The Philippines’ bid for a medal in the 2009 world taekwondo championships now falls on the shoulders of Criselda Roxas following the departure of two more fighters Saturday at the Ballerup Super Arena in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Finweight Japoy Lizardo won his opening bout against Julio Flores Lopez, 4-3, and added Ihar Leanovich of Bulgaria, 7-4, to his list of victims.

Lizardo, however, found Moussa Cisse of France a tough nut to crack and bowed, 3-4, in the Round of 16.

Kirstie Alora, competing in the women’s middleweight, won by default over Mariama Barry of Papua New Guinea and advanced to the next round with a 3-1 whipping of Feruza Yergeshova of Kazakhstan.

But Alora had the misfortune of facing South Korea’s Lee In-jong who romped to a 7-0 win. Lee went on to win the silver medal after bowing to China’s Hang Ying ying, 5-3, in the final.

All eyes will be on Roxas who will face Venera Abdurazakova of Uzbekistan in the opening round of the women’s lightweight class.

The RP team last won a world championships medal in 2003 when Roberto Cruz, now a national team coach, won a bronze in the men’s finweight in Germany. He also won bronze in the 2001 edition and a silver each in the same weight division in 1995, 1997 and 1999.