Valentyna Zolotarova continues to etch her name in Jamaica’s sporting history, adding another international medal to her growing collection. The karate standout delivered a bronze-winning performance in the 55kg kumite division at the 2025 Bolivarian Games, held in Lima, Peru.
Opening her campaign with a narrow 15–17 loss to hometown favorite Sofia Del Pilar Gomez Fuertes, Zolotarova rebounded with sharp focus and tactical precision. She edged Bolivia’s Luz Marlhin Roca 4–2 in a disciplined match, then battled to a draw with El Salvador’s Hazel Sameidy Ramos Flores, demonstrating the consistency and poise that have become her hallmark.
Zolotarova’s strongest showing came against Llanka Soraya Valdiva Soto of Chile, overpowering her opponent 9–1 in a commanding finish that secured her the third-place position in a competitive division. She stood behind Peru’s Gomez Fuertes, who clinched gold, and Venezuela’s Barbara Alexandra Perez Silva, who secured silver.
This latest accolade builds on Zolotarova’s trailblazing 2022 bronze medal at the Commonwealth Karate Championships in Birmingham—the first-ever for a Jamaican woman in the sport. Now, with another podium finish on South American soil, she reaffirms her role as a standard-bearer for Jamaican karate and a rising force on the global martial arts stage.
