Jamaica’s Valentyna Zolotarova has once again etched her name into the annals of regional martial arts, securing a bronze medal in the fiercely contested 55kg kumite category at the 2025 Bolivarian Games held in Lima, Peru.
The tournament opened with a narrow 17-15 loss to Peru’s Sofia Del Pilar Gomez Fuertes—who would go on to claim gold—but Zolotarova quickly regrouped, showcasing her signature resilience and calculated aggression. She rebounded with a critical 4-2 win over Bolivia’s Luz Marlhin Roca, followed by a tightly contested draw against El Salvador’s Hazel Sameidy Ramos Flores.
Zolotarova then shifted into high gear, dominating Chile’s Llanka Soraya Valdiva Soto with a commanding 9-1 victory. Her overall performance secured her the third-place podium finish, with Gomez Fuertes and Venezuela’s Barbara Alexandra Perez Silva claiming gold and silver, respectively.
This latest accolade adds to Zolotarova’s growing legacy. She previously made history in 2022 by earning Jamaica’s first women’s medal in international karate—another bronze—in the under-55kg division at the Commonwealth Karate Championships in Birmingham, England.
Zolotarova’s consistent presence at the top levels of competition continues to affirm Jamaica’s rising credibility in the global martial arts arena.
