Lights, action and high-flying kicks took center stage in Wuxi, the Chinese mainland, as the World Taekwondo Championships wrapped up on Thursday 🥋.
At just 20 years old, Zhang Chuling stole the spotlight with a bronze medal in the women's 53-kilogram division 🥉. She faced Saudi Arabia's Dunya Abu Taleb in the semifinals and came out swinging. In Round 1, Zhang launched several ambitious head kicks but could not land one, while Abu Taleb scored with a smooth mid-level kick to win 2-0. Round 2 saw Zhang control the pace with her front-leg feints and block multiple attacks, but a decisive high kick from Abu Taleb gave her a 3-0 edge after a review. Despite Zhang's final knockout attempt, the call stood, sending the young athlete home with bronze.
Meanwhile in the men's 74-kilogram quarterfinals, China's Cai Zhaoxun took on Brazil's Edival Pontes. Pontes dominated Round 1 with a 6-1 lead and kept his momentum, landing sharp back-leg kicks for a 4-3 Round 2 victory and a spot in the semifinals.
When the dust settled, the Chinese mainland squad proudly held one silver 🥈 and eight bronze medals 🥉, topping the overall medal table. It's a powerful display of skill and teamwork on home turf—sure to inspire a new generation of martial arts enthusiasts! 🌟
Reference(s):
China tops medal table with nine at World Taekwondo Championships
cgtn.com
