Gregoria Mariska Tunjung has reaped the rewards of her efforts at the Paris 2024 Olympics, securing a bronze medal and fulfilling her aspirations.

Gregoria earned the bronze medal in women's singles badminton at the Paris 2024 Olympics. She achieved this after being defeated by South Korea's An Se-young in the semifinals.

Key Point: 

• With her bronze medal, Gregoria became the sole Indonesian badminton player to secure a medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics
• Gregoria Hopes & Struggles

Courtesy Source: www.goodnewsfromindonesia.id/

Courtesy Photo Source: PBSI

Competing at the Porte de La Chapelle Arena in Paris on Sunday (August 4, 2024), Gregoria initially took the lead in the first set. However, the situation changed, and the athlete from Wonogiri was eventually forced to concede defeat with scores of 21-11, 13-21, 16-21.

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After her loss to An, Gregoria was set to compete in the bronze medal match. However, this did not materialize as Carolina Marin, who was playing in the other semifinal against He Bingjiao on the same day, had to withdraw due to injury. As a result, Gregoria was awarded the bronze medal automatically.

With her bronze medal, Gregoria became Indonesia’s first and only badminton player to win a medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Gregoria’s Hopes and Struggles

Like other athletes at the Olympics, winning a medal was Gregoria’s ultimate goal. For her, a medal represents the best possible tribute to Indonesia.

Winning a medal at such a prestigious event like the Olympics is clearly no easy feat. It requires immense effort, and that determination is something Gregoria has instilled in herself.

Photo Source: AP Photo/Kin Cheung

"Of course, I wanted to give my best here, with the desire to win a medal. I tried to enjoy every match, working as hard as possible, striving to deliver the best for Indonesia," Gregoria said after her first victory over Polina Buhrova on Sunday (July 28, 2024).

Gregoria’s path to the medal was a challenging one, starting from the group stage. She emerged as the champion of Group G with a perfect record, defeating Buhrova and Tereza Švábíková to advance to the knockout phase.

In the Round of 16, she faced intense competition and had to battle through a 55-minute match against Kim Ga-eun, eventually winning 21-4, 8-21, 23-21. In the quarterfinals, she competed against Ratchanok Intanon, initially struggling in the first set but dominating in the second set to win 25-23, 21-9.

Facing An in the semifinals, Gregoria’s challenge was significantly greater. Her opponent, known as the “Wonder Kid,” was the BWF world number one and known for her exceptional stamina.

Gregoria’s hard-fought journey ultimately bore fruit, and she delivered a remarkable performance for Indonesia.

Courtesy Source:www.bola.net