The national youth taekwondo team on Aug. 7 poses for a commemorative photo at the awards ceremony of this year’s World Taekwondo Junior Championships at Arena Armeets in Sofia, Bulgaria. (World Taekwondo)
By Lee Jihae
The national youth taekwondo team has won both the boys’ and girls’ divisions at the world championships for the first time in eight years.
On the final day of this year’s World Taekwondo Junior Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria, Korea on Aug. 7 won one gold and two bronze medals.
For the women, Hong Hyo-rim took the gold at 86 kg and Jung Su-gee the silver at 68 kg. For the men, Lyu Kyk-hwan claimed the silver at 78 kg.
This was Korea’s first sweep of the boys’ and girls’ divisions since the 2014 junior championships in Taipei, Taiwan.
The boys earned five golds, one silver and one bronze in the 10 events, scoring a combined 720 points and defeating runner-up Iran (four golds with 509 points).
Korea thus reclaimed the all-round top spot that it had lost to Iran in the 2018 tournament in Hammamet, Tunisia.
This was also the first time in six years that the Korean boys won since the 2016 competition in Burnaby, Canada. It was also Korea’s 11th all-round victory in 13 championships.
Placing third four years ago, the Korean girls this time won five golds, one silver and one bronze in the 10 weight classes for a combined 718 points, ahead of runner-up Iran (two golds and two silvers for 370 points). Thus Korea reclaimed the top position for the first time in eight years and won their 11th overall.
From 1996 through 2014, the girls claimed the team title 10 straight times but failed to do so in the two tourneys from 2016-18.
2018 was also the first time for Korea not to win either the boys or girls division, but the nation reclaimed both titles four years later.
Competitors in the age range of 15-17 can compete in the biennial tournament. The 2020 edition was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
jihlee08@korea.kr
