Wang Chieh Ling defeats Elizaveta Bystrova.(Photo World Taekwondo)
The opening day of the Tashkent World Taekwondo Junior Championships featured stunning performances from some of the world’s best young athletes, with Chinese Taipei’s Wang Chieh Ling , Korea’s Eom Sim-ok and China’s Ren Kunyue all winning gold medals.
The three champions each won the events in their respective weight categories without dropping a round, as the packed-out Martial Arts Sports Complex in Tashkent’s Olympic City enjoyed thrilling action to start the competition.
Chieh Ling upgrades
Chieh Ling took gold for the second consecutive World Taekwondo Junior Championships, following on from her triumph in the W -44kg at Chuncheon two years ago.
Competing in the -46kg weight category in the Uzbek capital, Chieh Ling delivered an outstanding performance in the final against Russia’s Elizaveta Bystrova.
A high-scoring first round went 26-17 in favour of Chieh Ling, before a blistering start to the second round gave her the required points gap to celebrate an early victory.
Bulgaria’s Deya Peeva and Ukraine’s Olha Malenko earned bronze medals in the -46kg event.
Sim-ok denies hosts
Asian Youth Games champion Sim-ok produced a controlled display in the M +78kg final to deny Uzbekistan’s Alisher Pak, who was backed loudly by a passionate home crowd.
The first round went 14-5 in favour of Sim-ok, before a tighter second round was edged 8-6 to seal gold for Korea.
Bronze medals went to Petros Giannouchidis of Greece and Jordan’s Mohmmad Dar Ali.
Brilliant Kunyue takes gold
A competitive first round of the W -59kg final was scoreless until the closing seconds, when Kunyue landed a decisive kick to take it 2-0 against Türkiye’s Cansu Şeyhoğlu.
Two brilliant head kicks then had her in control of the second round, and she closed out an eventual 12-7 win to take the final gold medal of the day.
Iran’s Pinar Lotfizadeh and Egypt’s Salma Mohammed Essam El Din Moh completed the podium as bronze medallists.
Day two of the Tashkent 2026 World Taekwondo Junior Championships will feature competition in the M -48kg and -55kg events, and the W -55kg.
