South Korea has finished first at the World Junior Taekwondo Championships in Egypt.
Korea won titles in both the men’s and women’s divisions with a total of seven gold medals at the 9th World Junior Championships in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt from April 4-8.
During the five-day competition, Korea took home four gold and three silver medals for a total of 89 points in the men’s division, followed by Iran with two gold and two silver medals for 62 points. Russia came third with one gold and two bronze medals.
In the women’s division, Korea grabbed four gold medals for 73 points, followed by Russia with three golds and one bronze. Turkey finished third with two silver and two bronze medals.
Kim Yeong-seok of Korea, who won the men’s under 55 kg title, was named Best Male Athlete. Choi Byeol, who beat Taiwan’s Wong Shiao-pei on Sunday to win the women’s under 44 kg title, was selected Best Female Athlete.
On the final day, Spain’s Daniel Quesada Barrera beat Korea’s Shin Dong-hyun to claim the men’s under 68 kg division, while Iran’s Abolfazl Yaghoubi Jouybari beat his Jordanian counterpart to win the men’s under 48 kg.
The World Taekwondo Federation, the sport’s governing body, said a total of 753 athletes from 90 countries competed in the biennial competition.
The sport’s governing body also approved four new members -- the Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau and Seychelles -- at its general assembly held during the event in Egypt.
The WTF was launched in 1973 with seven member associations, but with the addition of four new members, its membership has expanded to 201, the eighth-largest among international sports federations, the WTF said.
By Oh Kyu-wook
(596story@heraldm.com)
koreaherald@heraldcorp.com
