American Steven Lopez clinched the men's 80kg taekwondo gold medal at the Athens Olympics on Saturday, beating Bahri Tanrikulu from Turkey 3-0 in the final.

Lopez, 26, gold medalist in the Sydney Olympics in the 68kg class, scored three points against two for Tanrikulu in the three-set tussle.

But the Turk was reduced two points in the third set.

Tanrikulu had claimed the title of the 84kg class in the 2001 worlds.