Americans have stood on the podium at every Games since Sydney 2000 when taekwondo first became an official sport.

Galloway won one of the two bronzes available in the women’s over 67 kilogram division, which was also historic as it was a first heavyweight medal for the US.

She got the better of France’s Gwladys Epangue to seal a place on the third step of the podium alongside Britain’s Bianca Walkden.

Galloway controlled the tempo of the medal match, holding a 1-0 lead through two rounds, extending the advantage to 2-0 in the third and holding off a late charge from Epangue to prevail 2-1 and earn the bronze.

Zheng Shuyin of China went on to win gold.

“I expected to get farther,” Galloway said after being knocked out in the semi-finals by three-time Olympian and two-time Olympic medalist Maria Espinoza of Mexico.  

“I was hoping to bring home the gold but just becoming an Olympic medalist and getting on that podium is amazing.”

Galloway admitted that it was hard to pick herself up again when her chances of the gold medal were ended.

“It took me a second,” she said.

“It took a minute for the short-term memory to kick in.

“I had messages from my team-mate Paige McPherson up in the stands and my boyfriend right away texted me that the day is not done.

“Think about it later, just regroup now, refocus, the day is not over, and just keeping me centered and grounded.”

The United States have won eight Olympic taekwondo medals in all.

The tally includes two golds for Steven Lopez, in the under 68kg class in Sydney and then in the under 80kg category at Athens 2004.