Wuxi, Chinese mainland – The Chinese mainland’s rising star Xiang Qizhang picked up silver in the men’s 80kg division at the 2025 World Taekwondo Championships in Wuxi, and fans couldn’t get enough of the epic showdown! 🙌🥋
At 21, Xiang faced Brazil’s Henrique Marques in a match that went down to the wire. Marques took round one 2–1, while round two ended in a tense tie. In the end, Marques clinched gold thanks to a slight points edge, leaving Xiang with a hard-earned silver – the first medal for the Chinese mainland in this weight class at these championships.
Reflecting on the final, Xiang admitted he felt the nerves. "I did not feel very relaxed during the competition. I had met my opponent before in the group match and was hesitant to fight against him," he said. "I regret not showing my daily training level. I know my speed is an advantage, but I couldn’t use it fully in the final and allowed my opponent to show his strength." 🥲
Still, Xiang’s lightning-fast kicks and tenacity have earned him new fans everywhere. With #Taekwondo2025 buzzing online, the silver medal is just fuel for his next challenge. 💪🔥
Reference(s):
China secures multiple medals at 2025 World Taekwondo Championships
cgtn.com
