(Photo World Taekwondo)
Iran’s Parsa Houshyar, Korea’s Lee Si-woo and Russia’s Ismail Ismailov deliver the gold medals with polished displays at the World Taekwondo Junior Championships in Tashkent.
Houshyar, gold medallist at the Fujairah 2025 World Taekwondo Cadet Championships, triumphed in the men’s -63kg weight category, while Si-woo emerged victorious in the women’s -49kg and Ismailov in the men’s -68kg.
Houshyar dominates
Houshyar followed his world cadet title won less than one year ago in Fujairah by taking Iran’s fourth gold of the championships in a hard-fought men’s -63kg final against France’s Nolhan Rosemond.
Rosemond had been leading the first round, but conceded five Gam-jeoms to hand it to his opponent.
Houshyar looked on course for victory in the second round, only for Rosemond to produce a stunning late body kick to win 4-3. However, Houshyar was not to be denied, and took the third round 9-6 to secure gold.
Bronze medals went to Serbia’s Sergej Ivanovic and Korea’s Youngjin Ji.
Si-woo delivers Korea’s third title
Korea’s third gold in Tashkent came courtesy of Si-woo, who won a tight W -49kg final against China’s Mixue Li.
Si-woo edged both rounds by two points to celebrate gold, taking the first 3-1 and the second 4-2. That completed an impressive run to the title without losing a round.
Iran’s Helia Ebrahimian and Serbia’s Tina Ninić earned bronze.
Ismailov denies the hosts
A raucous atmosphere accompanied the men’s -68kg final as Ismailov took on home favourite Ayyubkhon Nabiev of Uzbekistan.
It was Ismailov who dominated the first round, taking it 11-4. Nabiev found more joy in the second round, leading 8-2 and 11-6.
However, a strong showing in the second minute from Ismailov helped him to turn it around and clinch it 12-11 for Russia’s second gold in Tashkent.
Croatia’s Karlo Holjević and Kazakhstan’s Abdukarimov Alidar completed the podium with bronze medals.
The final day of competition at the Tashkent 2026 World Taekwondo Junior Championships will feature events in the men’s -51kg, women’s -52kg and -63kg.
