MUJU, Korea (Sep. 4, 2024) - The Muju Taekwondowon 2024 International Open Virtual Taekwondo Championships got underway today on #TaekwondoDay with athletes from Singapore taking both the male and female individual golds on offer. 

Justin Peh won the individual male category while Jia Wei Tan took gold in the individual female. Tan was joined by her compatriots Zi Wei Lim and Xin Jie Janelle who won silver and bronze respectively. While in the male’s category Rwanda’s Mucyo Iradukunda and Individual Neutral Athlete (AIN) Batradz Khubaev won silver and bronze respectively. 

Around 50 athletes from Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, Rwanda, and AIN are participating in the two day competition which showcases Virtual Taekwondo – a non-combat sport which replicates the movements of Taekwondo as athletes wear a headset and AXIS system to compete in a virtual space, regardless of age or gender.

The Championships features matches across Individual Male, Individual Female and Individual Mixed. In addition, there will be special event matches, including a Junior Mixed Team, Senior Mixed Team and a showdown of Olympic Medallist and Poomsae Legend.

In the special showdown, bronze medallist in the W+67kg category at the Olympic Games Paris 2024, Dabin Lee, won against Youngae Seo, a nine-time champion at the Poomsae World Championships.

Tomorrow, on 5 September, the individual mixed events will be held. The individual mixed event will see matches drawn irrespective of gender creating possible matches between male and female athletes or between athletes of the same gender. 

Ahead of today’s competition a ceremony to commemorate Taekwondo Day was held at the Taekwondowon in Muju. This year is particularly significant as it marks the 30th anniversary of Taekwondo being adopted as an official Olympic sport. At the event, World Taekwondo President Choue noted that Taekwondo’s successful competitions in both the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris with medals being distributed among many nations.