Krista Dyer endured a baptism of fire after losing her opening match in her debut at the Sanda World Cup in Jiangyin, China.

Competing in the women’s 65kg division, the Bermudian was soundly beaten by Iranian and tournament favourite Sedigheh Dariaeivarkadeh by a 12-point spread on the leitai [elevated fighting arena] at the Culture and Sports Indoor Stadium.

Dyer’s coach and Bermuda Sanshou Association president Garon Wilkinson felt his athlete put on a flawless display despite losing out.

“I thought she fought amazingly,” he told The Royal Gazette. “She didn’t really make any mistakes.

“Her opponent just scored in the exchange of the fight accumulating a 12-point spread and if there’s a 12-point spread they call the match an absolute victory.

“I really would have loved for her to at least get through the first round and get back to her corner so that we could offer some advice. But to be honest there’s not much advice I could have given her as her opponent was just super high level.

“She is a professional athlete, runs her own martial arts school and Krista just fought an athlete that at this point in her career is just superior.

“It’s still an extremely great start by Krista, and I am really pleased with the outcome of her first match in terms of her performance. I would have liked for the fight to have gone longer, but great prep for her second match.“

Dyer is already guaranteed at least the bronze medal as there are only three competitors in her weight class.

Dariaeivarkadeh can clinch the gold medal in her next match with victory against Australian Nicole Lowe-Tarbert, leaving the latter and Dyer to battle it out for the silver.

“The competition is still alive and well,” Wilkinson said.

Dyer qualified for the Sanda World Cup by earning the silver medal at the 2023 World Wushu Championships in Texas.

She is only the third Bermudian to compete at the Sanda World Cup behind cousins Jermal and Sentwali Woolridge, who came away with medals at the 2014 event held in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Jermal, the elder of the two relatives, won the bronze in the 90kg-plus weight class and Sentwali silver in the 70kg division.

Dyer, the two-times Pan American women’s 65kg champion, is also being accompanied in China by manager-coach Nolette Webb.