Host Mexico Leads the Way at World Taekwondo Championships

Mark Jacobs 2022.11.22 2 min read

The World Taekwondo Championships wrapped up Sunday in Guadalajara with host country Mexico leading the action capturing three golds and six medals overall. China, South Korea and Serbia each took home two golds in the first world championships held since 2019 due to the COVID pandemic.

While Mexico shined on home turf lead by men’s heavyweight gold medalist Carlos Sansores, women’s 49 kg winner Daniela Souza and women’s 67 kg champion Leslie Soltero, it was another disappointing showing for South Korea in the sport they created. After failing to win gold at the last Olympics, South Korea’s two golds in Mexico were the fewest they’ve earned in world championship competition since the first world tournament in 1973 when there were only two divisions contested.

The United States captured one gold medal, albeit in controversial fashion, as Makayla Greenwood defeated China’s Zuo Ju in the women’s 53 kg category. Zuo was up by two points with just two seconds left on the clock when Greenwood threw a spinning wheel kick that appeared to completely miss her opponent. Despite the booing of the crowd, the kick was scored and upheld on video review giving Greenwood the title.

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