Melissa recovery drives Zolotarova to Bolivarian Games bronze

AS JAMAICA fights to recover from the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa, national karate team member Valentyna Zolotarova says she was inspired by the nation’s resillience and so fought her way to a bronze at the 2025 Bolivarian Games in Lima, Peru.

The Jamaica Karate Federation (JKF) said Zolotarova made history for the nation, capturing its first medal at the Games when she placed third in the women’s kumite 55kg on Saturday.

Zolotarova said she is happy to be adding to Jamaica’s sporting history at a time like this.

“My children, my students, and the young athletes in Jamaica are always in my mind. Being here, like many Jamaicans, I still feel a sense of guilt as I know Jamaica is rebuilding after Hurricane Melissa. I knew I must represent well because our people are strong in anything we set our minds to. Many of our karate instructors are on the ground helping and quietly the work that is necessary around the island to help Jamaica rebuild. They were on my mind also when I was entering the ring,” she said.

She competed in a tough round-robin pool, facing Peru’s Sofía del Pilar Gómez Fuentes, Bolivia’s Luz Marlhin Roca, and El Salvador’s Hazel Sameidy Ramos Flores.

She opened the day with a loss to Fuentes in an action-filled match with 22 points between her and her opponent, ending 7–15. She regrouped after this to secure a 4–2 win against Roca. She then tied 2-2 with Flores before claiming the tiebreaker. The tie was broken by scoring more points across the three matches. The result left Zolotorova second in the group, setting up a bronze medal match-up. Group winners went straight to the final.

COMPLETE PERFORMANCE

In the bronze medal match-up against Chile’s Valdivia Soto Lanka Saraya, Zolotorova produced her most complete performance of the tournament.

Combining sharp footwork, precise timing, and visible determination, she scored twice with head kicks and surged ahead early, never letting go of control to close the match with a 9–1 victory.

“For me, winning this medal was very important for Jamaica and for the Caribbean. A symbol of ‘yes we can’. To stand on the podium at the Bolivarian Games, in a country so deeply connected to Simón Bolívar’s legacy, who believed in strength in unity and inspired many beyond the borders of his land, is very special. Jamaica’s inclusion in these Games means we can compete with high-level athletes from South America,” Zolotarova said.

The Bolivarian Games, organised by the Bolivarian Sports Organization, saw more than 4,000 athletes from 17 nations across the Americas competing in over 40 sports at the 2025 edition in Lima.

Tony Robinson, president of the JKF, called the result, “powerful”.

“This performance is a crucial stepping stone. It shows our athletes, our supporters, and our partners that karate can deliver results for Jamaica across the regional and continental pathway,” he said.

“Valentyna is not only a high-performance athlete. She is also a coach, an educator, a sport methodologist, and a role model for our youth. To come into a Games of this magnitude and win a medal against strong South American and Central American nations sends a clear message: ‘Jamaica belongs on this stage’.”

The JKF said it continues to build on it’s programmes, with the next stop being the 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games in Santo Domingo. The organization will then set its sights on the 2027 Pan American Games in Lima.

“2026 will be a decisive year for our region. I hope this performance inspires more investment in values-based sport, more opportunities for girls and women, and more belief that Jamaica and the Caribbean can stand shoulder to shoulder with anyone,” Zolotarova said.