Taekwondo rising star Kim Si-yoon (Yongin University) easily reached the top in the Men’s 58kg division at the 2023 World Taekwondo Federation (WT) World Grand Prix Challenge, securing a spot in the 2023 Tai’an Grand Prix Series in China.
On the 15th, at the Grand Prix Challenge Men’s 58kg final held at Jeonbuk Muju Taekwondo Center, Kim Si-yoon defeated Thailand’s Mahammad Sirawit with a round score of 2-0 (15-1, 28-3) to claim the gold medal.
The final match was a completely one-sided game, making it difficult to consider it a real competition. Kim Si-yoon gained an advantage by successfully executing consecutive head attacks just 22 seconds into the match.
After that, he overwhelmed his opponent with spectacular techniques like spinning kicks, finishing the first round with a commanding lead of 15-1.
The atmosphere in the second round was also similar. Kim Si-yoon actively attacked from the beginning of the round, accumulating points and relentlessly pressuring his opponent, ultimately achieving a dominant victory.
Kim Si-yoon has been a promising player who reached the finals of the National Team Selection Tournament in the Men’s 58kg division in February this year. Although he couldn’t participate in the final match due to injury and failed to secure the Taeguk mark, he received praise for being one of the best in the country in terms of skill.
Through this tournament, he secured a chance to participate in the Grand Prix Series, paving the way for further advancement in his career.
In the Women’s 49kg division held on the same day, Oh Seo-rin (Kyeongnam University) won the silver medal, earning herself a ticket to the Grand Prix Series as the runner-up.
In the Women’s 57kg division, all four Korean players failed to win medals.
The Grand Prix Challenge is a kind of “recruitment” tournament created by WT last year for promising players. Only players ranked 71st or below in the Olympic rankings are eligible to participate, and the 1st and 2nd place finishers in each weight category will earn the qualification to compete in the 2023 Chinese Taipei Grand Prix Series, which will take place in October this year.
On the 16th, matches will be held in the Men’s 68kg, Men’s 80kg, and Women’s 67kg divisions. 스포츠토토