National taekwondo competitor Park Taejoon (left) on Aug. 7 throws a kick against Azerbaijan's Gashim Magomedov in the final of the men's 58-kg class at the Paris Summer Olympics held at the Grand Palais in the French capital.
By Israa Mohamed
Photo = Yonhap News
Park Taejoon, making his Olympic debut, has won Korea's first gold medal in taekwondo at the Paris Summer Olympics in the men's 58-kg class.
On the opening day of the Paris Summer Olympics' taekwondo competition at the Grand Palais in Paris, the flyweight on Aug. 7 beat Azerbaijan's Gashim Magomedov in the final after the latter forfeited due to injury.
This was Korea's first Olympic gold in the lightest weight of men's taekwondo. The nation's previous best in the class was Lee Daehoon's silver at the 2012 London Games.
After going gold-less in the sport at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Korea restored its pride as taekwondo's birthplace with its first Olympic title in eight years.
Park is also the first Korean man to win a taekwondo gold in 16 years since Son Taejin (68 kg) and Cha Dongmin (over 80 kg) at the 2008 Beijing Games.
In the semifinals, Park beat world No. 1 and 2020 Olympic silver medalist Mohamed Khalil Jendoubi of Tunisia, 2-0, for a berth in the final.
Park's gold was Korea's 12th of the Paris Games.
As of Aug. 8 at 11 a.m. Korean Standard Time, the national team raised its medal count to 27 -- 12 gold, eight silver and seven bronze -- for sixth overall.
Park Taejoon (middle) on Aug. 7 celebrates while holding the Korean national flag Taegeukgi after winning the men's taekwondo 58-kg class at the Paris Summer Olympics held at the Grand Palais in Paris.
ess8@korea.kr
Most popular
- Korea.net welcomes 2025 K-influencers, Honorary Reporters
- 2025 Honorary Reporter class pledges to spread 'real Korea' worldwide
- Actor Bae Doona's first romcom in decade to hit theaters in May
- US urged to exempt tariffs on Korea in first '2+2' trade talks
- 'Gangnam Style,' 'Baby Shark' make YouTube's 2005-25 best list
