Refugee athlete Emami qualifies for Taiyuan 2023 World Taekwondo Grand Prix

 

MUJU, Korea (Jul 17, 2023) - The Muju Taekwondowon 2023 World Taekwondo Grand Prix Challenge today finished as it began, with Korea and Chinese Taipei atop the podium. 

The two nations won the two golds on offer in the women’s +67kg and men’s +80kg adding to the five gold medals they won in the previous two days. 

 

 In the women’s +67kg, Chinese Taipei’s Yun Ci Pan faced Miseo Kwon of Korea. Pan showed great dominance in the first round winning 12-3. In the second round it looked like Pan would dominate again but Kwon did not give up fighting back to provide a thrilling end to the round. However it was not enough and Kwon won 7-5. Seungju Oh of Korea won the bronze medal beating compatriot Ga yoon Kim in the third place match. 

 

In the men’s +80kg final it was another Korean match up with Chan-hui Park facing Jimin Hyun. Both fighters struggled to land points in the first round which went the way of Park courtesy of higher registrations after a 0-0 finish. Park put on an impressive display in the second round using his longer leg reach to pick Hyun off on the counter attack and win 12-2. Dong-ju Lee of Korea won bronze after Refugee Team athlete Mohammad Emami withdrew. 

 

Pan and Kwon both booked their places Taiyuan 2023 World Taekwondo Grand Prix in October courtesy of their first and second place finishes in the women’s +67kg. However, as the top three finishers in the men’s +80kg were all Korean and given only one athlete per country can qualify per weight category, Park will be joined by fourth placed Emami in Taiyuan.