performance continues to be a source of pride and inspiration for Saudi sports.