Liu Yu-yun Captures Taiwan’s First Gold in Taekwondo in a Decade

Liu Yu-yun won Taiwan’s first gold medal in taekwondo in ten years, triumphing at the World Taekwondo Championships held in Wuxi, China. On Saturday, Liu defeated Turkey’s Elif Sude Akgul 2-1 in the final of the women’s under-49kg division, showcasing her remarkable skills throughout the tournament.

Liu’s path to victory was marked by significant challenges. After advancing through the initial rounds, she faced Spain’s Olympic silver medalist, Adriana Cerezo Iglesias, in the quarter-finals, where she secured a win. Liu then overcame Kazakhstan’s Nodira Akhmedova, propelling her into the gold medal match.

In the final bout against Akgul, Liu experienced an early setback, dropping the first round. Nevertheless, she demonstrated resilience, launching a fierce comeback in the second round. Liu executed a spinning head kick that shifted the match’s momentum, leading her to score five points and tie the match at 3-3.

During the decisive third round, a back-and-forth battle ensued, but Liu landed another precise head kick just before time expired. After a video review confirmed the three points, Liu sealed the victory with a final score of 3-1, marking Taiwan’s first world taekwondo gold since Chuang Chia-chia won in 2015.

Celebrating Achievements and National Pride

At just 18 years old, Liu is following in the footsteps of her predecessor Chuang. Head coach Su Tai-yuan praised Liu’s performance, noting that her height of 175 centimeters is an advantage in the under-49kg class.

In a related sporting event, the national team excelled at the Kettlebell World Championships in Poland, where they captured a total of 17 medals, including five gold. Athletes Ting Ya-han and Tseng Yung-lin both earned gold medals during the competition.

The experience was particularly emotional for the Taiwanese athletes, as the Polish organizers played the Republic of China (ROC) national anthem while the athletes raised the ROC flag. Tseng shared her feelings on Facebook, stating, “I had never heard our national anthem played at an international competition in my life. The emotions I felt at that moment are something I’ll never forget.”

The Taipei Representative Office in Poland also recognized the athletes’ achievements, posting on Facebook: “Taiwanese athletes Ting Ya-han and Tseng Yung-lin captured gold medals with their outstanding performances. The organizers played our national anthem, which was a moment of pride and honor for Taiwan. At that moment, Taiwan shone — and we couldn’t be prouder. Thank you for letting the world see Taiwan!”

These victories reflect the growing prowess of Taiwanese athletes on the international stage and serve as a source of national pride.