Host Indonesia clinched one gold medal in the freestyle pair division on the first day of the 8th World Taekwondo Poomsae Championships in Bali, Indonesia on 31 October, 2013.
A total of 14 countries took home at least one medal on the first day of the four-day championships.
Korea topped others in the medal tally with two golds and three silvers, followed by Iran and Vietnam with one gold, one silver and one bronze each. The United States and Spain followed with one gold and one bronze each.
Turkey and Canada clinched one bronze medal each. Thailand grabbed three silvers, while China and Chinese Taipei two bronzes each. Italy, France and Russia took home one bronze medal each.
A total of 439 athletes from 49 countries are competing for the 25 gold medals up for grabs at the four-day Bali World Poomsae Championships. Fifty poomsae international referees officiate at the championships.
Before the final round of the freestyle pair division, there was an opening ceremony of the 8th World Taekwondo Poomsae Championships, which took place at the Bali International Convention Center of the Westin Nusa Dua Hotel Resort.
Among the attendees were WTF President Chungwon Choue; Mr. I Made Mangku Pastika, governor of Bali; and Lt. Gen. Marciano Norman, president of the Indonesian Taekwondo Association.
In his welcoming address, WTF President Choue said, “I wish to congratulate Lt. Gan. Marciano Norman and the Organizing Committee on their hard work to bring everyone together for this great event, the first-ever WTF-promloted championships in Indonesia.”
“This week of competition will certainly display some of the best taekwondo poomsae in the world. The level of poomsae competition has raised so much over the years and I am confident that it will continue to climb. Fromteenage to grandfather, our sport is truly a sport for all,” he said.
Dr. Choue continued to say, “We have now competition in freestyle poomsae, a new addition which started last year in Tunja, Colombia. This dynamic category for competition will only grow and develop further, drawing great attention from both the public and international media.”
The opening ceremony, which lasted some two hours, featured a traditional Indonesian dancing and a demonstration by a trio of Korean taekwon-aerobic dancers.
A 30-minute taekwondo performance by the WTF Demonstration Team attracted much applause from the spectators.
Results:
