By Lee Reaney for World Para Taekwondo
With the weight of a nation that birthed the sport on his shoulders, Jeonghun Joo allowed Korea to take a sigh of relief after qualifying in the men’s up to 75 kg division.
Korea, which has dominated Olympic taekwondo since it became an Olympic sport, avoided the embarrassment of not qualifying a single fighter for Para Taekwondo’s Paralympic debut with Joo’s victory in Amman, Jordan.
“It’s a lie if you don’t feel the pressure,” Joo told World Para Taekwondo. “It was difficult for Korea to participate in many competitions due to lack of budget. We could be higher in the rankings if we had a lot of money to play in the game.”
Fueled by impressive spin kicks and combinations, the No. 16-ranked Joo easily got past Mongolia’s Shinebayar Batbayar 53-17 in the final.
“It has been four years since I started Para Taekwondo”, he said, “Going to the Tokyo Paralympics will allow me to achieve my unfulfilled dream.”
Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan Qualify Two Fighters Each
Top-seeded Ziyodakhon Isakova of Uzbekistan was made to work for her Paralympic license in the women’s up to 49 kg final.
Taking on a new fighter from Iran, the experienced Isakova – who has six international podiums under her (black) belt – fought through a neck-and-neck battle before pulling away in the third round for the victory.
Isakova credits an intensive training program to her success. Uzbekistan trained with the national teams of Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan. In total, eight fighters from the three countries qualified in this month’s qualification tournaments.
“When I was younger, I used to watch the athletes from other sports, or able-bodied Taekwondo athletes, and dream that one day I could also go to the Paralympic Games”, she told World Para Taekwondo. “Winning gold and listening to the national anthem of Uzbekistan and seeing our flag [rising] is what excites me the most.”
COVID Travel Issues Wreak Havoc on Asian Draw
With COVID rates spiking in countries like India and Nepal, several fighters were unable to travel to Jordan to compete in the last-chance qualification event.
Three fighters from India, including No. 2-seeded Aruna (women’s up to 49kg), and two fighters from Nepal, including top-seeded Palesha Goverdhan (women’s over 58kg), were unable to make the trip.
This resulted in three divisions not being contested at the event.
Instead, Kazakhstan will send two fighters to Tokyo – Nyshan Omirali (men’s over 75 kg) and Kamilya Dosmalova (women’s up to 58 kg).
“The Paralympic license for our country will inspire not only young people, but also people with disabilities”, Omirali told World Para Taekwondo, “To compete under the flag of our country gives me great pride – but so will winning a gold medal.”
Iran is In, Chinese Taipei Just Misses Out
In the fight of the tournament, Uzbekistan’s Asadbek Toshtemirov narrowly edged Chinese Taipei’s Chen Chien Chiang 39-36 in the men’s up to 61 kg final, denying the country a fighter at the 202One Paralympic Games.
Down by two with 32 seconds to go, Toshtemirov built a small lead and dodged a last-second spin kick to claim the win and a third spot for Uzbekistan at the Paralympic Games.
New to the sport, Iran’s Rayehe Shahab may be the least experienced fighter in Tokyo. She’ll look to former world champion teammates Mehdi Pourrahnama and Asghar Aziziaghdam for advice.
“Taekwondo is a competition with yourself”, she told World Para Taekwondo, “It’s a story of attempting to challenge yourself and learning how to solve the problems in your life.”
With the continental qualification tournaments now complete, the final Paralympic spots to be awarded by Bipartite Committee will be named on June 7.
요르단 암만에서 현지시간 5월 23일 도쿄 패럴림픽 태권도 출전을 위한 아시아 선발전이 개최됐다.
12개국 26명의 선수가 출전한 아시안 선발전에서 K44(K43) 등급 여자 -49Kg, -58Kg, +58Kg에서 우즈베키스탄, 카자흐스탄, 이란이 남자 -61Kg, -75Kg, +75Kg 에선 우즈베키스탄, 한국, 카자흐스탄이 올림픽 출전권을 획득했다.
한국의 주정훈(27, 서울특별시장애인태권도협회)이 남자 –75kg(K44)에서 1위에 오르며 도쿄행 티켓을 거머쥐면서 한국은 2020 도쿄패럴림픽 출전권 1장을 확보했다. 주정훈은 몽골의 쉔바이아르 바트바이아르 (Shinebayar BATBAYAR) 선수에게 53대17의 큰 점수차로 우승했다.
남자 -61Kg에 출전한 김태민은 8강에서 탈락했다
K43은 양팔장애 중 팔꿈치 아래 마비 또는 절단장애가 있는 유형이며, K44는 한팔장애 중 팔꿈치 아래 마비 또는 절단장애가 있는 유형으로 K43은 WT 세계장애인태권도 랭킹 체급별 1, 2위자, K44는 체급별 WT 세계랭킹 1, 2, 3, 4위자 36명에게 패럴림픽 자동 출전권이 부여됐다. 각 대륙별 선발전에서 우승자 30명, 주최국 일본 3명, 와일드 카드 3명 등에게 출전권이 부여된다.
이번 도쿄 패럴림픽에 첫선을 보이는 태권도는 터키 6명, 러시아와 아제르바이잔이 각 4명, 영국 3명, 한국 1명 등 총 72명의 남녀 선수가 출전한다.
9월 2일부터 4일까지 일본 지바현 지바시에 위치한 마쿠하리 멧세(Makuhari Messe)에서 열린다.
태권도는 지난 2015년 IPC집행위원회에서 2020년 도쿄패럴림픽 정식 종목군에 처음 이름을 올린데 2024년 파리 대회까지 정식 종목으로 치러질 예정이다.
WTU-news
2022고양세계태권도품새선수권대회 홍보 동영상
