🏆 CHINA OPEN FINALS DAY — GOLD MEDALISTS CROWNED IN CHANGSHA 🇨🇳🥋

The 2026 China Taekwondo Open came to a spectacular close with adult Kyorugi finals at Hunan Normal University, Changsha — and what a finale it was.

After days of intense competition across Poomsae and Kyorugi divisions, the world‘s best athletes stepped onto the mat one final time with everything on the line. Olympic ranking points. National pride. Personal dreams. 🏅

This was the moment where legends were made — and where the next generation of champions announced themselves to the world.

A Record-Breaking Tournament

The 2026 China Taekwondo Open was the largest in the event’s history. Hosted in Changsha for the second consecutive year, the tournament brought together:

• 28 countries and regions

• 810+ athletes and coaches

• G1-level Olympic qualifying status — with adult Kyorugi champions earning 10 official Olympic ranking points

The event was sanctioned by World Taekwondo and the Asian Taekwondo Union, and organized by the China Taekwondo Association, Hunan Provincial Sports Bureau, and Changsha Municipal Government.

What Made This Tournament Special

The 2026 China Open featured four main competition categories: Recognized Poomsae, Free Poomsae, Youth Kyorugi, and Adult Kyorugi — covering athletes of all ages and combining technical precision with competitive intensity.

Day 1 — Poomsae Excellence (Aug 22)

The tournament kicked off with Poomsae competitions at Hunan Normal University‘s Jiangwan Gymnasium. Under the theme “Taekwondo Shines in Star City — Connecting Through Sport,” the event blended the spirit of Hunan‘s cultural heritage with the discipline of Taekwondo.

Key Poomsae highlights:

• Macau, China dominated the U17 Free Poomsae category, sweeping Men‘s Individual, Mixed Doubles, and Mixed Team golds

• Xue Xuan from Hunan claimed Men‘s Individual gold in the 17+ Adult category

• Singapore and Hong Kong, China went head-to-head in Junior Recognized Poomsae, splitting most of the gold medals

Day 2 — Youth Kyorugi (Aug 23)

The Youth Kyorugi competitions delivered non-stop action across 31 weight divisions. Zero-point shutouts, dramatic comebacks, and full three-round battles kept the crowd on their feet.

Team China dominated with 20 gold medals — sweeping both gold and silver in 12 divisions and claiming all three podium spots in 6 divisions. Hong Kong, China secured 7 golds, while Macau, China, Singapore, Australia, and Japan also made their mark on the medal table.

Standout performances:

• Zhao Shang‘en (14 years old, Xi‘an) defeated Japan‘s Fukui Soshi in the Boys‘ -41kg final, winning 2-0 with scores of 26:23 and 15:10. It was his first international tournament — and he walked away with gold.

• Lin Li‘en from Singapore took gold in the Girls‘ -37kg final, joking afterward that she “really likes Changsha‘s stinky tofu”.

Day 3 — Adult Kyorugi Finals (Aug 24)

The main event. Adult Kyorugi — 18+ division, 8 weight classes for both men and women. This was the G1 Olympic qualifier round, where every match carried world ranking points and every victory brought athletes one step closer to Los Angeles 2028.

The energy in Jiangwan Gymnasium was electric. Every kick, every counter, every point was fought for with everything these athletes had. Because on this mat, there are no second chances.

And through it all, one thing remained constant: every single athlete trusted their headgear to protect what matters most. 🛡️