CHUNCHEON, Korea (Jul 11, 2025) - Some of the world’s most accomplished athletes were among the gold medallists at the Chuncheon 2025 World Para Taekwondo Open Challenge in Chuncheon, Korea.

 

A total of 158 athletes from 27 countries, including the Refugee Team and Individual Neutral Athletes, competed at the Chuncheon Song-Am Sports Town Air Dome.

 

Of those competing, 34 athletes also participated in the inaugural World Taekwondo Para Taekwondo Training Camp in Muju, Korea from July 1 to 10. This featured several dynamic sessions led by renowned international coaches aimed at improving athletes’ technique, strategy and match management.

 

Para Taekwondo K44 events were held in the -58kg, -63kg, -70kg, -80kg and +80kg weight category for men, and the -47kg, -52kg, -57kg, -65kg and +65kg for women as part of the World Para Taekwondo Open Challenge.

 

This was the third year of the World Para Taekwondo Open Challenge in Chuncheon, and it concluded the World Taekwondo Cultural Festival following on from the World Taekwondo World Cup Team Championships and the World Taekwondo Demonstration and Breaking Championships.

 

Leading athletes competing included Leonor Angelica Espinoza Carranza (K44 W-47kg, PER), the only athlete to win two Paralympic gold medals in Para Taekwondo, and fellow Paralympic champions Ana Carolina Silva de Moura (K44 W-65kg, BRA), Imammadin Khalilov (K44 M-70kg, AZE), and Mahmut Bozteke (K44 M-63kg, TUR).

 

Nepal’s first-ever Olympic or Paralympic medallist Palesha Goverdhan (K44 W-57kg, NEP) also participated at the World Para Taekwondo Open Challenge, along with Paris 2024 medallists Meryrem Betul Cavdar (K44 W-52kg, TUR), Ana Japaridze (K44 W-52kg, GEO), Silvana Cardoso Fernandes (K44 W-57kg, BRA), Christina Gkentzou (K44 W-65kg, GRE), Rajae Akermach (K44 W+65kg, MAR), Sabir Zeynalov (K44 M-58kg, AZE), and Ayoub Adouich (K44 W+65kg, MAR), and former world champion Debora Menezes (K44 W+65kg, BRA).

 

Notably, Nikola Spajic (K44 M-80kg, SRB), who also participated in the Muju World Taekwodno Para Taekwondo Training Camp, went on to win gold at the Chuncheon 2025 World Para Taekwondo Open Challenge.

 

The following athletes earned medals at the Chuncheon 2025 World Para Taekwondo Open Challenge: