WUXI, China (Dec. 7, 2024) – The Wuxi 2024 World Taekwondo Grand Slam Challenge commenced today with exciting competitions that led to China and Individual Neutral Athletes (AINs) securing the four available gold medals.
The inaugural day included events in the men’s -68kg and +80kg and women’s-49kg and -67kg, with the other weight categories set to take place tomorrow. Athletes competed in a single elimination, best-of-three-rounds format, aiming to achieve gold and silver to qualify for the 2026 WT Grand Slam Champion’s Series.
In the men’s -68kg, AIN Ilia Danilov captured gold, overcoming Zaid Alhalawani in the final match. Woo-Hyeok Jung from Korea earned bronze.
AIN Rafail Aiukaev took gold in the men’s +80kg, while Uzbekistan’s Shukhrat Salaev claimed silver. Spain’s Sergio Troitino Amoedo received bronze.
On the women’s side, China achieved gold in the -49kg as Jingyue Ma triumphed over her fellow countrywoman Shiyi Wang in the final. There was a complete medal sweep for China in this category, with Sai Yang earning bronze.
In the women’s -67kg, AIN Liliia Khuzina bested Korea’s Min-Ju Kwak to secure gold, while Min-Seo Nam from Korea took home bronze.
All gold medalists were awarded 6,000 USD in prize money, with silver medalists receiving 3,000 USD and bronze winners taking 1,000 USD.
The competition will conclude tomorrow with the men’s -58kg and -80kg, as well as the women’s -57kg and +67kg.
The 2024 Wuxi World Taekwondo Grand Slam Challenge wraps up with an impressive display of remarkable performances.
Wuxi 2024 World Taekwondo Grand Slam Challenge concludes with a flourish of remarkable performances.
WUXI, China (Dec. 8, 2024) – The remaining four medal events unfolded on the second day of the Wuxi 2024 World Taekwondo Grand Slam Challenge. With Korea securing two golds and one each for Uzbekistan and the host nation China.
Huichan Yang excelled in the men’s -58kg category, winning gold for Korea at the expense of Individual Neutral Athlete (AIN) Georgii Gurtsiev in the final match. The bronze medal went to Kai Cheng from China.
Gahyeon Kim earned a second gold medal of the day for Korea. Defeating China’s Chuling Zhang in the final of the women’s -57kg category. Where Maria Clara Pacheco from Brazil won bronze.
Following yesterday’s gold for Jingyue Ma in the women’s -49kg hosts China celebrated another success with Wenzhe Mu winning in the women’s +67kg. Mu overcame her compatriot Lei Xu in the final. With reigning +73kg world champion Nafia Kuş Aydın from Türkiye taking third place.
The final gold medal on day two was awarded to Uzbekistan’s Jasurbek Jaysunov, who triumphed over China’s Junbo Zhao in the men’s -80kg final. Taewook Kim from Korea secured the third position in this category.
There was a lot on the line throughout the two days of competition at the Wuxi 2024 World Taekwondo Grand Slam Challenge, and the athletes showcased thrilling matches and exceptional performances from start to finish.
Gold medal winners received 6,000 USD in prize money, silver medal winners got 3,000 USD, and bronze medal winners earned 1,000 USD.
For the finalists in every category, there was additionally the rewarding benefit of achieving qualification for the esteemed 2026 World Taekwondo Grand Slam Champions Series.
Ehatasamul Alom is an esteemed Taekwondo 3rd Dan Black Belt with over 12 years of experience in this dynamic martial art. Born in Rajshahi, Bangladesh, Ehatasamul’s journey with Taekwondo began at the tender age of seven. His passion led him to compete at national and international levels, where he has bagged numerous awards and honors. He is also a member of the Taekwondo National Referee Panel.
With a Bachelor’s degree in Sports Science from the prestigious Rajshahi University, Ehatasamul has a deep understanding of the technical and scientific aspects of martial arts.
In 2022, Ehatasamul created the “TaekwondoKing.com” blog to share his knowledge and experiences. His articles focus on Taekwondo training techniques, competition strategies, and the art’s rich history and philosophy. He also writes about the importance of mental fortitude and discipline, key aspects of his teaching philosophy. His goal is to inspire both beginners and seasoned practitioners worldwide through insightful and engaging content.