Thailand, Iran, Korea clinch 1 gold gedal each on day 5 of World Taekwondo Championships

After five days of competition, Iran topped others in the overall medal tally in the men’s division with two gold medals, one silver and one bronze, followed by Turkey with one gold, one silver and one bronze. Thailand ranked third with one gold and one silver, followed by Spain with one gold.

In the women’s division, China topped others in the medal tally with two golds and two silvers, followed by Croatia and Great Britain with one gold and one silver. Korea came next with one gold and three bronze medals, followed by Thailand with one gold.

In the women’s -46kg weight category, Korea’s So Hui Kim earned her country the first gold medal as she beat China’s Li Zhaoyi 13-6 in the final match.

Kim, 17, a high school student, reached the final match with a sudden death 2-1 victory over Turkey’s Rukiye Yildirim. Kim participated in the 2010 Youth Olympic Games.

The bronze medal in the women’s division went to Turkey’s Yildirim and Germany’s Suemeyye Manz.

In the women’s -54kg final match, Thailand’s Chutchawal Khawlaor, the bronze medal winner at the 2009 World Taekwondo Championships, managed to defeat Korea’s Ji Woong Park, the first placer at the Korean national team selection qualification tournament, for the top honors. Khawlaor reached the final match with a 7-5 victory over Russia’s Seyfula Magomedov, the gold medalist at the 2008 European Taekwondo Championships.

The Russian and Iran’s Meisam Bagheri Dehcheshmeh, the bronze medalist at the 2009 World Taekwondo Championships, shared the bronze medal in the men’s category.

In the men’s -74kg final match, Iran’s Alireza Nassrazadany, the silver medalist at the 2010 British Open, beat Thailand’s Patiwat Thongsalup, the bronze medalist at the 2009 Universiade, 9-3 to grab the gold medal.

Nassrazadany advanced to the final match with a 9-7 victory over Mali’s Ismael Coulibaly. Coulibaly and Turkey’s Ridvan Baygut each won the bronze medal in the men’s division.