Vito Dell'Aquila wins bronze at Muju Grand Prix taekwondo

Italian taekwondo athlete Vito Dell'Aquila secured a bronze medal in the -58 kg category at the Muju Grand Prix. The Tokyo 2021 Olympic champion earned 21.60 points, helping maintain his standing in the international rankings and his qualification path for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.

Dell'Aquila's path to the podium included victories over Artiom Rosca of Moldova, Aristeidis N. Psarros of Greece, and Asem Ata Abu Sree' of Egypt. His run ended in the semifinals against South Korean defending Olympic champion Tae-Joon Park.

The achievement follows a challenging period for the athlete, including weight management difficulties due to time zone adaptation and recovery from an injury sustained prior to the Paris 2024 Games. This podium finish marks a significant return to form in Muju, the same location where he won his first world medal in 2017.