Fu Xiaolu takes gold defeating compatriot Ju Zhou (Photo World Taekwondo)
World Taekwondo Championships bronze medallist Fu Xiaolu was on the podium again at the Grand Slam Challenge, this time taking gold by defeating compatriot Ju Zhou in the Women’s -49kg final. Korea’s -46kg junior world champion Yumin Lee won bronze.
It was the first gold for the host nation China while Korea earned two golds courtesy of Kang Jaegwon in the Men’s -80kg and Park Woo Hyeok in the Men’s +80kg.
Jaegwon added to his World Taekwondo Grand Prix Challenge silver in Muju earlier this year with Men’s -80kg gold at the Grand Slam Challenge in Wuxi, overcoming his compatriot Junsang Park in the final. Arthur Meirelles da Costa of Brazil clinched bronze.
In a high-profile Men’s 80kg final between two former world champions, Woo Hyeok celebrated a winning return against Mexico’s Carlos Sansores. Individual Neutral Athlete (AIN) Vladislav Larin completed the podium.
The World Taekwondo Grand Slam Challenge provides an opportunity for athletes to earn coveted places on the 2026 World Taekwondo Grand Slam Champions Series. These will be allocated to the top two athletes of different nationalities from each weight category.
Prize money of USD 6,000 for gold medalists, USD 3,000 for silver medallists and USD 1,000 for bronze medallists is also on offer.
Tomorrow will feature competition in the Women’s -57kg and -67kg, and the Men’s -58kg, before the event concludes on Tuesday.
