South Korea showcased their taekwondo prowess at the Paris Games, returning to the top of the podium after a disappointing Tokyo Olympics. The event was a testament to the growing global reach of the sport, with 23 nations securing medals from the 32 available. The triumph was led by world champions Park Tae-joon and Kim Yun-jin, who secured gold in the men’s flyweight and women’s featherweight classes respectively, solidifying South Korea’s dominance with 25 medals since the sport’s introduction in 2000.
The stakes were high for South Korea, where taekwondo holds immense national pride. Yet, the unpredictable nature of the sport was evident under the grand Palais ceiling. Reigning champions, including Britain’s Jade Jones and France’s Magda Wiet Henin, faced early exits at the hands of lesser-known fighters. Britain’s Caden Cunningham, a driven 21-year-old heavyweight, stunned the crowd with a silver medal win in the men’s competition, defeating three Olympic medallists in a row.
The Paris Games saw a historic first gold for both Hungary, with teenager Viviana Marton, and France, with Althea Laurin. Meanwhile, Panipak Wongpattanakit etched her name in history by becoming the first Thai athlete to win two gold medals in taekwondo. Her victory in the flyweight finals was a thrilling three-round battle, decided by two video replay requests that confirmed her head kicks against China’s Guo Qing.
The use of video replays, almost systematically employed in bouts, added a new dimension to taekwondo, often changing results and enhancing the sport’s dynamism. This, coupled with the best-of-three round format replacing cumulative points, contributed to a more competitive and engaging experience at the Paris Games. “The eight gold medals were shared between seven different countries, and 23 nations won at least one of the 32 medals available,” stated World Taekwondo president Chungwon Choue. “Not many sports can boast this universality, and it is a testament to the global strength of taekwondo.”
