(LEAD) (Asian Games) S. Korean taekwondo fighter Lee Dae-hoon wins men's 68kg

(ATTN: ADDS photo; UPDATES 4th para; ADDS details from 5th para)

JAKARTA, Aug. 23 (Yonhap) -- South Korean taekwondo fighter Lee Dae-hoon won a gold medal in the men's 68-kilogram division at the 18th Asian Games on Thursday.

Lee defeated Amirmohammad Bakhshikalhori of Iran 12-10 in the final at Jakarta Convention Center Plenary Hall in Jakarta to give South Korea its third taekwondo sparring gold at the Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games.

For Lee, this is his third straight Asian Games gold. He previously triumphed in the men's 63-kilogram division at the 2010 Guangzhou Asiad and 2014 Incheon Asiad.

Lee is now the first taekwondo practitioner to win three straight Asian Games titles.

Against Bakhshikalhori, Lee trailed the first round 4-1 after giving up two early body kicks. He cut the deficit to one in the next round with three successful punches. Entering the third round 7-6, Lee leveled the score with his punch and made it 10-7 with a head kick with 1:17 remaining.

After allowing a penalty point, or "gamjeom," Lee landed a body kick worth two points at 0:42 to make the score 12-8. He then allowed two penalty points, but was able to secure his third Asaid gold.

The 26-year-old, who has a silver medal from the 2012 London Olympics and a bronze medal from the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games, beat Muhamad Muhamad of Indonesia 26-5 in the round of 16 to begin his third Asian Games.

Lee then thrashed Arven Alcantara of the Philippines 26-5 in the quarterfinals. He defeated Yerassyl Kaiyrbek of Kazakhstan 32-10 to reach the final.

Lee's gold was South Korea's last taekwondo medal at the 18th Asian Games. Earlier, Kang Bo-ra, who was considered a medal contender, was eliminated in the women's 49kg quarterfinals.

The South Korean taekwondo team wrapped up its Asian Games campaign with five golds, five silvers and two bronzes.

The team earned three golds, four silvers and one bronze from "kyorugi" (sparring) competition, while rest of its haul came from poomsae events.

kdon@yna.co.kr
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